A Million Things {Hamilton/Harry Potter Universe}

Chapter 3

As Alexander's fourth year rolled around, he felt one hundred percent comfortable in the wizarding world. A mix of embarrassing questions answered by the patient Benedict, who had become a close friend, and the reading of many books had caught him up to his peers.

None of his close-minded classmates could ever guess he was muggle-born.

Of course, one of his teachers had to ruin all that.

"Another Slug Club meeting!" Alexander groaned, eyeing the letter with disgust.

"Just don't go if you hate them so much," Benedict sighed, lying on the common room floor, doing Divination homework.

Alexander glared at him. "How dare you say such a thing Benny! Of course I have to go."

"Care to enlighten me, O Wise One?"

Look, Slughorn is annoying, bragging about all his connections with students who went places, but it is a selective club, so it will look good that I was a part of something like that. My picture will sit on Slughorn's shelf forever."

"That's creepy," Benedict shuddered.

"You don't get it!" Alexander sighed, exasperated. "Forever! The legacy of that achievement will last for all time. Future studetns will see it and know I was here. I walked these halls, I-"

"-sneezed in that corner," Benedict interupted with an eyeroll. "Why are you so obsessed with legacy and all that? I don't want to discourage you, but people might not care you were in the Slug Club."

"They will."

"Why?"

"They'll want to care after I'm done with them."

"How?"

"Just you wait!" Alexander snapped. He stormed from the room.

Benedict sat there for a moment. "If he doesn't make prefect, I think he would die," he said with a shake of his head.

Alexander sat in Slughorn's office with four other students. They were Lily Evans, Aaron Burr, James Potter, and Angelica Schuyler.

He didn't know the others very well, including Lily, as she was a year older. She was in Gryffindor and Benedict had advised that most friends were in the same house. That didn't stop Lily though with being friends with that creep, Severus Snape. How a weirdo like that landed being friends with the likes of Lily Evans, he would never know.

Potter was also in Gryffindor, the same year as Lily, and very irritating. Potter was felt he ruled the school as he was a Quidditch star he and his loyal sidekicks did 'cool' things like blow up bathrooms and set off dungbombs in the corridors. He was also rumoured to be a bully and tormented Snape whenever the opportunity arose.

Burr had been the Slytherin that had blocked his way out of the common room back in Alexander's first year, though he did not hold that against Burr. Now a seventh year, he was Head Boy and rumored to be Slughorn's favorite, next to Lily Evans. He always seemed to say the right thing at the right time and get the beaming approval, while Alexander would get a flustered chuckle half the time.

He knew Schuyler was a part of a rich, wizarding family and was considered very intelligent. As a Ravenclaw sixth year, many were betting on her being made Head Girl next year as she was a great student and quite popular. She never got the negative attention like Potter and focused on scholarly success. He admired that about people.

Slughorn trotted cheerfully into the room. "Hello, all!" he beamed, his mustache curling up at the corners. "I'm quite excited to have this little club over the years. And quite the good selection this time, eh? At our first meeting last week, I'm so pleased we all got to meet each other and make new friends."

James Potter grinned mischeviously and tried to put his arm around Lily. She rolled her eyes and moved to sit next to Angelica.

Either Slughorn ignored this or couldn't see past his box of crystalized pineapple. "Let's dig in!"

The food, smoked turkey, was delicious, but Alexander's plate emptied slower than the others as he talked more than he ate.

"...so in conclusion, I ended up having to write two extra rolls of parchment for my potions essay, Professor, I hope you don't mind reading that much. I had some ideas on the uses of the potions that were different than the textbook but I believe they could be more benefical to society as they could contribute to-."

Alexander trailed off as James pretended to snore, dropping his head on the table. Burr laughed loudly. Even Lily couldn't help cracking a smile.

Slughorn chuckled. "Always going the extra mile, Mr. Hamilton!" He clapped him on the back. "I'd expect more from you though, Mr. Potter. You're last essay was six inches short."

The grin slipped off James's face. Lily's smile grew bigger, for some reason.

"Oh where has Miss Schuyler gone?" Slughorn asked, looking around.

"She went to the bathroom, " Lily explained.

"Ah, well, we can start dessert without her." Over lemon sherbert cake, their professor steered the conversation back towards their backgrounds.

"And what do your parents do, Mr. Hamilton?" All eyes were on him now. "I can't recall hearing the name Hamilton, so if my guess if right, they are muggles?"

Alexander felt his face heating up. This was the moment he never wanted to happen.

"Yes," he said evenly. "My father was James Hamilton. He worked in the trade business in St. Criox."

"My, what kind of things did he do?" Slughorn asked with honest curiosity. Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad after all, he thought, relaxing.

"Well, he worked with ship-"

"Was?" James Potter asked loudly. "Is he dead?"

"Mr. Potter!" Slughorn said sharply.

"No," Alexander said firmly.

"Then why do you live above the Three Broomsticks-?"

It was too much for Alexander. He jumped out of his chair and ran out of the room. He nearly crashed into Angelica, who was just returning.

"What-?" she tried to ask, but he pushed past her, blinking tears out of his eyes.

AN: Comment, please! What do you think so far?