The Outcast of Slytherin; A Tale of Lost Wizardry (Harry Potter Fanfic)

Prologue

"Do you have your things together?! If you leave anything cous, it's just going to be left." Robbie nagged as he shot between his and his siblings'room, collecting the most important of Franklin's things for his departure before heading to the bathroom. Robbie was just as uptight as he had always been. Only this time, his appearance was much more unkempt. The sight of the lanky yet filled fair-skinned figure dashing from room to room easily brought a smile to young Franklin's face. "Oi! this is funny to ya?" Robbie gurgled with his toothbrush in mouth and a comb running through his messy brown hair. "Yes, very much." Franklin laughed as his chocolate skin developed a cherry wood tint. Robbie spit in the bathroom before returning to the hallway. "Just get your stuff brat." He smiled as he attempted to run his fingers through Franklin's kinky hair only to have his fingers ensnared. "Ouch! Rob! That hurts you giant!" "Sorry Frankie. I forgot your hair isn't like mine."

"Got your wand?" "Yes. And my robes, and everything I came with pretty much." Franklin answered as he turned toward the steps before he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder. "Even the picture of your parents?" Franklin froze in place as a fist balled at his side. It had barely been nine months since his parents sent him to live with his distant cousins in England. He had been told very little of what was going on and why. When he finally managed the question, his parent just took each other's hand and smiled to him as reassuringly as they could. "We need to send you away Franklin. You're going to stay with your distant cousins. You remember Robbie? From Christmas?" Franklin nodded obediently. "You'll be staying with him and his siblings." His mother comforted her son with a smile. Her chocolate skin gleamed in the light of their apartment as she did her best to calm her confused son while his father packed the boy's things. His muscles tensed as he carried arms full of clothes over to three different suitcases. The tears flowing from his brown eyes could easily be mistaken as sweat due to the consecutive labor he was performing as his copper-skin held a deep red undertone.

Though he was only ten at the time, Franklin knew there was something he wasn't being told. Unfortunately, he never found out what. "Why would I need that?" "Because they love you. And they haven't forgotten you. They just feel that your education would be better taught here." "They said they would visit..." Robbie sighed as he heard the distress in his younger cousin's voice. "Things happen and plans change kid. Don't forget that they call when you need them the most. They're clearly still In tune with you." "That was two months ago. You told me today would be the day that my world changed and my parents, having sent me here for this reason, couldn't manage a call?" Franklin debated. "Okay. You got me there but don't go into this thinking it's a punishment cous. It's a blessing. And I know it would be greater with your mum and dad but their absence doesn't make it any less of a good thing. Understood?" Franklin glared to Robbie before nodding. "Good."

"Oi! you twos waiting for ah special delivery or ah boot in the arse?!" Lament mocked as he and Feria shared a laugh. Both stood at opposite sides of the staircase, the tall, defined male dressed in black, silver and green while the tall, athletic female dressed in black, blue and bronze. "Piss off!" Franklin barked in an imitation of his cousins' accent. "Prehtty good, boy'o. Prehtty good." Feria smiled as Robbie shot him a disapproving look before they piled into Robbie's car. "If you don't like anything else, I promise you the sorting ceremony is going to be brilliant." Lament delighted. "Give up Lament, he's going into my house. His intellect is clearly that of a natural-born Ravenclaw." Feria barked. "Maybe but his attitude, potential and ambitiousness is clearly that of a Slytherin." Lament argued. Franklin smiled as he listened to his cousins' debate, vividly reacting to Lament's side.

"Uh oh Feria, looks like the boy likes the sound of Slytherin." Robbie intruded as he looked through the mirror to a now blushing Franklin. "And when it doesn't happen, it'll be Lament's fault." "Aye, don't blame me for destiny." "But it isn't. He's our DISTANT cousin, remember? His blood ties are familiar to ours but not enough for that." "See that's why I never liked you Ravenclaws, nothing but a bunch of know-it-all twats!" "Oi! Knock it off! Bloody hell..." Robbie sighed. "Anyways, you're going to be brilliant. And you're going to be a Slytherin. I guarantee it cous." Lament whispered with a punch to his arm. His words had rung true after all. Franklin hadn't realized that he zoned out during his sorting since the hat had been rambling for what felt like fifteen minutes.

But when he came around, the hat was no longer on his head and the dining hall fell deathly silent. His peers were each staring at him, some laughing while others stood shocked. The staff appeared to be more sympathetic, most of their expressions ranged from pity to concern. Only three of their rank appeared to be more level-headed about the matter. The first was a gracefully-aged woman whose shoulder-length red hair shined as bright as the fires in the Hall. Her cool fair-skin remained the snowy tone it was before the sorting, though her green eyes flared with curiosity as she watched Franklin watching her; an inquiring smile perched upon her face. The second was an older man whose complexion appeared to be a shade or two darker than Franklin.

From his seat, he looked to be a man of average stature but his face told another tale. His facial features were rough and scathing. It held scars in what appeared to be random places; over his left eye brow, under his lip, tip of his nose, in the center of his left cheek. His pure black scleras and violet pupils were quite the sight as well which made his prolonged stare feel more punishing than his peers. His brown hair was extremely well kept with not a single hair out of place. The third was quite a bit younger than the others, or at least he appeared to be so. His stature was only a little more than that of the dark-skinned professor he sat next to. His facial features were feminine though his stern grey eyes had a piercing affect which granted him a look of peculiarity, his shaven head only added to the piercing power of his eyes.

Out of everyone, only one group were living up to their namesake in the moment. For every Slytherin within his eyesight was whispering to one another, pointing to him and shooting glares or looks of disgust. "Mr. Joseph, you need to take your seat amongst your new brethren. Who will do their best to make you feel as welcome as they can or else." The younger Professor threatened which put an end to many of the ill-mannered behaviors immediately. "Should you need any further assistance, do not be afraid to seek my help Mr. Joseph. I'm Professor Colette and Head of Slytherin House." Franklin nodded respectfully before he made his way to a seat at the far end of the Slytherin dining table, to which the previous occupants gladly vacated once he arrived. Franklin could tell this wasn't going to be nearly as fun as Lament had led him to believe. Once again, he was being forced to be somewhere he didn't care to be because people who 'cared' about him told him it was best. This was becoming the story of his life which didn't sit well with him at all.