It was 1991 in London, England.
Living up to its reputation as the “Foggy City,” London was blanketed in mist beneath a dull, gray sky that let almost no sunlight through.
Professor Filius Flitwick knocked on the front door.
As a Hogwarts professor, one of his yearly responsibilities was delivering Hogwarts acceptance letters and introducing Muggle-born students to the wizarding world.
The task was always unpredictable.
Some Muggle families accepted the news with surprising ease, while others refused to believe a word until they witnessed real magic with their own eyes and realized it wasn’t an elaborate stage performance.
“Will Behrens… I hope this family is more reasonable,” Professor Flitwick thought.
The door opened, revealing a rather unusual boy.
He had pale skin, silver-gray eyes, and an expression that remained cold and unreadable.
Although he was only eleven years old, he carried himself with an unnatural calm and detachment.
At that moment, Professor Flitwick had no idea that this child would remain one of the most unforgettable students of his teaching career.
The boy spoke first.
“Hello, Professor Flitwick.”
Flitwick blinked in surprise.
He was certainly well known within the wizarding world, so being recognized by witches and wizards was nothing unusual.
However, according to Hogwarts’ records, this boy had been born to a completely Muggle family.
“Mr. Behrens, may I ask how you know who I am?” Flitwick asked curiously.
“You’re quite famous, Professor. You’re the Head of Ravenclaw House and the Charms Professor at Hogwarts. I’ve wanted to ask you a few questions for a long time.”
Will spoke as casually as if he were discussing the weather.
“Please, come in.”
Professor Flitwick followed him inside.
The house was modest but exceptionally clean.
Everything was neatly arranged, and not a speck of dust could be seen.
Framed photographs decorated the living room walls, most of them showing a woman and a young boy together.
Will invited Professor Flitwick to sit before heading into the kitchen to prepare tea.
While waiting, Flitwick noticed an open book resting on the coffee table.
Beside it sat a stack of worn books whose creased pages showed they had been read countless times.
A young wizard who enjoys reading, Flitwick thought with satisfaction.
A likely Ravenclaw.
His eyes drifted over the titles.
The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts.
Studies on the Development of Modern Magic.
Excellent choices.
He had enjoyed both during his own school days.
A Guide to Magical Cooking.
A practical household book.
Moste Potente Potions.
Not bad.
Quite an advanced selection for a child.
Then Professor Flitwick suddenly froze.
Something was terribly wrong.
According to Hogwarts’ records, this boy was Muggle-born.
“Mr.
Behrens,” Flitwick asked, his expression growing serious, “do you have any wizarding relatives?”
If Will truly came from a Muggle family, then someone had almost certainly violated the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy.
“No, Professor. As far as I know, everyone related to me by blood is a Muggle.”
Will answered calmly.
Something about his detached tone made Flitwick uneasy.
The boy might have crossed paths with an irresponsible—or even dangerous—wizard.
Another detail caught his attention.
The child appeared to be home alone.
“Are your parents away?” Flitwick asked gently.
“If so, I can wait until they return before we discuss Hogwarts.”
Will poured a cup of black tea before answering.
“My mother passed away two years ago, Professor.”
He placed the teacup in front of Flitwick.
“I’m my father’s illegitimate son. I rarely see him, though he does send money. He doesn’t even know my mother is dead.”
“I’m very sorry to hear that, my boy,” Professor Flitwick said softly.
His tone unconsciously became much gentler.
He had not expected to find himself in such circumstances.
“But where did these books come from?” he continued.
“If someone gave them to you, that person could be quite dangerous.”
An orphan living alone could easily become the target of unscrupulous witches or wizards.
Will nodded slightly.
“It happened about a year and a half ago. I walked past a place called the Leaky Cauldron.”
“I noticed that everyone around me ignored it completely, but I could see it clearly. I became curious, walked inside, and later followed a red-haired family through the entrance to Diagon Alley.”
“That’s how I discovered the wizarding world.”
Professor Flitwick stared at him in disbelief.
In all his years visiting prospective Hogwarts students, he had never encountered anything like this.
A Muggle-born child from a broken home had somehow stumbled into the Leaky Cauldron on his own, found the hidden entrance to Diagon Alley, and explored the wizarding world without anyone guiding him.
It was unbelievably reckless.
Flitwick could almost picture the Sorting Hat shouting “Gryffindor!” the moment this boy sat beneath it.
“My boy,” Professor Flitwick said earnestly, “curiosity is a wonderful quality, but the unknown can also be dangerous. The wizarding world is not without its risks. In the future, you must be more cautious.”
“Thank you for the advice, Professor. I’ll remember it.”
Will answered obediently.
Even so, Flitwick had the distinct feeling the boy hadn’t truly taken his warning to heart.
Still, there would be plenty of opportunities to teach him after he arrived at Hogwarts.
“Very well,” Flitwick said, standing.
“Gather your things, and we’ll head to Diagon Alley to purchase your school supplies.”
Will looked at him calmly.
“Professor, I already bought everything the day before yesterday.”
Professor Flitwick fell silent.
For the first time in his career, he found himself completely speechless.
This was, without question, the most self-sufficient Hogwarts student he had ever met.
…
Professor Flitwick was about to leave when Will spoke.
“Professor, why don’t you stay for lunch before you go?”
Will Behrens seemed to notice Flitwick’s surprise and took the initiative to break the brief silence.
“Oh? Well, if you’re sure it isn’t any trouble,” Flitwick replied with a smile.
He didn’t want to refuse the boy.
Considering Will’s circumstances, his childhood had been far lonelier than most.
Flitwick quietly resolved that no matter how the meal turned out, he would praise it and spare the child’s feelings.
Instead, Will managed to surprise him once again.
The moment the cooking began, Professor Flitwick watched in growing amazement.
Using the Severing Charm, Diffindo, Will carefully peeled the tomatoes without wasting any of the flesh.
He then skillfully prepared the meat sauce, cooked the spaghetti, and, after everything was finished, cleaned the kitchen with Scourgify.
Watching the boy perform each spell with practiced precision, Flitwick couldn’t help thinking that Ravenclaw suited him even more than before.
When two steaming plates of spaghetti were placed on the table, the professor was already thoroughly impressed by this young wizard who had yet to attend a single day at Hogwarts.
Then he took a bite.
The spaghetti was genuinely delicious.
Another thought immediately crossed his mind.
Perhaps this child could even belong in Hufflepuff.
The meal tasted far better than he had expected.
Flitwick couldn’t help imagining how much hardship the boy must have endured while living alone for the past year and a half.
“My boy,” Flitwick asked, “where did you learn your magic?”
“I learned it from books,” Will replied as he calmly continued eating.
The conversation flowed naturally after that.
They spoke about Will’s daily life, the books he had read, and his self-study of magic.
Eventually, Will asked the question he had clearly been waiting to ask.
“Professor, I’ve always wondered about something.”
“Go ahead.”
“Most books only teach the wand movement and incantation for a spell. I want to understand why they work. What’s the underlying principle? What role do the wand movement and incantation actually play?”
For the first time in his teaching career, Professor Flitwick spent an entire afternoon giving a private Charms lecture to a child who had not even enrolled at Hogwarts.
The more he explained, the more questions Will asked.
Far from becoming tired, the boy seemed increasingly fascinated with every answer.
Flitwick simply assumed it was the excitement of a gifted child discovering new knowledge.
He had no idea what Will was actually gaining.
[You have learned new Charms knowledge.]
[Charms Experience +1]
[You have learned new Charms knowledge.]
[Charms Experience +1]
[You have learned new Charms knowledge.]
[Charms Experience +1]
…
“My boy,” Professor Flitwick finally said with a smile, “when I first met you, I thought you might belong in Gryffindor.”
“Later, I became convinced you’d be a Ravenclaw.”
“At one point, after tasting your cooking, I even wondered whether Hufflepuff might suit you.”
“But now I’m certain.”
“You belong in Ravenclaw.”
The boy’s thirst for knowledge was extraordinary.
Not only had Will memorized the first-year Charms curriculum, but he had already studied much of the second-year material as well.
More impressively, he understood how to apply that knowledge in practice.
Flitwick couldn’t help comparing the boy to himself at the same age.
Even then, he hadn’t reached Will’s level.
At the same time, he felt relieved.
Fortunately, the child had not yet begun studying the Dark Arts.
Every student Flitwick had ever known with such an insatiable desire for knowledge had come from Ravenclaw, and many of them had gone on to become remarkable witches and wizards.
He believed Will would be no exception.
Unfortunately, despite the boy’s obvious eagerness to continue asking questions, Flitwick had duties to attend to.
As the Head of Ravenclaw House and the Charms professor, his schedule was far from light.
“My boy,” he said as he stood, “once you’ve arrived at Hogwarts, you’re welcome to come to me whenever you have questions. I’ll do everything I can to help.”
“Thank you, Professor Flitwick. Then I’ll see you at the start of term.”
Will sounded genuinely reluctant to see him leave.
Flitwick’s heart softened.
A child living alone naturally longed for someone to talk to.
Although he couldn’t remain by Will’s side forever, he silently resolved that once the boy arrived at Hogwarts, he would make sure he received the attention and guidance he deserved.
No matter which house Will was ultimately sorted into, Flitwick intended to ask the other professors to keep an eye on him.
Most importantly, he would make sure the boy never strayed onto the wrong path.