NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3: Chapter 3: The Brothers at Hogwarts
When the twins were of age, they both received their letters to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. However, there was no rivalry between them—Eamon, ever the studious and humble one, was placed in Ravenclaw, where his thirst for knowledge and mastery of magic would see him excelling in every subject, from Transfiguration to Ancient Runes. Vladimir, on the other hand, was sorted into Slytherin, where he began to gather followers and hone his ambitions. His early years at Hogwarts would soon be marked by the rise of his dark persona.
At first, Eamon had no idea of his brother's true identity. To him, Vladimir was just another brilliant but troubled student—one who had the potential for greatness but was too consumed by his own darkness. They spoke, they saw each other in passing, but Eamon could not bring himself to believe that his brother was destined to become the very evil force that the world would come to fear.
It wasn't until the first year at Hogwarts that Eamon began to realize the true nature of his brother. Eamon's powers were beginning to manifest more strongly, and he could feel the rift in their magical auras, a sign of how far their paths had diverged. On the night of Vladimir's first use of Tom Riddle's dark magic, Eamon sensed something sinister and, using his powers of Astral Projection, ventured into the shadows to confront his brother.
"Vladimir, I know what you're becoming," Eamon whispered, his voice echoing through the stone halls of the Hogwarts dungeon. "You cannot control the power you're seeking. You're walking down a path of destruction."
But Vladimir, already consumed with the power of the Dark Lord's legacy, only smirked. "You think you can stop me, Eamon? I've already unlocked powers that you can't even begin to comprehend. You are not my equal."
In that moment, Eamon realized the depth of his brother's corruption. He couldn't stop him—not yet, at least. But what he could do was prepare.