MHA 2025!

The train rattled, a metal beast chomping its way through the Scottish countryside. My stomach churned with more than just excitement; it was a nervous, fizzy concoction of hope and dread. Hogwarts. I, Eijiro Kirishima, was finally going to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

I smoothed down my brand new, slightly too-large, Slytherin robes. Dad had stressed the importance of looking the part. "Slytherins," he'd boomed, his face flushed, "are respectable! Strong! You make us proud, Eijiro!"

Easy for him to say. He'd been a Gryffindor, the shame! But Mom had been a Slytherin and one of the friendliest women I knew. It was hard to reconcile the stories of cunning and ambition with her bright smile and unwavering loyalty.

I was sharing a compartment with Bakugo, Kaminari, Sero, Mina, and Jiro. Bakugo, with his spiky blond hair and perpetual scowl, was practically radiating superiority. He was pure-blood through and through, and everyone knew it. He was our version of royalty. Beside him, Kaminari snickered at a joke Sero just told, and Mina was attempting to make Jirou laugh.

Bakugo was already holding court. "Don't expect much from those Gryffindors," he was saying, his voice laced with disdain. "Just a bunch of glory-seeking show-offs. And the Hufflepuffs? Useless. Ravenclaws are alright, bit too stuck-up for their own good, though."

Everyone nodded in agreement. Except for me. It felt wrong dismissing people I hadn't even met.

"What're you thinking, Kirishima?" Bakugo snapped, his crimson eyes narrowing. "Too busy daydreaming to listen?"

"N-no, Bakugo," I stammered. "I just... I haven't met any of them yet. Maybe they won't be so bad."

He snorted. "You're too soft, Kirishima. Look, Hogwarts is about power. It's about knowing your place, and working your way to the top. Don't expect handouts from anyone, especially not from those other Houses. We're Slytherins, we look after our own."

His words hung heavy in the air. I wanted to argue, to say something about fairness and friendship, but the intensity in Bakugo's gaze silenced me. My stomach churned again.

We arrived at Hogwarts shrouded in twilight. The sight was breathtaking. The castle, a gothic behemoth perched on a craggy mountain, glowed with a thousand golden lights. As we crossed the lake in small boats, the sheer scale of the place sunk in. I felt small and insignificant, but also… exhilarated.

Inside, the Great Hall was even more awe-inspiring. Hundreds of candles floated in mid-air, illuminating the four long tables filled with students. The Sorting Ceremony was about to begin.

Professor McGonagall, a stern-looking woman with a severe bun, placed the Sorting Hat on the head of each nervous first year. I watched with bated breath as the students lined up.

When it was my turn, my legs felt like lead. I slumped onto the stool, feeling the eyes of the entire hall boring into me. McGonagall lowered the hat over my head. I closed my eyes.

"Hmm," a voice whispered in my ear. *"Loyalty, yes… courage, certainly… but also a deep-seated desire to prove yourself. Ambition lies hidden. You value friendship above all else. Interesting… very interesting…" *

My heart pounded. Where would I be placed? I felt like I could belong anywhere, and nowhere at all.

"Slytherin is calling you but there is bravery inside of you child".

"Better be… SLYTHERIN!" the Hat bellowed.

Relief washed over me. I was a Slytherin! A cheer erupted from the Slytherin table. I forced a smile and walked towards my new housemates, my head held high. Bakugo clapped me on the back, a rare smile gracing his lips.

As I sat down, I scanned the hall, searching for something… someone. Maybe just a face that looked as uncertain as I felt. My eyes landed on a small, shy-looking boy at the Gryffindor table. He was pale and skinny, with messy green hair and round glasses. His eyes were wide with wonder and… fear.

For a fleeting moment, our eyes met. I quickly looked away, remembering Bakugo's words. "We look after our own." But the image of that boy, the vulnerability in his eyes, lingered.

Dinner commenced, a feast of unimaginable proportions. The noise was deafening, a cacophony of chatter and clatter. Yet, I felt strangely alone amidst the throng. I picked at my food, my appetite gone.

As the evening drew to a close, and we were led to the Slytherin dungeons, a shiver ran down my spine. This was it. My new life. A life of ambition, cunning, and loyalty to my house.

I knew, with a certainty that settled deep in my bones, that Hogwarts was going to be the most challenging, most exhilarating, and perhaps the most important adventure of my life. But as I lay in my four-poster bed, staring up at the cold stone ceiling, I couldn't shake the feeling that I had a choice to make. A choice between the path laid out for me, and the boy with the messy green hair and the frightened eyes. The boy who, for reasons I couldn't explain, felt like a reflection of my own hidden uncertainties. And I wondered if, in Slytherin, there was room for both ambition and kindness because I was hoping there was enough room for me to be both.