Julian had no complaints about the timetable. It was perfectly reasonable in his opinion and left them with plenty of free hours to do what they liked. That did not stop most of the other first year Gryffindors from grumbling loudly about having Potions with Slytherin first thing on their very first proper day.
"You know, if you just focus on your brewing, you should be fine, right?" Julian said, raising his voice enough that everyone in the common room could hear.
"Everyone says Snape hates us Gryffindors though!" Seamus Finnigan protested, looking upset.
"Maybe he does," Julian allowed with a shrug, "but if we do not give him a reason, he cannot exactly dock points for nothing, can he?"
A thoughtful silence followed that. The first years glanced at each other, turning his words over in their minds. After a moment, several of them nodded slowly. It was not exactly comforting, but it was something to hold on to.
"That said," Julian added, glancing at Harry, "you might want to be extra careful. He is likely to pick on you a bit tomorrow for no good reason, because you are famous."
Harry looked immediately put upon at being singled out, shoulders tensing, but he still nodded. He was already used to the idea that his name drew attention he did not want.
I wonder how furious the big bad bat is going to be when Harry answers those questions of his, Julian thought, barely suppressing a snicker.
To make good on his earlier advice, he suggested they form a study group to prepare for Potions. Most of his housemates agreed, clearly desperate for any edge they could get. Julian, knowing full well that ordinary, dry studying would never work on Gryffindors, turned it into a game.
They played a version of twenty questions, all of them based on the information in their Potions textbook. Ingredients, brewing times, counteragents, cauldron types, safety precautions, all of it got folded into questions that bounced around the group.
A certain bushy haired girl almost broke the game. Hermione tried to answer every single question as soon as Julian asked it, firing off responses with breathless eagerness.
He had to intervene before the rest of the group lost interest entirely.
"New rule," Julian said. "If you answer one question, you have to wait three more before you can answer again."
It did not actually stop Hermione from getting everything right. She simply waited patiently and then nailed every fourth question with pinpoint accuracy. It did, however, give everyone else a chance to participate and stopped the others from growing resentful of her for being an insufferable know it all.
Honestly speaking, she would probably have fit well in Ravenclaw with how she thinks, Julian mused as he lobbed another tricky question about aconite at the group.
Only Hermione seemed to notice that the only person who always knew the answer before asking the question was Julian himself. She watched him closely as the night went on.
Unlike her, he did not come across as stiff or over eager. He was clearly as knowledgeable as she was, yet somehow he remained popular with their peers, easygoing and well liked.
She simply could not understand how he managed it, no matter how carefully she observed his interactions with others.
If she had actually asked him, Julian would have laughed and told her that people were not logical machines that only wanted data. The moment she stopped treating them that way, everything would get easier.
That conversation never happened. Hermione was stubborn and determined to figure things out on her own.
Even so, the night ended with a very different outcome than the one in the original story. The majority of the first year Gryffindors now had a decent grasp of potion theory and ingredients. They might not be masters, but they were far better prepared than their canon counterparts had ever been.
Julian had no doubt that Snape would notice. He would likely comb through their memories with Legilimency to find out why and discover Julian at the center.
It is pointless even if he does, Julian thought smugly. Sanar makes gentle Legilimency impossible, and if he tries to push harder, half the class will see it. Unless he wants to be reported to the Ministry by a lot of witnesses, hard Legilimency is off the table too.
...
The next morning, breakfast for Julian consisted of thick pancakes, sausage and eggs smothered in gravy, enough to set him up nicely for the day. Around him, his classmates picked at their food, growing tenser by the minute as Potions loomed closer.
He made sure to arrive at the Potions classroom before any of the other Gryffindors. McGonagall had told him she expected him to be on time, and Julian had absolutely no desire to annoy a witch who could turn him into a literal doormat if she felt inclined.
One by one, more students trickled in and began to sort themselves instinctively by house. Gryffindors stuck with Gryffindors, Slytherins gathered with Slytherins, and the unofficial, invisible line through the center of the room began to form.
The sight annoyed Julian more than he expected. On impulse, he decided to stir the cauldron a bit and walked straight over to sit beside Daphne Greengrass.
She stared at him like he had grown a second head. Her best friend, Tracey Davis, only raised an eyebrow, her expression more intrigued than offended.
"Is this not more interesting?" Julian asked, giving them a cheeky grin.
"What about the others?" Tracey asked, her curiosity genuine rather than hostile.
"Forget them," Julian said firmly. "Only the people I decide are important get to have a say in how I live my life."
Both girls blinked at that, surprised. Then, slowly, they smiled and nodded.
"Julian Iron," he said, inclining his head slightly. "I look forward to working alongside you both."
"Tracey Davis. Likewise," Tracey replied at once.
"Daphne Greengrass. Likewise," Daphne added quietly, but with a hint of warmth.
Just like that, Julian had firmly established himself as at least acquaintances with the two Slytherin girls.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione ended up sitting together, just as they had in the original timeline, and worked as a trio. Ron looked particularly conflicted when he spotted Julian chatting easily with the two Slytherins, as if his entire understanding of house rivals was being gently kicked in the shins.
Before long, class was due to start. The door opened and Snape swept into the room, his black robes trailing behind him like a living shadow. His expression was as menacing as ever, a permanent scowl carved into his features.
He began roll call, voice smooth and clipped. When he reached Harry's name, he paused.
"Ah, yes," he said softly. "Harry Potter. Our new celebrity."
Across the room, Malfoy and his thugs snickered, already enjoying the show they thought they were about to get.