Pure-blood wizards prized their lineage above all, seeking partners who shared their untainted magical heritage. Over centuries, the Sacred Twenty-Eight families interwove their bloodlines through strategic marriages, creating a tangled web of kinship. The Bulstrodes were no exception, their history entwined with other pure-blood clans through bonds of marriage and ambition.
Oliver Foley hailed from the Foley family, a proud pure-blood line(Non Canon), though less storied than the likes of the Malfoys.
His father led the Foleys as patriarch, while his mother, born a Bulstrode, was the sister of Adrian and Barnabas.
Oliver's ties to Miles Bulstrode were closer still—his mother was Miles's mother, Beatrice, making them near-siblings despite the cousin label. This bond explained Oliver's protectiveness over Miles, a duty reinforced by Beatrice's permission to discipline her son when needed. To Miles, Oliver was a figure of authority, second only to his parents and grandfather, Gideon.
Sean, oblivious to these intricate family ties, had little time to ponder them.
His focus was elsewhere, sparked by the panel's notification after his swift spell against Miles in the Hogwarts Express carriage.
[Win the duel and randomly select an ability of the duel opponent.]
[Drawing…]
[Drawing completed, obtained: Herbivicus]
Sean's pulse quickened. He'd already learned Herbivicus from Miles in Diagon Alley, but this time, the panel upgraded it.
The entry on his mental screen shifted—Herbivicus (LV0) became Herbivicus (LV1). A rush of knowledge flooded his mind: the spell's incantation felt sharper, its wand movements clearer, and he understood how to coax vines to twist faster or thorns to sprout thicker. So that's how it worked—dueling the same opponent could level up his magic.
A sly grin tugged at his lips. This panel was full of tricks, and he was just getting started.
Before he could savor the discovery, a shadow loomed over his book.
Sean looked up to find a tall, striking figure standing in the carriage doorway, his presence filling the space like a charm.
"Hello, I'm Oliver Foley," the boy said, his voice smooth but edged with authority. "You can call me Oliver. My mother is your father's sister, your aunt, so we're cousins, technically."
Sean studied him.
Oliver was handsome, with chiseled features and golden curls that caught the train's dim light. But it was his eyes that stood out—piercing, hawk-like, locking onto Sean with an intensity that could unsettle weaker souls.
His smile was polite, but it didn't reach those eyes, which seemed to weigh Sean's every move.
Sean leaned back, unfazed, and flashed a grin. "I'm Sean Bulstrode. Should I call you cousin, then?"
Oliver's brow twitched, clearly unimpressed by the casual jab.
He stepped closer, his tone firm. "As family, I believe we should avoid conflict. That pocket watch you have—it was meant for Miles. There must've been a mix-up. For the sake of family unity, I suggest you return it to him."
Sean's grin widened, his fingers brushing the watch in his pocket. The artifact's faint hum pulsed against his skin.
Hand it over? Not a chance. But he'd play along, just to see how far Oliver would push.
"Sure, no problem!" Sean said brightly, pulling the watch from his pocket and setting it on the table with a soft clink.
Its white surface gleamed like moonlight, drawing Miles's greedy stare from the doorway. The younger Bulstrode lunged forward, fingers outstretched, but Sean's next words stopped him cold.
"It's just that Grandfather gave it to me, so I'd need his approval to hand it over. If Gideon says it's fine, it's all yours."
Miles's hand froze inches from the watch, his face twisting with frustration.
He glanced at Oliver, who'd grabbed his wrist, holding him back with a calm but unyielding grip. Miles's confusion was clear—why stop now? Just grab it, and deal with Gideon later. Surely their grandfather wouldn't care.
Oliver ignored Miles's pleading look, his focus locked on Sean. "It's yours now, isn't it? You can decide who to give it to, can't you?"
"Absolutely," Sean replied, his voice dripping with mock sincerity. "As long as Grandfather approves, I'll hand it over."
"Sean, you—"
"As long as Grandfather approves," Sean cut in, his smile unwavering, "I'll give you the pure white pocket watch immediately!"
Oliver's expression darkened, his polite mask slipping.
He saw it now—Sean wasn't some naive first-year. Whether it was Bulstrode blood or lessons from his Squib parents, this kid was sharp, cunning, and harder to outmaneuver than some pure-blood heirs.
If Sean's parents weren't Squibs, Oliver might've respected him, even befriended him. But with both Adrian and Margaret lacking magic, Sean could never be the Bulstrode heir. Today's clash, coupled with that watch, marked them as rivals, not allies.
Oliver motioned to Miles, his nod curt. "I understand," he said to Sean, his voice low with a hint of menace. "I hope you enjoy Hogwarts."
The threat hung in the air, as subtle as a hex. Sean met Oliver's gaze, his smirk unfaltering.
Threats didn't scare him. Slytherin might be the pure-blood haven, but with Squib parents, he was no shoo-in for the snake house.
Even if his Bulstrode blood gave him a shot, he'd fight tooth and nail to land in Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff. From what he knew of the Sorting Hat, it listened to strong preferences. He'd be fine.
As a prefect, Oliver couldn't risk open trouble, especially with Gryffindor and Hufflepuff prefects now hovering nearby, drawn by the earlier commotion.
He turned to leave, his robes swishing, and Miles followed, though not without shooting Sean a venomous glare that promised future trouble.
The carriage emptied, the onlookers dispersing as the train's rhythmic hum filled the silence. Sean stretched, his fingers grazing Kulkan's cool scales in her cage.
Opening A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration, he settled back, the pocket watch safe in his pocket.
If the watch were just a shiny trinket, he might've handed it over to keep the peace. But its magic was extraordinary—able to undo fatal wounds once a week or reset his body daily to a chosen moment. It was a lifeline, a secret weapon.
No way was he letting Miles or Oliver snatch it.
[Pocket Watch: Magical Artifact]
Passive Effect: When the user suffers a fatal injury, the watch reverses the damage, restoring the body to its pre-injury state. Usable once every seven days.
Active Effect: Press the watch's button to return the user's body to the state at the time of activation. Usable once daily.