Chapter Text
James Hook, a first-year student at merlin academy at 18 years old, but he has not always been a student, he has already lived quite the life, both as a pirate and a man of refinement. He was born in London, 1876 to Lord Johnathan Harriet and Lady Elisabeth Harriett. He was named James Bartholomew Harriet after his father and many before him.
His father was a man of plenty while still managing to be quite unremarkable to society, when he was younger his obsession with pirates became a reality and from adult hood he would state that he was traveling , of which was normal for a man of his class at the time, and use this as an opportunity to lead a double life, as in reality he would change his name to Jonnie hook and lead a life of piracy for three years at a time, before returning to society for a year. When James was born this did not cease, he waited until the boy was six to bring him along on his adventures to distant lands, swindling and living a life of thrill, creating quite the reputation for himself.
James was homeschooled for most of this, learning what he must to be a gentleman, in both this and piracy he excelled, he was a skilled linguist learning French and Latin through his studies and learning enough to get by in several other languages from places he had travelled too. When he was home he had private tutors, the best in all of Europe refining what he could not learn from books or that his father could not teach and he attended finishing school during this time as well to balance the rough of the sea with the elegance of high society. This life continued for several years, he relished it, to James this double life suited him well, he adored being a pirate, it is true that it was tough and dangerous, peril at every corner from crashing waves to mer folk known to only those who brave the sea for long enough, but it was everything to him, and as for the year he graced society, well, he enjoyed that too, having a comfy bed was much to his taste and being surrounded by untouched riches and people who had manners and etiquette sewn into there every being was something he revelled in, but the world can be cruel.
At 14 James had to bear two of the most crushing things to happen to him. Hook had known he had a different disposition to normal people his age for a long time, but it was only then he realised what that truly meant. By no means was hook repulsed by the company of a woman, on the contrary even, he quite enjoyed the attention from those who found him appealing, and the friendship of the few who didn't, but truth be told, he was in different to them, he knew which he found more appealing visually but when he was alone in his cabin as night enveloped him he found that it was boys that made him feel, that made him want, of which gave way to some very despairing personal time that did not leave him as satisfied as he would of liked but instead left him with an un-relenting sense of guilt and shame that clung to him like a barnacle, eating away at the meticulously curated image he had made for himself, it was wrong, that he knew plainly, for someone of his status, if he were an ordinary pirate who only stepped foot on land to trade and restock perhaps it would of been fine, he knew many men on his crew who became pirates for that very reason, but he was not them, he had to return to society and that was more dangerous than nay storm, in London, if he were discovered, if he were to give in to desires, to what calls him like a siren he would be executed or made impotent and jailed without a second though. Once he had had managed to pull himself together many months later and one exceedingly long gut-wrenching conversation with his father, he was struck again, this time literally.
While he and his father were on an expedition to a mythical place known only by the oldest and wisest who cavort the taverns and public houses of the world, Neverland, his hand was cut straight from his body with one clean motion by a young boy of the name peter pan who claimed he was protecting the land from pirates who come to steal what was his. James passed out from the pain, his last sight being his left hand still holding his sword lying motionless on the deck and his arm coated in more blood than he had ever seen from a man who still had life in him.
When he had awoke it had been verging on a month, his father by his bedside and his arm wrapped in layers upon layers of gauze. Once he had enough strength to face what had happened to him he was shown what was left of his arm, it had not fully healed yet and the sight alone made him want to chun, but he was alive and while he had rest yet to do, that was enough. Once his arm had healed and he could just about look at himself his father embraced him tightly, pulling back and leaving his hands on James shoulders with a firm grip, he looked him in the eyes and said the words that would change his life forever more “From this day forth, my son, while you are at sea, while you are a pirate, you will be Hook, James hook, one day Captain hook, the most revered pirate in all the known and un known world” and with that he was presented with his prize possession, a silver and gold hook that shone in any light.
It took him a long time to adjust to his new life, taking two years to be able to live life as normal as he could, after all, he was born left handed, taught how to write with his right as were the superstitions, but now, the choice was not his. This did not stop him from continuing to excel at his studies, and when he turned 16 he was invited to Eton collage, turning in his years of piracy for two of proper education and refinement, so he disembarked from his father's ship, ditching his pirate regalia for school robes, all of his clothes that he wore off the ship now had the left arm stitched into the pocket, with him being left handed as the explanation for such a thing. No one questioned it, or hook, he kept to himself, focusing on his studies, becoming a prefect in his final year, and leaving as one of the most well accomplished students of his year. It was the only way to survive, being both disabled and a homosexual was not something people need ever know.
Once he left, he was given a letter by his father, an invitation to attend Merlin academy, where those who are to be written in history or of whom parents have been already can learn about things that could never be uttered to those in his world. Hook had a choice, attend Merlin academy and become the pirate he had always desired to be, or live a normal life, attempt to marry a nice woman, settle down with children, and spend the rest of his life never being himself. The choice was by no means a difficult one, but it was the best he had ever made.