1880. Max’s mom Emilia was an upperclass woman engaged to a distant family relation she did not love. The family suspected she was up to deviousness, and hired someone to follow her around. She found this out by surprise-confronting that person her family hired, and… then she and that man got along fairly well.

April 1881. Emilia moved to Italy and married Adam Adami, a widower with two young kids already.

July 1881. Emilia shockingly gave birth three months after marriage. The child was not Adam’s. They name him Maxwell, after Emilia’s grandfather.

1881-1888. Max grows up in the Italian countryside and is generally treated like a lesser human in the house by everyone except his mum, who also carries little influence over the household against her husband and his mother and sisters - all because of her “most grave mistake.” The youngest boy of the house gets most of his stuff handed down from his stepbrother Nick, and never any presents, even though they could easily afford it. Max spends most time possible at his mum’s skirts. For a few summers in a row once his half-sister is born, he gets sent to Emilia’s mother in London. This stopped when she died a few years ago.

1888. At age 7, Max exhibits his first signs of magic by setting his older stepbrother’s new broom on fire. Up to that point his stepfather kept complaining that Max was taking too long to show his first signs of magic, but he was obviously infuriated.

April 1892. The worst month of Max’s short life. His mum died in an accident with a poisonous plant.

May 1892. Max discovers an old letter from his mom, including one that names his real father – “Barnabas Beck”. His stepdad informs him that he’ll be attending Hogwarts in Britain this year, while simultaneously informing him that he’s no longer a part of the Adami family.

Summer 1892. Max is back in London, left by Adam at the home for unwanted children. His name gets listed at the orphanage in accordance with the letter, as Maxwell Beck. Not long after arrival at the orphanage, Max gets into a fight with other boys and decides to run away. Somehow on the streets he still receives his Hogwarts notice.