Well this is awkward.. I'd like to start off with an hello but that isn't appropriate put down your pitch forks I have a reason. While working on this I felt like my writing was stale and I wasn't contributing anything to the genre I was just making a generic Mushoku tensei fanfic so I decided id make a new one.
It's a Mushoku tensei x Harry Potter fanfiction it won't be officially released for a while till I'm at the 3rd year at least so I don't have uploading problems the chapters will be 10k each but right now I'm in the process of making it so there won't be anything new out probably till close to the end of the year. But here's the preview hopefully some of you like it and will be here for the release of the actual story. This is the first chapter. And a little bit of the second
Oh man, I really did it this time.
Alone on the streets. No job, no house. How am I supposed to find work? I don't even have experience talking to people.
You think if I went back now, they'd give me a second chance?
I glance around the busy road, wandering aimlessly. I don't know where anything is. I haven't stepped outside my house in ages.
Then I see it: a truck, speeding down the street. And two teens, right in its path, too busy arguing to even notice it.
"HEY, THERE'S A CAR!" I shout, but they don't move. They're too deep in their argument to hear me.
I bolt toward them, pushing my legs to move faster. I've never exercised in my life, and every step feels like hell but I keep going. I have to save them.
I make it just in time. The truck's right there, about to hit them. With everything I've got left, I leap and shove them out of the way.
The last thing I hear is the truck's horn blaring in my ear.
—and a girl's scream piercing through the noise.
July 30th, 1980
"Albus, where are you?"
A woman rushed around, frantic. She was searching for one man.
He appeared almost casually. "Yes, Minerva?" Albus Dumbledore looked at her with a knowing expression, as if he already understood what she was about to say.
"Voldemort is dead."
She spoke the words, and yet Dumbledore's face didn't change.
"Yes," he said calmly, "just as it was prophesied. Today is a very important day. The Boy Who Lived has been born."
He paused. "But also… another boy. One who is fated to help save the world."
Minerva blinked, surprised. She hadn't heard of any second prophecy.
"Who is this other boy?" she asked, concerned creeping into her voice.
Dumbledore simply shook his head. "In time, you'll understand. But for now, I think we ought to begin preparations."
Man, this sucks.
One second I'm jumping in front of a truck, and the next… I'm in a dark, cramped space. And it's warm. Too warm.
Can a guy get some air conditioning in here?
I feel my body being pushed and jostled. Then, suddenly, light bursts through as a hole opens.
Slowly, I'm pushed out, and I can finally breathe normal air again except… something's off.
Three figures are standing around me. Two blondes. One redhead in a maid outfit.
And then I realized. Why is everyone so huge? I look down and see baby arms.
Oh no. This isn't a dream, is it? Did I really get isekai'd? Sigh. Truck-kun strikes again.
Wait there's a bigger issue. I'm FLOATING. I'm literally levitating and no one is freaking out. Lady there's a baby flying in your face! Are we just ignoring this?
Are they gonna label me a witch or something?
"Oh Rudy, you're finally out of my belly," the blonde woman says.
In an instant, I float into her arms, and she embraces me warmly.
"Oh, I love you, Rudeus," she says, her eyes brimming with tears.
Hot girls crying over me? Must be a dream.
Actually, wait she might be my mom. I take that back.
"Rudy, you look just like your father," she says, smiling.
"That means he'll have my charm with the ladies," a man snickers from the back.
A blonde guy is making silly faces at me. He must be my dad.
"Paul, you're scaring the baby. Knock it off," the maid scolds him, deadpan.
She pulls out a stick and waves it, pointing it at my mom. My mom lets out a soft groan more relief than pain.
"Do you feel better, Miss Zenith? I performed a healing spell. It should ease the pain until I can make you a proper potion."
"Thank you, Lilia. You're such a good friend," my mother replies sweetly.
Okay. Let's recap.
I've been reincarnated.
There's magic.
We have a maid.
So my parents are probably nobles.
This is just like one of those anime.
Now… where's my OP magic powers and harem of busty beauties?
September 2nd, 1981
It's been less than a year, and I just saw my first moving painting.
Nothing in my past life could've prepared me for this.
It scared the living daylights out of me.
I was just crawling through the house, exploring, when suddenly—
a woman in a portrait started talking. Something about how cute I am and how she hopes I don't turn out like Paul. Rude I don't even know what my dad did to deserve that.
Turns out, it was my grandmother on my mom's side. And yeah she's got it out for Paul. Every word out of her painted mouth was a roast.
Anyway, I've been crawling around the house for weeks now, and while it's clearly the home of a noble family, it's not overly flashy.
It feels… homey.
But some of the rooms make no architectural sense. My roomis huge, absurdly huge. The next room over? Tiny.
Is my room just sticking out of the house or something?
That said, the house is massive.
Even after all this time, I haven't seen the whole thing.
Today, while wandering, I came across a pair of massive double doors.
Obviously, I had to know what was behind them. To get this door open I have to do something universal to babies everywhere I started crying loudly.
Within seconds, Lilia showed up like always.
"Master Rudeus, what's wrong?" she asked as she picked me up, holding me close.
I won't lie, it was pretty soothing.
But I had to stay focused.
Before she could lull me to sleep, I pointed at the door, crying louder.
She gave me that knowing look. "You're such a curious baby. You must get that from your mother. Future Ravenclaw, I see."
She opened the doors and I turned in her arms to see the grandest library I've ever laid eyes on.
What is this doing in our house?
There's no way this fits based on the exterior.
"Young Master, this is your parents' library," Lilia said. "Mostly Miss Zenith's. Master Paul was never much of a reader even back in school."
She started walking around with me in her arms. "I have a feeling when you're older, you'll spend a lot of time here."
I was still in awe. Books: So many books.
There was even a spiral ladder leading to a second floor.
"This section here is for magical charms," she explained. "You'll find tons of spells and the theory behind them."
She showed me other sections potions, curses, magical history. And autobiographies. So many autobiographies.
Seriously, who needs this many life stories?
If I want answers in this world, I'll need to read.
This is a new life—
and I won't waste it like the last.
I reached out my pudgy hands toward the red-haired maid.
Now that I really looked at her… she was stunning. Pale skin, glasses, shiny purple eyes, and a well, let's just say prominent figure.
I kept grabbing at the air, trying to communicate something complex with just my arms. To my surprise, she understood. She set me down and let me crawl. I babbled nonsense, letting out cheerful little sounds.
She smiled brightly. "I'll be back in an hour, young master. Cry if you need me."
I looked up to watch her leave, but she was already gone. Man… she really is going to have to teach me how to do that. Alright. I'm alone. What's the first thing I should read?
From what I've gathered, it's 1981, and I'm in Britain. I can tell from all the "mates" I've heard thrown around. It's even affecting me I'm starting to sound British. They're bloody colonizing me.
Focus, Rudeus. Where's the history book? Didn't she say it was over here?
I crawled over to the section Lilia had pointed out earlier and grabbed the closest book I could reach. It was embarrassingly difficult first getting it to fall to the floor, then trying to pry it open.
Luckily, the language was just regular English. I wasn't fluent, but I could read it with only a little trouble.
The book highlighted key points in wizarding history. I learned about Hogwarts apparently the biggest wizarding school in Britain. Then came the infamous Voldemort. Some guy who absolutely hated Muggle-borns.
So, basically… wizard racism. Great.
Oh, and apparently the guy has no nose.
I don't know why, but that fact alone made it impossible to take him seriously. What does he even look like? Would I find him terrifying?
Probably not.
Especially considering he was defeated by a baby.
Seriously? The all-powerful dark lord lost to a toddler?
Yeah, this guy's a clown.
After skimming through a bit more, I closed the book. The rest was boring dry theories and ancient history. Nothing useful.
What I needed was magic. I wanted to disappear like Lilia. I crawled over to the Magic section and grabbed the first book I could. The cover read:
Magic for Beginners.
Perfect.
With care, I flipped open the cover. The book was ancient dust flew into the air, and the pages felt like they hadn't been touched in decades. The first spell listed was a simple one: Lumos, used to light dark places. It said it worked best with a wand, but since I didn't have one, I used my finger instead.
I held out my hand and chanted, "Lumos."
Nothing.
Tried again.
Still nothing.
Am I magicless? Does that mean they'll toss me aside? Was I set up to fail?
I reached for a different book nearby, Magic for Dummies. I needed to know if the problem was me or something else.
I read frantically, flipping through pages until I saw it:
"Magic isn't usually controllable until the age of five."
Ah, shit. That's a bad setback.
It went on to explain that "accidental magic" usually doesn't appear until around age five, when a child's magic core starts rapidly developing.
So, the problem isn't me. It's my immature magic core. Trying to force it wouldn't help.
It also mentioned that intense emotions could trigger accidental magic, especially in younger children.
Intense emotions, huh? I tried to think of a time I felt something like that.
My mind jumped unbidden to high school. To the incident. I tried to shove it back down, but it came flooding back. I couldn't stop it. I started crying.
Lilia appeared almost instantly, but even she couldn't calm me right away. A powerful wave burst from my body, knocking over every book on the first floor.
She stood there in shock, then quickly scooped me up, holding me close. Her embrace soothed me. The memory faded, and I eventually drifted off in her arms.
While I slept, I felt… something. Like something was tugging at me. Like someone was trying to reach out.
But as quickly as it came, it vanished, and I woke up. I was in my mother's arms.
"Are you okay, Rudy?" she asked gently. "Lilia said you were crying while trying to read."
"I feel ya, Rudy. Reading is horrible," Paul chimed in.
My mom shot him a glare. Paul immediately shrunk back.
"It's okay, Rudeus," she said, smiling softly. "You're with me now."
Man, this sucks. Being treated like a baby and worse, it's working. Is she casting a spell on me?
She smiled down at me. She looked young, like a college student. Light blonde hair, pale skin, and a smile that could warm even the coldest heart. Soft features. And, unfortunately, a figure I've had the displeasure of feeding from.
Looks like my dad has a type. I can't even blame him. Still, I gotta wonder where is he finding all these bountiful women in 1980s Europe?
"Paul, is it you who made my grandson cry again?" a voice called out sternly.
It came from a painting. My grandmother. Paul stiffened like he'd been hit with a stun spell.
"No, Claire! I swear, I had nothing to do with it this time!"
She narrowed her eyes. "Paul Notos Greyrat, I'm still baffled how you of all people ended up with my daughter. But I digress. If I hear you made my grandson cry again, I'll come out of this portrait and strangle you."
She walked out of the frame, leaving the painting empty. Paul gulped.? Honestly Kinda hilarious seeing Paul get pressed by a painting.
Actually… do they have any of those in their room? Imagine being a painting watching your daughter have sex. That's traumatizing on a metaphysical level.
"Okay Rudy, it's time for your lunch," Zenith said, pulling down her shirt.
No. No, no, no. Anything but this. Someone save me.
How is this a world with magic and we're still breastfeeding? I want a bottle. This is blasphemy.
No matter how many words I screamed in my mind or how many people I cursed, I was forced to drink.
The ultimate shame.
After my shameful battle with my mother's coconuts, I was laid in my baby bed to sleep.
"Good night, Rudeus. We love you," my mom whispered, kissing my forehead. Paul did the same.
"Sleep tight, Rudy."Paul said.My mother walked up to me giving a good night kiss." Then walked outclosing the door behind them.
The room fell silent. Darkness settled around me.
But I wasn't sleepy. Not yet.
But I wasn't particularly sleepy yet.
I needed to figure out how to control my magic. I needed to remember that feeling the feeling I had when I released my immature magic earlier.
It had felt like something inside me was tingling like stretching your legs after sitting for too long. I reached deep within myself, searching for that feeling again. I reached and reached then I felt a small tingle I held onto that feeling and tried to pull it out.
I felt it my magic this was the perfect time to strike. I closed my eyes and imaged a light being casted around my finger I opened my eyes ready to chant.
A soft glow lit up my darkened room.
I did it but how I didn't even chant well. Who cares I actually did it! Wahoo! I just cast my first spell!
In my silent celebration, I suddenly heard something. A noise. Rustling. Wild rustling. Then—
"OH, PAUL! PAUL!"
…It sounded like my mother.
My light flickered. Then died out completely.
I really need to go to sleep.
Right. Now.
This is torture for my poor ear canals.
Seriously you just tucked me in, and now you're tucking yourself inside of her?!
It was hard to sleep that night sounds of my parents enjoying there night filling my ears I wonder how Lilia dealt with this everyday for years.
August 15th 1982
Ever since that night when I first figured out my magic, I've been practicing every chance I get. Controlling my magic is difficult it takes extreme focus but I've noticed it's slowly becoming easier. I don't know if it's because of my practice or if my magical core is maturing. Probably a mix of both.
I've been experimenting with Lumos, seeing how much I can modify it. I've tried making the light brighter, spreading it across the room, and even shaping it in different ways. It's fascinating. There seems to be a lot of flexibility in how spells can be cast. In most anime, magic is rigid, bound by strict rules, but here, it feels more fluid like something I can shape and mold as I see fit.
I've also gotten more used to this life. My dad is… an interesting man. According to Lilia, back in his school days, he was a notorious troublemaker something I can easily believe but he was also incredibly strong. He used to work as a Hit Wizard during the war before eventually becoming an Auror. From what I understand, a Hit Wizard is like a magical SWAT officer, while an Auror is more like a detective or high-level law enforcement.
Whenever Lilia talks about their school days, there's always this small, nostalgic smile on her face… but also a hint of melancholy.
But that's not important right now. What is important is learning this next spell.
I've been studying it for a few days now, waiting until I felt more confident before actually attempting it. The beginner's book I've been reading warns against casting spells without proper magical control especially transfiguration. Apparently, botching transfiguration can lead to serious consequences. So, yeah, I'll be steering clear of that until I get to Hogwarts.
The spell I'm attempting today is Wingardium Leviosa, the classic levitation spell. According to the book, this is one of the first spells taught in Hogwarts.
That's way too far off. If I want to be prepared for this new life especially if that Voldemort guy ever returns or some crazy follower of his decides to pick up where he left off I need to start training now.
The book says this spell works best with a wand, which I obviously don't have. But I'll make do. I don't have a feather either, so I'll try to lift this book instead. How hard could it be?
Alright, here goes.
"Wingardium Leviosa."
I flick my hand in the motion the book describes, then wait for the book to rise into the air.
Nothing happens.
Yeah, I expected that. If I had managed it on my first attempt, that would have been shocking. My magical core is still developing, after all. I need to focus more.
I close my eyes, trying to tap into that feeling I take a deep breath, feeling the magic stir inside me, and then…
"Wingardium Leviosa."
A sound.
I open my eyes and the book is hovering! Barely an inch off the ground, but still!
"I DID IT!"
My celebration is cut short when my concentration slips, and the book flings itself directly into my face, knocking me over.
…Yeah, that's going to leave a mark.
But I'm not giving up.
I keep at it for a few more minutes, slowly pushing the book higher and higher. The best I manage is about four inches off the ground, but that takes an enormous amount of effort.
Just as I'm about to take a break, Lilia appears.
"Young Master, it's time for your nap," she says gently before scooping me up and carrying me to my crib.
Curse this baby body. I get tired so fast. And I keep having the urge to chew on random things.
As if reading my mind, Lilia places a pacifier in my mouth.
It's my favorite one. It sings lullabies, which makes falling asleep easier.
…Yeah, I definitely think being reborn as an infant is messing with my psyche. I'm actually enjoying things a baby would enjoy.
I am not looking forward to puberty.
August 16, 1982
The next day, I wasn't allowed back into the library.
Paul decided I was spending too much time inside and convinced Mom that I needed to go outside more.
Gosh, what would he know? He's acting like I'm a baby or something.
"Hey, Rudy, do you want a chocolate frog?"
I perk up at that. A chocolate frog? Knowing this world, it's probably nothing close to normal… but my curiosity gets the better of me.
I start babbling in excitement because, you know, baby and Mom smiles, reaching into her pocket. She pulls out a small wrapper, opens it, and—
The chocolate frog jumps out.
What the hell—?!
A living piece of chocolate. This is unnatural. A cursed object.
I need to get away from it. But when I try to crawl in the opposite direction, Paul picks me up.
"Rudy, you're going the wrong way. It's this way," he says, guiding me straight to the beast.
The frog leaps onto my face.
I mentally scream.
But all that comes out is giggling.
Me and my mother and Lilia have to run we can sacrifice Paul
The cursed creature climbs into my mouth, and I instinctively bite down.
…Oh.
Oh, wow.
It's delicious.
You know that wasn't too bad I'm glad I didn't overreact. Everyone around me starts to giggle at my expression. "Seems like young master really enjoys chocolate frogs."
"Indeed Lilia maybe we should go buy some more." My mom commented.
"Oi zenith are the Lovegoods still coming over?" Paul asked inquisitively.
Zenith though for a bit before answering. "I remember them saying they would come over on tomorrow for lunch they want to catch up."
"They seem to be a little coco in my opinion." Said paul
"Paul dear that's mean they aren't coco i actually am pretty good friends with pandora me her and… actually nevermind but she's a lovely soul." Zenith said remembering fond memories.
"I guess xeno is strange you can't deny that he believes in all this nonsense I swear he's going senile." Paul reaffirmed.
Zenith just let out a long sigh "let's just be nice they have a kid of their own Rudeus could play with she's a girl his age they will attend hogwarts at the same time."
Paul visibly smiled at this "a daughter you say my son will have her wrapped around his finger in no time."
Zenith smacked Paul "our son isn't going to be a playboy like you he will grow up respectfully of women." Zenith said with a tone of finality.
This conversation is seriously boring me to death i want to go back to the library. I start crawling away hearing my parents go on and on about topics I could careless about.
August 17th 1982
"Rudeus you need to let me dress you we have guests coming over today." Lilia was chasing rudeus around his room trying to get ahold of him.
No I refuse I don't want to wear those clothes I'll look ridiculous they will make fun of me. I was crawling for my life. I look back and see her chasing me with those nasty ugly things they passed for clothes seriously who's bright idea was to make that piece of garbage. It was a weird shirt with flower pattern with suspenders pants that looked too tight on the waist and the pants seemed to be baggy at the end.
"Young master stop before I stop you myself." No I'll never yield to such hideous clothing. I tried to leave the room but Lilia pulled out her wand. Before twirling it and a spell came shooting at me.
It hit me and I co.. I co.. I couldn't stop laughing ahahah.. wait no… with another flick of her wand the clothes in her hand had been transported onto me. I had lost. Magic is so unfair. "Awe you look so cute young master." I huffed
I am not cute I am a man of dignity. "Okay now let's get you downstairs for the event." She picks me up and I cross my chubby baby arms. And puff out my cheeks. I now looked like a clown. Luckily my hair wasn't too long or she would've butchered that as well.
Before long we make it downstairs. And I see a couple new faces three to be exact. I see a weird looking man in all I can say clothes worse than mine seriously does he own a mirror.
He's a Fairly tall with white hair. His hair looks brittle almost like floss with a jacket with weird spirals on it and an undershirt that has a really ugly yellow with different color flowers on it.
"Ah, Zenith! A most delightful surprise, as always. The winds of fortune must be favoring us today!" Xenophilius replies with a bright smile. "Luna and I are quite well, thank you though I suspect the Nargles have been particularly mischievous lately."
He then tilts his head curiously, peering past Zenith into the house. His expression brightens further.
"Ah yes Paul the wrackspurts seem to be buzzing around you must be remembering all the delightful expedition's we went on." Paul lets out a nervous chuckle. And nods mindlessly.
"Dear, wouldn't it be best to let the conversation move inside the house?" A woman spoke, and gazing at her was like looking into the sun. She had a bright aura, almost ethereal. She was a beauty, the kind you'd only find once in a million. Her hair was a dirty blond, which complemented the golden robes she wore over a sundress. She looked like a princess.
"Yeah, you're right, dear." Everyone at the door moved into the living room and sat down on the couches. Lilia had already set me down on the floor and gone to pour everyone's tea.
"Hey, Lilia, long time no see. I'm glad to see you're still holding up," Mrs. Lovegood said.
Lilia chuckled softly. "Yes, I've been having an amazing time staying here and raising Master Rudeus. I quite enjoy the day-to-day of cleaning and seeing what he's up to," she said with a small smile.
"I'm glad, I'm glad. We have a lot of catching up to do. How about we let Luna and young Rudeus go play together?" Mrs. Lovegood suggested.
"Yes, I'll—" Lilia paused, her eyes scanning the room. "That's strange… where have they run off to?" She looked around where she had left Rudeus, but he was nowhere to be found.
"Man it's boring in here I don't know why you insisted we come in my room now the door is closed and we can't get out."
"Blab" Luna said
"Sigh your a lost cause the library is so much better but I digress."
"Since we're here Luna, let's set some ground rules. Rule number one: no peeing on the floor."
"Baba," Luna babbled in response.
"I know, I know, it's hard. But Lilia works really hard to keep this house clean, and I wouldn't want all her effort to go to waste." I crossed my arms, making sure she understood. She just blinked up at me with big, innocent eyes.
"Rule number two: don't use my pacifier. It's limited edition, and I don't know where your mouth has been."
"Bababoo," she said, as if dismissing my concerns entirely.
"Yeah, yeah, sure. The day you chew on my pacifier is the day I become a thirty-year-old Japanese man."
She giggled at that a smirk appearing on her face.
"Okay, that should cover everything. Now, Luna, what do you want to do?"
Luna furrowed her tiny brows, going into what looked like deep consideration before she finally exclaimed, "Gogagbo!"
I frowned. "No, we aren't going hunting for a Crumple-Horned Snorkack whatever the hell that is."
Luna visibly deflated, her bottom lip jutting out in disappointment. "Gagabla," she muttered.
"You said the Nargles told you I know magic? What? How? What even are these things?" My brain was struggling to keep up. Was she speaking to creatures I couldn't see? Ones I couldn't hear?
"Ba," she let out, nodding sagely.
Well, that wasn't very informational. Basically told me nothing.
"Tell me, how can I speak to these creatures?" My mind was already racing. If these 'Nargles' were real, and Luna could communicate with them, then maybe they could be useful. Maybe they could tell me valuable things about people, about places, about dangers I wouldn't see coming.
Luna just giggled again, as if she knew something I didn't. "Booboo."
I let out a long sigh. "Okay, fine, I'll show you some magic. I only know, like, one spell, but you can't tell anyone. Swear it." I shot her a stern look.
Luna nodded very quickly, eyes wide with excitement.
I stretched my hand out, and a warm light illuminated the room. Her reaction was disappointingly neutral no gasps, no screams of awe. I furrowed my brows, deciding to take it a step further. I shaped the light into a horse, letting it gallop around her.
That got a reaction. She let out an excited giggle, her hands reaching out as the glowing creature pranced through the air. I smirked, feeling a little pride. But I wasn't done.
With a flick of my fingers, the horse transformed into a dragon. The beast flapped its wings, its mouth opening as it breathed fire made of light. Luna, enthralled, stretched her tiny hand toward it only to yelp as the warmth slightly singed her finger.
Uh-oh.
Her lower lip trembled. Oh no. If she cried, Lilia would come storming in, and I couldn't let that happen. If she saw luna crying. she'd personally tuck me into an early grave also known as that cage they call a crib.
I acted on instinct. Crawling as fast as I could, I grabbed Luna's hand and before I could second-guess myself stuck her finger in my mouth.
Sigh. This was the only logical decision. I didn't know any healing magic, and I really didn't want to deal with a crying baby.
Luna's sniffles faded, replaced by a soft giggle.
My dignity, however, took a critical hit.
I quickly pulled her finger out of my mouth. There. Crisis averted. But then she looked at it, lip trembling once more.
"No. I refuse," I said, horrified. "My pride as a boy is too great to be sucking fingers."
Luna stared at me. And for a moment I swear I saw an evil smirk cross her face. But when I blinked, it was gone.
This little—
She knew what she was doing.
I refused to lose this war. Retreat! Regroup! I crawled toward the door, waiting for the perfect moment to escape. But just as I reached my target, Luna let out a loud, dramatic wail.
I froze.
…No tears.
This traitor.
Before I could even react, the door swung open.
Lilia appeared in an instant, her sharp gaze scanning the room. I lunged forward, desperate to make my great escape—
But Lilia's foot shifted, and suddenly, her eyes locked onto me.
"Oh, young master, where are you off to?" she said sweetly.
I stiffened as she scooped me up with ease, effortlessly thwarting my escape. She placed me right next to the crying traitor, trapping me in the hell of her wails.
My ears are going to develop a deformity at this rate.
"This is no good," Lilia muttered, picking up Luna and gently rocking her in her arms. "Looks like you need a napy-nap."
Luna instantly calmed down, curling into Lilia's embrace.
I narrowed my eyes.
This… this was my only chance.
While Lilia was distracted, I began my second escape attempt. Slowly, carefully, I crawled toward the door, keeping my movements silent.
Luna, now smirking, suddenly pointed at me and giggled.
Lilia turned, her gaze following Luna's tiny finger straight to me.
"Oh, that's no good," she sighed. "Mistress Zenith told me to keep you here."
She pulled out her wand and twirled it directly at Luna's finger magically healed Luna's little burn mark and Before I could react, she scooped me up again and placed me into her arms.
No. No, wait I get it now. This was all part of her plan. Luna… she tricked me.
I stared at her in horror. It all made sense now. That fake cry, that innocent smile, the perfectly timed laugh I'd been played.
Damn it. Damn it. Damn it! My eyelids started to droop. No. No, I had to stay awake. I had to—
Luna, in her ultimate display of villainy, began chomping down on air, her gums working up and down as she stared at me.
No. Not like this.
Lilia hummed. "Seems like you need something to teeth on, Miss Luna."
She reached into her pocket her impossibly deep pocket her arm disappearing up to her elbow.
What the hell?
"Here you go," she finally said, pulling out—
Wait.
No.
No, no, no.
She pulled out both of my limited-edition singing pacifier. I watched in silent horror as she placed one in each of our mouths. The pacifiers, in perfect unison, began to sing.
The melody was… soothing.
My mind slowed.
My eyes closed.
Damn you, Luna.
My eyes slowly fluttered open, struggling to fight off the pull of sleep. No. I'm not out of the fight yet. I was going to escape this room, one way or another.
I scanned my surroundings, assessing the situation.
The first thing I noticed was a girl snuggled close to me, clutching onto my body like I was some kind of living teddy bear. It might've been a cute sight if she didn't have my pacifier in her mouth.
Seriously, I only had two rules, and she broke one of them.
I sighed and began pushing Luna, nudging her over and over in an attempt to wake her. But she was a deep sleeper.
"Luna, wake up," I whispered, shaking her again.
She stirred slightly but didn't fully wake up.
I frowned. I really didn't want to do this…
But desperate times called for desperate measures.
I stuck my finger in my mouth, coating it with just enough spit to prepare for a classic wet willy but before I could strike, her eyes suddenly popped open.
"Man," I muttered, withdrawing my finger. "I was looking forward to that."
Luna blinked blearily, clearly still half-asleep.
No time to waste.
"Today," I declared, puffing out my chest, "we escape."
She just stared at me.
"We rise up from our oppression," I continued. "No longer will we be confined to these dastardly cribs! We will crawl freely, wherever we want! Do you hear me?"
I turned to her dramatically, expecting some kind of triumphant response—
Only to find her still half-asleep, a small snot bubble forming at her nose.
I exhaled slowly. She's a lost cause.
"Luna, wake up," I repeated, more forcefully this time. "I need you to give me a boost, or I'll crawl on your face."
That finally got a reaction. She groggily sat up, rubbing her eyes, but looked completely confused.
Right. We're babies. She probably had no idea what a 'boost' was.
Sigh. Sacrifices must be made.
"Slight change of plans," I said, adjusting my approach. "I'll boost you out instead."
Luna's sleepy confusion vanished, replaced by a mischievous grin. She eagerly crawled over to me, positioning herself for the escape.
Dammit she played me I held out my hands, ready for her to step on but I hesitated.
Wait… does she even understand what I'm doing?
Before I could explain further, Luna climbed onto me.
I immediately regretted everything.
It felt like I was being crushed.
She was stepping on my arms, my chest my head without a care in the world.
I'm going to come out of this with a permanent dent in my skull.
"Hurry up before I knock you over!" I grunted, barely holding steady.
She took her sweet time, adjusting her footing, trying to grab the crib bars with her tiny fingers. She was barely able to reach her little hands grasping just enough to hold on.
I gritted my teeth and shifted my stance, pushing her higher. Once she had a firm grip, I jumped, giving her the final push she needed.
With a soft thud, she tumbled over the whole crib and landed on her butt.
Success.
Luna blinked in surprise, looking around the room like she couldn't believe it actually worked
I started to celebrate after our triumph one step closer to leaving this stuffy room. While I was celebrating She started chewing on the pacifier.
My pacifier. I forgot to take it back. My eye twitched. Oh, I'm getting that back. Mark my words.
I crawled out from under the knocked-over crib. "Good job, Luna, now give me my pacifier," I said with a sweet smile.
She shook her head. "What do you mean, no? It's mine."
My face instantly contorted into a frown. "Babo," she said mockingly.
"Them damn nargals," I muttered through gritted teeth. These damn creatures how could they tell me my things now belong to her? I didn't know how powerful these creatures were, so for now, I'd appease them. But mark my words, they will pay for this.
Sighing, I looked around. "Let's find a way out of this room. You got any ideas?"
Luna went into a thinking position. "Babababo!"
"What the hell is a diricawl, Luna? We need to think more practically." She visibly deflated at that.
I took a moment to consider. "We could use that stool over there. My mom uses it to read me bedtime stories." But then it hit mehow were we supposed to move it?
I crawled over to the stool, determined. "Alright, Rudeus, time to show them why you're the strongest wizard." I put my hands on the stool and tried to push.
Nothing happened. I expected as much. It was a lost cause.
"Luna, could you try?" I said, half-heartedly. She was a little stupid, but it'd be funny to watch her fail. Payback for my pacifier.
She crawled over to where I was and eyed the stool before lying down. "It's not nap time, we just did that."
Ignoring me completely, she started rolling. To my surprise, the stool began to move. I stared at her, dumbfounded, as she rolled it until it was directly in front of us.
"Babab," she said, looking at me with satisfaction.
I shook my head. "I don't even have the time to ask what a 'wrackspurt' is… How the hell did you think to do that?" My face must have shown pure confusion.
She just giggled, and I snapped out of my stupor.
"Show off much." I respond with a little bit of irritation.
"We need to find a way to climb this stool. After your little 'display,' we finally have it in place. Since you're such a know-it-all, why don't you tell me how we're supposed to climb it? Actually, never mind. I'll figure it out myself."
I looked around the room for ideas. After a few moments of searching, nothing came to me. The only thought that surfaced was magic.
Think, Rudeus, think.
The only spell I knew was the levitation charm, but that only worked on objects, not people. I scanned the room again. All I saw was a little seat on the ground—one for me and one for Luna, who seemed to be lost in her own world chasing invisible creatures.
Wait. That's it. I need to think like Luna. How would she solve this? I had to think outside the box, in a way nobody else would.
"Luna, get on the seat."
She crawled over without hesitation and sat down, already looking a little drowsy.
"Hold on. You're going for a ride."
A grin crept onto my face as I raised my hands and closed my eyes. I reached deep into my magic core, forcing the energy outward. I opened my eyes, but the seat barely lifted off the ground. Luna wobbled as the spell struggled.
Not enough magic.
I shut my eyes again and focused. I could feel my core, a glowing ball the size of a tennis ball. It was draining fast. This must be what they meant by a magical core in those books. Wizards had died overextending theirs. I remembered that, too. That's why the books recommended frequent spell use—to build stamina.
But this wouldn't do. I needed more. I had to grow my core faster. If my body wanted to survive, then I'd force it to adapt. I believed it would. That was the only way to make progress.
I reached in again and pulled more power, straining harder. My head throbbed, but I pushed through. The magic flowed faster now. My core burned, but it started to grow. From a tennis ball to a baseball, then to a softball. I felt everything tense at once.
When I opened my eyes, Luna was floating meters in the air.
Then she started to fall.
There was fear in her eyes. Panic hit me hard. Could a baby survive that fall? I reacted fast, throwing out another spell. It caught her just before she hit the ground, though not gently. My whole body clenched. The pain was unbearable.
But she didn't cry. Instead, she crawled toward me. I couldn't move. My limbs were useless. She looked worried but stayed quiet.
Then she grabbed my finger and began sucking on it.
I didn't understand, but my face relaxed. It was oddly comforting. The pain didn't vanish, but for a moment, I could ignore it.
Then it returned.
She saw my face tighten and began crying as loud as she could.
Lilia rushed in seconds later. Her eyes widened when she saw Luna crying and me on the floor, my body pulsing with pain. She pulled out her wand and began chanting spell after spell, her voice frantic.
The noise drew everyone from downstairs. They ran into the room and saw me convulsing on the floor with Luna still crying beside me.
"What the hell is happening to Rudeus?" Paul rushed over, his face tight with worry.
Lilia, clearly shaken, turned to him. "I don't know, Master Paul. I tucked them in before I left. Then I heard Luna cry. I came back and saw this. I tried several healing spells, but I'm not strong enough. I'm sorry." Tears streamed down her cheeks.
"Little Zenith, we need to take him to Madam Pomfrey," Pandora said quickly.
Zenith was already by my side, holding me in her arms, sobbing.
"Lilia, take us to Madam Pomfrey. Now," Paul said, voice firm.
Everyone touched Lilia as she apparated us all into Hogwarts, landing in the infirmary. Madam Pomfrey looked startled by the sudden arrival, her office still dim.
"Why are you here?" she asked, confused. Her eyes fell on me. She stiffened at once. "Put him on the bed. Give me space."
She cast a series of spells over my body, her face turning grim.
"What… what is it?" Zenith asked through her tears.
Madam Pomfrey frowned slightly. "It's complicated."
Paul stepped forward. "Try us. Even if I don't understand, Zenith will. She's the smartest woman I know."
Pomfrey gave a small nod. "You're right. Well, you know what a magical core is."
Everyone nodded.
"For a child Rudeus's age, it should be smaller than a golden snitch. His, however, is twice that size. Not yet an adult core, but close. His body isn't equipped to handle that much magic yet."
The room went quiet. Every adult stared in shock.
Zenith wiped her tears. "But how could this happen?"
"There's only one thing that makes sense. He was born this way. His magic must've just awakened. Has anyone seen signs of immature magic?"
Lilia raised her hand. "Yes. Once, I found every book on the bottom shelves of the library knocked over, and he had a beginner's magic book in front of him."
Paul turned sharply. "Why didn't you tell us?"
"I… I didn't think it was important," she stammered, clearly ashamed.
"Paul, stop," Zenith said gently, taking his hand. "She didn't know. It's not her fault."
Paul sighed, tension easing. "Next time, let us know. Or we might as well hire house elves."
Lilia's expression hardened, hiding her hurt.
Zenith turned to Madam Pomfrey. "Will he recover? Lilia tried healing spells. I… I didn't. I was too focused on him."
"It's alright," Pomfrey said. "You always were a little emotional. But no, he isn't in danger. His body is adjusting to the flow of his magic. Give him a day or so. He'll be fine."
Everyone breathed out in relief.
Xenophilius smiled. "Who would've thought you and Paul would raise such a powerful child? You think it's because he was born on the same day as—"
He stopped. His wife had placed a hand over his mouth, eyes sharp.
Madam Pomfrey finished her scan and looked thoughtful. She had never seen a case like this before.
"Rudeus Greyrat," she said softly. "You have a bright future ahead of you."
Chapter 2
June 9th 1989
It's been a few years since the incident, and my parents told me that my body had gone through rapid growth, increasing my mana core by several sizes. I already knew this. I was out like a light for a while, and even after, it took some time to adjust. For the first year or so, my mana was bursting out uncontrollably.
I remember once when I was with my dad at Diagon Alley. While we were getting food with the list Lilia gave us, all the fruits around me started floating and were launched across the store. I still remember an orange smacking some poor guy in the face. That day definitely wasn't his day.
After that, I was forced to stay inside and work on controlling my magic, since it was hard for my body to naturally contain so much mana. I had to learn to regulate it. That also meant I had to regularly use my magic, so my mom started teaching me the basics. She was astonished when she found out I could already use two spells.
She got so excited she almost hired a tutor for me on the spot, but Lilia stopped her, warning that gaining more attention could leave me at risk of people with bad intentions. My mom reluctantly agreed, and since then, she's been teaching me herself.
I haven't learned many spells yet, mostly just how to control my magic, since that was the bigger problem. It took a while, but I eventually got the hang of it. I already knew my mom wouldn't teach me too much magic; she always talked about how it's better if I learned at Hogwarts, and how it wouldn't be fair for me to get a head start.
So most of the time, she just taught me magical theory. I always listened closely. Learning magical theory was necessary, especially since I was going to practice magic in secret. The theory here wasn't very complicated, but I also thought a lot of it was wrong.
It emphasized wand movements, and for non-wand magic, specific hand motions. That was stupid. I had already managed spells without any movements. It was probably a placebo. Maybe long ago, there were no wand movements at all, but a wizard had once told a struggling student to use motions to make it easier, and that method stuck until eventually, people forgot there was any other way.
It made sense. Wizards here seem really stubborn and obsessed with tradition. That tradition was holding them back from reaching their true potential but I had no such chains. It's kinda funny if you think about it. It's like a bunch of old geezers refusing to use the newest phone because their old one still works fine.
Today, I'm reading up on potions. I've been pretty interested in it lately. Once, while reading a beginner's book on potions, Lilia found me. Apparently, she's a potions master and had fallen in love with it at Hogwarts.
Lilia is actually a muggle. Learning this, I initially felt a little disdain for my parents. Being pure-bloods, having a muggle maid instead of a house elf looked really bad. But I listened a little more. She told me that before she was taken to Hogwarts, she worked as a maid for a family. She's actually an orphan, raised in that household.
She doesn't look back on those times with hatred. She's actually really grateful they took her in, and she still loves her old family. It seems Lilia truly enjoys being a maid, so I can't really stay mad at my parents. They had all been friends at Hogwarts.
I was reading my book in the library, studying the different potion ingredients, how they interacted with each other, and where they could be found.
"Young master, Zenith asked me to tell you that breakfast is ready."
Startled, I looked up and saw Lilia holding a little red-haired girl in her arms, sleeping peacefully in a tiny maid outfit.
I had almost forgotten — Paul had pulled a real scumbag move. He got my mom pregnant after their escapades, but at the same time, he was two-timing with Lilia. That was an incredibly awkward day.
We were at the lunch table when Lilia told everyone she was pregnant. It killed the jovial mood instantly. Naturally, we all turned to Paul the only man in the house. He immediately apologized and begged for forgiveness. Zenith smacked him and made him sit on the other side of the room, right in front of her mother's portrait, where he was scolded for a long time.
He looked miserable, and I felt a bit of pity. He was terrified of her, and now this made it worse. My mom looked distraught who wouldn't? Her best friend and her husband had both betrayed her.
Then Lilia said, "I'll leave back to the muggle world, me and my baby."
My mom looked like she wanted to say something but didn't. She was still a little mad at Lilia for taking advantage of her husband. She knew what type of man Paul was and that he had been trying his hardest to stay away from Lilia.
Knowing she was pregnant, combined with Lilia likely seducing him, made it even harder to look her in the eye. Mom remembered back when she first started dating Paul in her fourth year, there had been rumors about Lilia having a crush on him. At the time, she brushed it off, since so many girls liked Paul. But now it all made sense.
"Lil—" Zenith started.
"Wait, Mommy, how can you let Lilia go?" I interrupted.
She looked at me with soft eyes. "Oh Merlin. You see, your dad and Lilia did something really bad, so Lilia has to go far away." She rubbed my head gently and hugged me, letting tears run down her face.
I turned to Lilia, who was silently crying. I puffed out my cheeks. It would be a shame if Lilia left just because Paul couldn't control himself. If that happened, I'd stay mad at Paul forever.
"But Mommy, I'm going to have two sisters, and I'll be a big brother to both. Wouldn't it be hard if we have to visit Lilia's house?" I gave her my most innocent look.
Zenith looked like she was about to cry harder when she saw my face. She sighed. "Lilia, you can stay here," she said with a long sigh.
Lilia looked shocked. "But I took advantage of your trust. How can you forgive me so easily?"
Zenith gave a small smirk. "Because you're my wife now."
Everyone froze, including me. I thought this was 1980s Britain — do they even accept that here? Lilia blushed slightly.
"But my lady, isn't that… a little taboo?" she said shyly.
Zenith stood and hugged Lilia tightly. "Don't worry, Lilly. Who's going to stop us?"
My mom's tears stopped as she held Lilia. Lilia was stunned. She looked at me with silent gratitude in her eyes.
"Young master, I'm forever in your debt," she whispered. She crouched down, picked me up, and pulled me into their hug. It was a very wholesome moment.
Paul tried to walk over and join, but my mom gave him a fierce look, and he quietly sat back down.
"Okay, Mommy, Lily." I closed my book and put it back where I found it.
Lilia gave a warm smile and walked back out of the library. She never apparates when she's holding Aisha. It doesn't feel very good to apparate for the first time, and for someone so young, it could have serious side effects. It's better to just walk.
That's why I'm so shocked. I hadn't even heard her come in. She must have been a ninja in her past life.