"Let me see if I understood correctly. You want me to send you to the Harry Potter world, as a pure-blood, with a massive talent for magic, who speaks all languages instantly, and also with a video game-like system?"
"Yes."
"You know you could ask for much more incredible wishes, right?"
The 20-year-old shrugged, looking at the interdimensional being with a bored expression.
"True, I could. But why ask for infinite magic and things like that? I'm going for practicality."
The interdimensional being blinked a couple of times before nodding resignedly.
"Well, they're your wishes, not mine. So... get out of here!"
And the next instant, he vanished into nothingness.
...
Year: 1991 — September 1st
Sitting on the train, a boy with olive skin, black hair, and grey eyes, blinked. He seemed to be about eleven years old, almost twelve in a few months. He wore a white shirt without a tie, a dark grey sweater, black trousers, and shoes of the same color. His face was calm, but with an analytical gaze.
'So I really did reincarnate,' he thought, and a cold smile spread across his lips. Finally, he was in the Harry Potter world, a place full of magic and possibilities. Of course, he would use his knowledge to finish off Voldemort and thwart all his plans. He would start by eliminating the Horcruxes and, if possible, sending Quirrell to the afterlife before Christmas. He would also take advantage of everything he could; after all, he was ambitious by nature.
Ding!
[Congratulations on acquiring the Reincarnated's System! A system that will accompany you in this life, granting you unique advantages.]
Smiling, he observed the blue screen that appeared in front of him.
Name: Duncan Ravenheart
Title: Emissary of the Void
Affiliation: None
Morality: -50
Attributes: [Holy Body] [Mana-Blessed] [Spark of Divinity] [Heir of Shadows]
Spells: [Wingardium Leviosa] [Muffliato] [Alohomora]
Money: 77 Galleons, 70 Sickles, 5617 Knuts
'So my name is Duncan Ravenheart?' he thought.
The system was strange: it had no levels, or health or magic bars. Just an inventory, which for now was empty.
Duncan observed his attributes curiously, and upon focusing on them, more text appeared.
Description of [Holy Body]:
[You possess a physique with superhuman capabilities, which will strengthen over time.]
'Great. So I'll be a super athletic wizard. I can already see myself punching a mountain troll or drowning a dragon... well, maybe not that much.'
Description of [Mana-Blessed]:
[Your magical affinity is abnormally high. The world's mana favors you.]
'Good, good.' Duncan smiled. Combining his first two attributes—superhuman strength and exceptional magical affinity—he would undoubtedly become someone tremendously powerful.
Description of [Spark of Divinity]:
[Your soul holds a faint divine trace, as if grazed by a deity.]
Duncan blinked, not quite understanding what that meant.
Description of [Heir of Shadows]:
[The shadows recognize you as one of their own, granting you unusual powers.]
'Wow, this is getting weird... but oh well, I'll look into it later.'
From what he remembered of the movies, the Hogwarts Express arrived at nightfall, so he had plenty of time to familiarize himself with everything.
He checked his inventory and saw he had a wand. Upon thinking of it, it materialized in his hand: it measured about 13.4 inches, was a milky white color, with strange patterns carved along its length.
The system showed a description:
Item: White Dragon Wand
Description: [Crafted from an ancient dragon's claw mixed with wood from a Mist Tree. A powerful wand that only responds to a wizard it deems worthy.]
'Ancient dragon? But the dragons around here are more like wyverns... could there be real dragons in this world?' An intrigued smile appeared on his face. 'I'll have to ask Hagrid if I see him at Hogwarts.'
He stored the wand in his robe—which returned to the inventory—just as he heard footsteps approaching.
A girl with reddish-brown hair, fair skin, a round face, and deep emerald green eyes peeked into his compartment. She seemed to hesitate for a moment.
"May I sit here?" she asked.
Duncan blinked and nodded. "Of course, go ahead."
"Thanks," said the redhead, sitting across from him.
Duncan noticed something peculiar: on her left eyebrow, she had a faint mark, shaped like a lightning bolt.
'Don't tell me...' he thought, feeling a monumental sense of déjà vu.
"I'm Effie Potter," the girl introduced herself.
THUD! Duncan felt as if the world had just done one of those cosmic flips that leave you cross-eyed. Effie? Potter? Female? His brain short-circuited briefly but intensely. Okay, okay... breathe. The multiverse is vast and strange. Who said the protagonist had to be a boy?
He cleared his throat, regaining his composure. "Duncan Ravenheart. Pleasure."
Effie seemed somewhat nervous. "Aren't you going to ask?" she murmured.
"Ask about what exactly?"
"Well, the... the mark," she said, discreetly pointing to her eyebrow.
'Ah, right. This version doesn't like being reminded of the scar. That's why she's here and not with a loud-mouthed redhead.' Duncan understood instantly.
"Truthfully, I'm not very interested in the mark. I'm more interested in getting to know the person," he said naturally.
Effie looked at him in astonishment, her green eyes shining with curiosity. "It's the first time someone hasn't asked me about it right away... I appreciate it, really."
Duncan nodded, still processing the gender swap of the protagonist. Will it change anything? Nah. My plans remain the same: finish off the Dark Lord, grab all the benefits I can, and if possible, avoid Mrs. Weasley's plum pudding. The rest is details.
"I heard some boys talking about which house they'll join. Do you know what they're talking about?" asked Effie, changing the subject.
Duncan got back on track. "Ah, yes. At Hogwarts there are four houses: Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw. Each year, new students are assigned to one. Each house has its own personality, like Quidditch teams but with more history and fewer flying balls."
Effie listened attentively, clearly relieved to talk about something other than her famous scar.
"And which one do you think you'll go to?" she asked, leaning back a bit in her seat.
Duncan smiled, an ambitious glint in his grey eyes. "Honestly, to whichever one benefits me the most. But if I had to choose... probably the one that gives me the most long-term advantages."
Effie stared at him, as if trying to decipher him. "You're... different from the others I've met today."
"That tends to happen when you don't care about famous marks," Duncan replied with a wink. "I'm just a boy with a strange system, a weird wand, and a desire to take on the magical world... starting with the frog candies, if they're on the trolley."
Effie let out a soft laugh, and for the first time since boarding the train, she relaxed completely.