Hogwarts Letter
Seeing the words on the envelope, Artel's face showed a hint of surprise, and then he seemed to think of something, and turned the envelope over. Sure enough, there was a red wax print on the envelope, and above the wax print, there was a shield-like shape, a coat of arms.
The four corners of the shield displayed a lion, an eagle, a snake, and a badger.
"Harry Potter," Artel breathed a sigh of relief, suddenly understanding.
The power he couldn't control seemed to be related to the explosive bursts of magical power from the young wizard. Whenever his emotions fluctuated violently, he inadvertently caused his magical power to explode.
"So, this is the world of Harry Potter!" Artel's emotions were a mix of nervousness, excitement, and a touch of disappointment.
He had always believed that he possessed a unique advantage, a "Gold Finger," and he had planned to harness this power, using the influence of the Shelby family to become a dominant figure in the European region.
However, it seemed he had been overly optimistic. He was just a young wizard, and his magical talents might not even be particularly high. After all, he had been trying for a while and hadn't made much progress in understanding and controlling magic. Voldemort, on the other hand, had demonstrated precise control over his magical abilities even during his time in the orphanage.
Did he not possess the advantage he thought he did after all?
"In 1991, that means I was in the same class as Harry Potter," Artel realized, glancing at the owl on the table, which had flown in from Hogwarts.
Although he wasn't familiar with the exact location of Hogwarts, he knew it wasn't close to Birmingham. Artel reached for a bag of snacks in the drawer, taking out thick-cut smoked jerky. While owls were carnivores, he didn't have rats or raw meat on hand, so he wasn't sure if the owl would eat those.
Opening the snack bag, Artel took out a couple of pieces of beef jerky and offered them to the owl. The creature tilted its head at him, making gurgling sounds before accepting the jerky and devouring it.
Observing the owl eating, Artel then turned his attention to the parchment envelope.
"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confederation of Wizards)
Dear Mr. Shelby,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been admitted to study at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Enclosed herewith is a list of required books and equipment.
The semester is scheduled to start on September 1st, and we will be waiting for your owl to confirm by July 31st.
Deputy Headmistress,
Minerva McGonagall."
Artel carefully set the letter down on the table. Having seen the Harry Potter movies in his previous life, he was reasonably convinced that this wasn't a prank or a malicious trap. After all, without the Harry Potter books, no one could fabricate a Hogwarts letter with Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall's names on it.
At this moment, the owl had finished its jerky and was still perched in the room. Artel decided to write a letter in response. He pulled out a piece of paper and penned his thoughts:
"Dear Professor McGonagall,
Thank you for your letter. Some inexplicable events have occurred, and I have many questions. I hope to discuss them in person. I am preparing some exquisite desserts and afternoon tea for your visit.
Sincerely,
Artel Shelby."
Rolling up the letter and placing it in the parchment envelope, Artel handed it to the owl. With the letter in its talons, the owl took off and flew out of the room.
Closing the window, turning off the light, and returning to his bed, Artel's thoughts swirled with excitement. He couldn't help but speculate about which Hogwarts house he might be sorted into.
Given his background as a Shelby and his own ambitions, Slytherin seemed like the most fitting choice. He pondered if the house would accept someone like him, though he wasn't a pureblood or even a half-blood wizard.
As he lay in bed, Artel gradually drifted off to sleep, his dreams filled with visions of the wizarding world, Harry Potter, Voldemort, and even Hermione and Luna. The latter might have been influenced by his fondness for those characters from his previous life.
The next morning, his maid Sophia knocked on the door, informing him it was time for breakfast. As he got up, he spotted the admission letter still on his pillow, bringing a sense of reassurance that it wasn't all a dream.