Chapter 1

Of all the things he expected to happen, this was not one of them. He had been caught in the process of shagging his best friend's girlfriend.

He probably shouldn't have done that, considering the fact that his best friend was a gun fanatic.

It wasn't his fault, she was the one who invited him over. Granted, he started it when he talked her into bed at his best friend's birthday party but that was neither here nor there.

After getting shot, that should've been it…it wasn't.

He found himself in a white room in front of a large computer. With nothing else to do, he spent the past few minutes interacting with it and found it to be a set of rules and regulations about a CYOA operation.

It was all too surreal. Were it not for the fact that he remembered the brief but intense flash of pain as the bullet pierced his brain, he would've thought he was dreaming.

The rules were simple enough.

He would be dropped off in another world with a set of tasks which if completed, allows him to make a choice to stay in that world or move on to the next.

Of course he wouldn't be dropped off as powerless as he was right now, that would be suicide.

It was set up like the average CYOA, the one thing he recognized very well upon inspection being the terms familiar with a certain magical world.

'Harry Potter huh?' He thought before looking through it and making his choices.

One of the first choices he made was about his background. As discriminated against as they were, the option for Muggle-born gave extra points to spend as compensation for the riches that came with being a pure blood or half blood.

He happily took those points, selecting the options that caught his attention. By the time he was done, he had a rather long but satisfying list of chosen options.

[Charms Master]

You excel in casting enchantments and spells. You have a deep understanding of magical incantations and can manipulate objects and creatures with their charm work.

[Defense Against the Dark Arts Affinity]

You have a strong affinity for magic dedicated to defending against and combating magical creatures, effects and wizards. 

[Dark Arts Affinity]

You have a strong affinity for the dark arts.

[Transfiguration Affinity]

You have a strong affinity for transfiguration magic. 

[Potion Master]

Years of study and practice in the art of concocting magical elixirs and brews have given you an expert understanding of ingredients, measurements, and brewing techniques. 

Rather than picking all of them at full mastery, he had opted to get the affinity to make them much easier to learn. Affinities made skills much easier to learn and were less costly. He'd save points while also getting a useful affinity out of the points he spent.

The potion master skill was basically him not wanting to go through the actual years of study and experimenting to achieve that level of mastery. As for charms master, there were just so many useful ones that he couldn't afford to not know.

'I have to at least have two things mastered to help me out until I can learn the others.' He thought before moving to the other sections.

[Wandless Magic]

You are gifted in the art of using magic without the need of a wand. 

[Nonverbal Magic]

You have mastered the art of nonverbal magic and can cast spells you know in this way with little to no extra focus and at full power. 

[Spell Creation]

You have a comprehensive knowledge of magic and understand the process involved in creating/inventing new spells. 

[Part Veela]

Someone in your family tree was a Veela, a race of magical beings resembling exceptionally beautiful people. As a result, you are supernaturally attractive and can leverage your good looks to entrance others. 

These were perhaps his most useful picks in his opinion. They were worth the points he spent on them. Vain or not, he wasn't going to risk the chance that he was sent in with a body that was less than satisfactory.

As he finished making his choices, there was a 'Begin' button at the bottom of the list. Clicking it, he felt his sense of perception and balance change immediately.

Rather than standing in front of the large computer, he found himself sitting on a bed, a headache striking him immediately.

Foreign memories filtered into his mind, filling him in on where he was, or rather, who he was. 'Oh the irony.' He thought sarcastically as he quickly understood it all.

In this world, he had gotten into a fight with his best friend who caught him in bed with his girlfriend…. The only difference between this and his previous situation was that whereas his previous friend pulled a gun on him, this one preferred to throw punches.

It wasn't pleasant for either of them, the fight.

"At least my name's still the same; Liam Ross. I don't think I could get used to being called something else.' he pondered.

While the thoughts on his identity were going through his head, the knowledge of charms magic and potion making slammed into his head with the delicacy of a bull in a china shop.

Massaging his temples, he got off the bed, turning to face his open wardrobe. With a wave of his hand, a shirt came flying into his hand via a summoning charm.

A smirk adorned his lips. "No regrets." He said, putting it on.

With another wave of his hand, a wallet flew into his grip, carefully searching it for a moment. 'First off, I need a drink.'

- Hogwarts -

In Dumbledore's office, an elderly woman in odd garbs stood in front of him with a scowl on her face.

"What troubles you Minerva?" Dumbledore asked in his usual knowing manner which only deepened her scowl.

"You know very well what troubles me Albus. This is insane and irrational. Anyone else would agree with me on that." Minerva McGonagall said pointedly, trying to understand what was going through the headmaster's head.

She had given up on understanding his thought process long ago but this was too insane even for him.

"They would. I do not like this either but this is, unfortunately, necessary. Sybill made another prophecy, one that seems just as important as the first." Dumbledore explained vaguely, getting a scoff from the deputy headmistress.

In her opinion, the Divination professor could hardly classify as a seer. Her skills were mediocre at best and her words fraudulent.

She may have been right about the prophecy regarding Harry but she was also wrong on uncountable occasions, not giving her much credibility.

"While I find it hard to believe one of Sybill's….predictions," she strained out the word to show her dislike. "Even if she is right, I don't believe this to be the right course of action. How are you even sure that it's him?"

Dumbledore's expression turned grave for a moment before the look disappeared just as fast as it appeared. "Unlike her previous predictions, this time, this one was more, for lack of better words, directed." He said, confusing her.

"I don't follow." Minerva admitted honestly.

"This prophecy came with a name. Had that not happened, I would have dismissed it as mere nonsense." Dumbledore said with a short sigh.

"A name? I've never heard of any prophecies that are that specific." Minerva said in disbelief.

"Indeed. That is exactly why we need to handle this carefully." Albus said, slowly standing to his feet, as if in thought.

"What is the name?" Minerva asked.

"Liam Ross."

- Liam -

Apparently there was a backstory to explain some of his knowledge and skill on potions and charms magic.

His older brother graduated from Hogwarts before moving out, leaving his books laying around most of the time. His carelessness contributed to his skill.

Liam was currently 17, an adult by wizarding law so he didn't have to worry about the trace as he used his magic. As for why he himself didn't go to Hogwarts, there was no case of accidental magic or use of magic at all from him until the new Liam took over.

There were a lot of gaps and holes in the story but he couldn't care less about that right now as he downed a cup of beer.

"That's the stuff." He muttered as he ordered a refill.

He knew a refilling charm but with the amount of eyes watching him, he felt it better not to do that. His part Veela ancestry definitely shone as he was subject to many appreciative stares from the fairer sex.

Giving a smile to a dark haired girl who winked at him from across the pub, he turned back to his drink.

Another reason he wanted a drink was to figure out what to do next. Not long after the memories had set in, so had his 'tasks' that he needed to do before he had the option to leave this world.

[Objective: Destroy three of Voldemort's horcruxes.]

[Optional Objective: Kill Voldemort.]

[Rewards are dependent on performance.]

'Why did I think it was going to be easy?' He thought, taking a sip from his drink and holding back a sigh.

Though he could remember where to find some of the Horcruxes, they were neither easy to reach nor destroy.

Even the 'optional' task was more than a bit challenging. Though charms magic was useful and powerful, he still wanted to learn the other branches of magic to at least prepare himself.

'I'll worry about that later.' He thought, smirking as the dark haired girl from earlier made her way towards him. 'I might as well have some fun while I try to figure this out.'

- Later -

Magic had proven very convenient in getting rid of the aftermath of sex in record time. He was falling more and more in love with his skill set as time went on.

'I'll need to search for the textbooks on transfiguration Evan left behind.' He thought as he made his way back home.

Evan was his older brother, a typical Gryffindor in Hogwarts. The boy wasn't the most studious type but he was smart enough to get through alright.

It didn't take him time to reach the house, unlock the door and walk in. Upon entering, he was met with the frowning face of a middle aged man with short brown hair.

"And where have you been, young man? It's almost midnight!" The man who Liam recognized as his father questioned.

"I went to see a friend. Traffic was terrible on the way back." He lied easily but the man didn't look convinced.

"And your phone. I've been trying to reach you for hours." The man accused once again.

Liam shrugged his shoulders. "I might have forgotten that in my room before leaving." This time he wasn't lying.

The exasperated look on the man's face showed that this wasn't the first time they'd had this type of argument.

Sighing, the man got up from the couch he sat, leveling a stare at him. "While you were out doing who knows what, someone came looking for you." He said as Liam made his way into the kitchen, barely listening.

"Yeah? And who could that be? I don't think I've pissed anyone off recently." Liam paused for a moment as he reached into the fridge, remembering the fight a few hours ago with his supposed 'best friend'.

'Couldn't be him, could it?' He thought, taking out an apple, the only readily edible thing inside the fridge.

He'd used a few charm spells to get rid of the smell of sex and beer that he would have been emanating so his father had no clue of what he was actually up to.

"Why don't you ask them yourself?" The man, William Ross said in a rhetorical manner.

As soon as he said that, Liam turned around to see the tall and familiar figure of Hogwarts' very headmaster standing in the kitchen.

"You've got to be kidding me." Liam muttered, already feeling a headache coming on. 'I just got here for fuck sake!'

"Liam! Mind your manners!" William scolded but was largely ignored.

"I see you recognize me." Dumbledore said mysteriously, his eyes seeming to look through him.

"Of course I do. I've heard enough stories about you to know who you are. I'd offer you a drink but something tells me you're not the type to indulge." Liam said, taking a bite from the apple as he leaned against the wall.

He wasn't particularly worried about Dumbledore's penetrating gaze. One of the gifts from the CYOA was that his mind was protected from mind probers and the sort.

It wouldn't do to have people find out that their lives were written for amusement and entertainment.

"I apologize for his behavior. Please forgive him!" William apologized to the elderly wizard who merely looked amused.

"It's alright. It's quite refreshing, speaking to someone who doesn't hesitate to speak his mind." Dumbledore said, sounding even more amused.

Liam didn't doubt that people more often than not tried to suck up to Dumbledore whenever he was present.

"Can you give us a moment to speak?" Dumbledore asked, William looking conflicted for a moment.

After a moment of consideration, the man left the kitchen. Reaching into his robes, the wizard pulled out his wand, flicking it briefly.

Liam frowned minutely. He felt…something…set around them. 'A silencing charm.'

"Not to worry, it is simply for the sake of privacy. What is interesting however is that you seem to be familiar with the feeling of magic." Dumbledore said, a twinkle in his eyes.

"Well my brother was one of your students so it shouldn't really be a shocker." Liam said with a dry look, taking another bite from the apple.

"That would be true but muggles aren't usually perceptive of magic. If I recall, you were observed to not possess magic, unlike your brother." Dumbledore said patiently.

"Somehow I fail to see your point in all this besides stating the obvious. I doubt you came all the way here just to remind me that I'm a muggle so why don't we get to it?" Liam said, a bit irritably.

They were beating around the bush too much for his liking. He had next to no idea what Dumbledore wanted, a matter he would like to address as soon as possible.

Despite Liam's blunt and borderline rude words, Dumbledore didn't seem offended.

"Very well, I have reason to believe that you are destined for something great." Dumbledore said, matching his bluntness.

"Are you sure you don't have the wrong sibling?" Liam said in a dry tone. "What in the world gave you that idea?"

"Let's call it a hunch. You see, I believe that you are a late bloomer. That's extremely rare in our community, odd even. Which is why I would like to give you this." The elderly wizard said, pulling out an envelope from his robes and handing it to him.

Liam's eyes widened before narrowing as he inspected the envelope. "If this is your idea of a sick joke, I'm not laughing." He said, frowning.

"I assure you, it is no joke." Dumbledore said, somehow looking more serious than he did a moment ago.

Liam frowned at the envelope in his hand which held a Hogwarts' acceptance letter within it, deep in thought.

'What do I do?'