Chapter 3

Harry's POV

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The Great Hall was deserted now; the candles had burned low, giving the jagged smiles of the pumpkins an eerie, flickering quality.

"So," said Cedric, with a slight smile. "We're playing against each other again!"

"Yeah, I suppose," I replied. "Though, this isn't exactly how I would've chosen to compete."

"What do you mean?" Cedric asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Fame, glory, and some galleons aren't worth it if it means putting myself in danger," I replied with a shrug.

"I've already got more fame and glory than I need, and I'm not exactly short on money either. This tournament doesn't really offer me anything other than danger."

I shook my head. "Honestly, I'm probably the last person in this school who has anything to gain from this."

"Although," I added , "I don't think anyone's going to believe I didn't put my name in that goblet."

"No, I believe you Harry" Cedric replied to me. "I had some doubt before but after listening to you, I believe that you are telling the truth."

I didn't remember if Cedric had believed Harry at the beginning in the books or not but I suppose I was better able to convey what original Harry couldn't.

"Huh, that's surprising," I said. "I honestly thought that even if I gave well-founded reasons, people would just ignore me."

"I am glad that you believe me Cedric." I replied with surprise evident in my voice.

"I think people will believe you. The ones who know you, at least. You've been through too much already for anyone to think you'd pull something like this for the glory," Cedric said. "They might be skeptical at first, but they'll come around."

"Maybe," I replied with a shrug.

"Well , see you, later Harry." Cedric replied to me as he went towards his room.

Instead of going up the marble staircase, Cedric headed for a door to its right. I stood listening to him going down the stone steps and beyond it, then, slowly, I started to climb the marble

ones. 

As I headed to my dorm, I couldn't help but think about how I had ended up here.

I had been so busy before, caught up in everything going on, that I hadn't really had time to think about it.

I had full memories of Harry's life, but I didn't have complete memories of my previous life.

I knew the plot of Harry Potter and even remembered reading some fan-fictions about it.

Along with that, I had knowledge of many other irrelevant things. But the truly important things were missing.

I couldn't remember anything about my personal life—like my parents, my friends, or how my life had been before. I also didn't know how I had ended up here.

I knew that this situation was unique, though I wasn't entirely clueless about it.

I remembered reading stories in my previous life where the main character would give up some of their memories in exchange for a chance to live in another world—or maybe to gain some power in that world.

Perhaps I had done something similar. Maybe I'd traded my memories for some power in this world or maybe to travel in this world.

Because, all things considered, Harry Potter wasn't the most dangerous of worlds out there—well, not unless you happened to be Harry Potter. And, surprise, surprise, I was him now.

At least it wasn't Berserk or some other messed-up, nightmare world where everyone gets tortured just for fun. (Now that would've been a disaster.)

That thought was the only thing I could hold on to. There was no way to change what had happened, no way to retrieve what I had lost. This was my reality now, and all I could do was survive in it.

'System' I thought to myself as I walked.

. . .

No response...

I couldn't help myself. I had to try at least once.

But it seems that I was not really that lucky, a system would have made my life so easy.

'Status'

' points '

' stats'

'inventory'

As I thought the last word I could feel something extra in my pockets.

My heart couldn't help but start beating faster.

I checked my surroundings more closely. I was close to the common room just next to the staircase. Surprisingly, there wasn't a single portrait around.

I quickly shoved my hands in my pockets and nervously pulled out... something.

It was a potion bottle with a dark liquid swirling inside. As I looked at it, I just knew what it was.

It was one of the essences from the Meta CYOA I had read about.

I just didn't know which one it was. I mean, what are the odds it's the one that gives you a pet dragon? Not that I would mind. Depending upon the dragon it could be pretty good?

I uncorked the bottle and downed the essence in a single gulp. Honestly, it didn't matter which one it was. What mattered was that it was an essence. And let's be real: most essences are ridiculously overpowered.

As the liquid went down my throat. I knew which essence I had drank. It was a pretty powerful one if I was being honest with himself.

It was the essence of Archmage and he could remember everything about it clearly, almost as if the essence itself was telling me its abilities directly to my mind.

By consuming the essence of the Archmage you gain several boons:

. genius level intellect.

. Capacity to learn any 'magic' even unique ones upon seeing it once or understanding enough about it.

. Possess a supernatural reactor that can adapt to any supernatural energy to fuel spells, enchantments, powers.

. You become capable of casting any spell not requiring any extra element like a focus or materials. The time required to cast if any remains however.

I could feel the essence quietly changing my body. It only took a few seconds for it to fully settle in, and I couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of it all.

Here I was, stressing over how I was going to survive in this world... and now I had the potential to become the greatest mage this world had ever seen.

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[ A/N If you want to read more advanced chapters of this fanfic, you can do so on Patreon. Link below.]

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Creation is hard, cheer me up!