Chapter 01: Luke Gaunt

In a small village in western England, a dense forest lay to the east. The children of the village had always been warned not to approach the forest.

For it was said that a wizard lived there.

This legend had been passed down for hundreds of years and strictly obeyed by everyone. Even the most mischievous of children wouldn't go near the forest.

Because the legend was true...

A snowy white owl glided over the village, which had fallen silent in sleep, its wings cutting through the air with a quiet grace, heading steadily towards the forest.

On a distant hillside, two figures in long robes watched as the owl flew into the forest.

"I thought this family line had died out."

A witch with square-shaped glasses, dark hair tied up in a high bun, and dressed in a deep green robe, spoke with a complex tone.

Beside her, an elderly man with half-moon glasses and silver hair shook his head and said, "So did I, Minerva. Until the Book of Admittance recorded his name."

Professor McGonagall looked over at Dumbledore. "Is this a good thing?"

Dumbledore replied calmly, "No one can say, Minerva, but I think we can look forward to it."

The two fell silent, waiting patiently for what was to come.

Hogwarts, after all, was a school, not a prison. They wouldn't force a child to attend. Should he choose to decline, he was free to do so, though such a thing had never happened before.

Meanwhile, at the edge of the forest, a long, emerald-green snake hung lazily from a small tree until it spotted the approaching owl. Gracefully lowering itself to the ground, it slithered swiftly and elegantly into the depths of the forest.

The owl sensed an unsettling atmosphere as it neared the forest, feeling as if it were flying into the jaws of a giant beast from which it might not return. Yet, feeling the weight of the letter it carried in its beak, it took a deep breath and dived into the forest.

To its surprise, the forest wasn't as terrifying as it had expected. There was a sense of being watched, but it didn't feel an imminent sense of danger.

With a bit of relief, the owl gathered its courage and flew toward a warm light deep in the forest.

After the owl disappeared into the trees, rustling sounds rose from the forest floor. One by one, snakes emerged from the dead leaves and branches, watching the owl's retreating figure and silently slithering toward the heart of the woods.

The owl flew swiftly, feeling tense under the eerie gaze. It had delivered letters for years, but this was a new experience. So it instinctively quickened its pace.

Soon, it arrived at the forest's center, finding a small clearing where a simple yet elegant wooden cabin stood alone. The cabin looked quaint but well-maintained, with a warm, yellow light spilling from its window. If a noble in a courtly suit had emerged from its doors, it wouldn't have felt out of place. The walls bore an 'S'-shaped snake emblem.

The owl circled above, looking for a mailbox but, finding none, decided to land near the window instead.

As it prepared to descend, the door opened.

A young boy in silk pajamas stepped out, gazing up at the owl and beckoning it with a wave.

The owl obediently landed on the wooden railing in front of him, nudging the letter forward in its beak. The boy took the letter and patted its head, then snapped his fingers.

In the distance, a faint squeak sounded, and a rat floated over from the forest, squealing in panic. The owl perked up, its eyes shining as it eagerly flew towards the rodent.

In the past, some polite half-blood wizards had occasionally offered it treats while delivering letters, but they tended to give it nuts...

'Owls don't eat nuts! What's wrong with you guys?'

In that instant, the owl felt an overwhelming fondness for this unknown little wizard.

The young wizard smiled, listening to the owl's joyful sounds as he opened the letter he'd been eagerly awaiting.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore (Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, Order of Merlin, First Class)

Dear Mr. Gaunt,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Enclosed is a list of necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1st. We await your owl no later than July 31st.

Deputy Headmistress

Minerva McGonagall

Uniforms

First-year students will require:

1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)

2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

4. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)

Please note: All students' clothing must be labeled with their names.

[Books]

All students must prepare the following books:

"The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1" by Miranda Goshawk; "A History of Magic" by Bathilda Bagshot... "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" by Newt Scamander; "The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection" by Quentin Trimble

[Other Equipment]

1 wand; 1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2); 1 set of glass or crystal phials; 1 telescope; 1 set of brass scales.

Students may also bring an Owl or a Cat or a Toad.

Parents are reminded that first-years are not allowed their own broomsticks.

Looking at the letter in his hand, Luke Gaunt finally let out a sigh of relief.

Since he arrived in this world five years ago, he had been eagerly awaiting this letter, and now, his patience had been rewarded.

[Ding Dong!]

[Obtained Task Item: "Hogwarts Acceptance Letter" x1. Main Quest: "Pureblood Glory" has begun.]

[Received: Starter Gift Pack (automatically stored in inventory); Transfiguration Talent +1]

[Main Quest: Pureblood Glory (Restore the glory of the pureblood lineage—our duty cannot be shirked!)

- Task Requirements: Become the leader of pureblood families and bring honor to the purebloods once more!

- Task Reward: Unknown (Visible at 50% task completion)

- Task Progress: 0%]

As the system finally revived after four years and two months of inactivity, Luke breathed another sigh of relief. Back then, although he was a wizard, he had been only a six-year-old child. Without the initial guidance from the system, he likely wouldn't have survived.

The system had guided him through those confusing early days, and he felt deeply grateful for it.

Ignoring the owl that was happily devouring its meal, he turned and went into the house. Sitting at the desk, he picked up a quill and, on a piece of fine parchment, elegantly wrote:

"Dear Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall,

Thank you for your invitation. I am very much looking forward to becoming a student at Britain's finest school of magic. However, as I have no adult wizard by my side, I hope the school can send a teacher to assist me with preparations for enrollment.

Sincerely,

Luke Gaunt

July 30, 1991"

After finishing the letter, he retrieved a green-enveloped letter with a snake emblem from another table, sealing it with a wax stamp bearing an intricate serpent insignia.

Luke waited for a moment with the letter in hand, then stood up and went outside.

At this moment, the owl had just finished its meal and, seeing that the young wizard had come back out, hooted in delight.

Luke patted its head with a smile. "Thank you for your hard work," he said, passing it the letter.

The owl took the letter in its beak, nodded to Luke, and flew off in the direction it had come from.

Luke watched the owl disappear into the woods, his smile gradually fading. A long, emerald-green snake slithered out from the shadows of the small house and crawled up onto his shoulder.

It flicked its tongue, as if speaking to him.

Luke nodded, saying, "So, Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall are both on their way here. It seems this 'Gaunt' name isn't just a label."

The thought gave him a slight headache. Honestly, he hadn't been a die-hard fan of the "Harry Potter" series in his previous life. He'd only skimmed the movies, so he knew little about the Gaunt family—a family with a small role in the original story.

But Dumbledore had already verified his identity more than once, so his bloodline was beyond question. With Dumbledore's endorsement, gaining entry into pureblood circles would be much easier.

After all, if you're not a pureblood yourself, how could you hope to represent and lead a pureblood family?

Isn't that right, Tom "No-Nose" Riddle?

With this thought, Luke returned inside and shut the door. He still had some things he needed to confirm.

--

Meanwhile, Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall had just spotted the owl flying out of the forest.

The owl, recognizing its recipient, flew directly toward Professor McGonagall.

With a flick of her finger, McGonagall transformed a nearby stone into an inverted "L"-shaped perch for the owl. The owl landed on it and handed over the letter in its beak.

Professor McGonagall took the letter, immediately noticing the striking, green-glowing emblem on it.

"It's the Gaunt family crest, no doubt," Dumbledore remarked. He had confirmed that the boy's bloodline was indeed Gaunt, but he hadn't expected the family emblem to be in his possession.

It now seemed likely that the Gaunts in Little Hangleton—Voldemort's mother's side—were merely a visible branch of the family. This child, however, was an heir with access to the family's heritage, the true heir.

Such arrangements weren't unusual among powerful families, although they had faded as pureblood families dwindled.

McGonagall, having finished reading the letter, smiled, feeling a rare sense of satisfaction. The handwriting was beautiful, evoking the impression of a refined young person.

"Dumbledore, Luke says he has no adult wizards nearby and requires guidance."

Professor McGonagall seemed puzzled as she spoke. Was this Gaunt child an orphan?

Dumbledore merely nodded. "You can arrange it, Minerva. I need to keep an eye on Privet Drive for a while."

Hearing "Privet Drive," McGonagall's expression grew serious.

"Still no response from Harry's family?"

"None," Dumbledore replied. "It seems they're quite stubborn."

"Would you like me to go check on him?" she asked, also deeply concerned about Harry, the Boy Who Lived.

Dumbledore shook his head. "No need. I've already sent Hagrid."

McGonagall nodded. Sending Hagrid was indeed a good choice; the Dursleys needed intimidation, not persuasion.

After another glance at Luke's letter, she turned to Dumbledore. "Then I'll guide this child myself."

Dumbledore looked at her in mild surprise. "I thought you'd assign Severus."

Given the boy's likely house placement, it seemed almost a given.

McGonagall hesitated for a moment, weighing her options, then nodded resolutely. "I'll go myself."

She looked at the letter. "He could be a wonderful child."

Dumbledore nodded, his expression gentle yet unreadable.

--

Meanwhile, unaware that his mentor had already been decided, Luke was examining his profile and preparing to open his starter gift pack.

[Host: Luke Gaunt]

- Age: 11

- Magic Level: Beginner Wizard

Talents:

- Dark Arts Affinity: 9 (Azkaban, here we come)

- Transfiguration Talent: 7 (Prodigy)

- Charms Talent: 7 (Future walking encyclopedia)

- Potions Talent: 3 (Frequently mistaken for a Troll)

- Herbology Talent: 4 (Trust me, stay far away from the greenhouse)

- Magical Creature Affinity: 9 (Humans can't, or at least shouldn't)

Skills:

- Parseltongue: MAX

- Cruciatus Curse: Level 2 (5/100)

- Killing Curse: Level 1 (1/10)

- Imperius Curse: Level 0 (0/1)

- Summoning Charm: Level 2 (53/100)

- Memory Charm: Level 3 (1/1000)

- Incendio: Level 2 (10/100)

- Aguamenti: Level 2 (10/100)

Inventory:

- Starter Gift Pack x1

- Slytherin's Wand (Snakewood, Basilisk Horn) 

Luke selected to open the starter pack. Golden light flashed, and he smiled with delight. The last time he'd seen this golden glow was when he'd opened the "Guidance Gift Pack" and received the "Azkaban Trio" and the legendary "Slytherin's Wand."

What could this golden light reveal this time?