GRAVEYARD

"Let's go. We should inform Lucius Malfoy of today's events." The old man said. As he was about to open the door, a piercing pain shot through his chest and he fell to his knees, dead. Ryan used his spell to transfer his soul to that man's body. Now Ryan possessed the body of that old man.

He looked back at the woman's dead body, lying on the floor. He checked her body and found a pouch of gold coins, a pouch filled with potions, and her wand. Then, he checked his newly possessed body and found the same things, plus a pocket watch and a couple of letters. He opened them one by one and read them.

"Hmm... Interesting..." Ryan smiled as he tucked them back into the pocket of his robe. He was about to exit the room when someone knocked on the door, "Mr. Goyle? Mr. Goyle! Are you done with today's business? Shall I send your lunch to your room?"

Ryan quickly adjusted his robe, combed his hair, and straightened his tie. 'So, this guy is from the Goyle family. Well, let's find out some more information about where I am and the date.' 

"I'll be down in a minute. Pack my lunch and add some nice butterbeer too," Ryan spoke in a calm and composed manner, trying to mimic that old man's voice.

"Yes, sir!" He heard someone walking away from the door and he walked downstairs following behind that person after turning the woman's body to dust. 

'Food!' Ryan whispered in his head. 'How long has it been since I've eaten something good?' As he descended the stairs, he found a lot of people sitting around tables eating their lunch, and talking. Ryan sat at an empty table while a young girl brought him a bottle of butterbeer and a plate full of food. He glanced at the meat platter as his mouth began to water. If he was alone, he would have jumped down on that platter like a hungry dog, but right now, he has an image to maintain to avoid unnecessary attention. So he calmly ate his food and drank the butterbeer.

'Fucking hell!! This is freaking tasty!' Ryan savored every bite of that meat, then he grabbed the wooden glass filled with butterbeer and gulped everything in one go. 'This is butterbeer!' He licked his lips and ordered another glass.

As Ryan sat there enjoying his meal, he heard people discussing random topics such as Quidditch, the minister of magic, etc. But none of those things interested him except one. 

Two scruffy-looking men were whispering in the corner of the inn, "You sure you heard it right? The Order of the Phoenix is real?" One of them asked in a low tone, making sure that no one heard them. Ryan focused his attention on them immediately.

The other guy nodded his head and whispered back, "Yeah! I heard it from the minister's secretary. They are preparing for a war with the Dark Lord. God knows how long we are going to suffer until the Order defeats you know whom!"

Ryan choked on his food as soon as he heard the name Voldemort. "Fuck!!" He cursed internally as he coughed violently. Luckily, no one paid him any attention, busy with their own things. After a while, Ryan calmed himself and ordered another glass of butterbeer as he listened carefully to those guys' conversation.

"Haaa..." One of them sighed while shaking his head, "After 25 years of peace, another fuckhead came and ruined everything again. Can't wizards live in peace for a fucking hundred years? Is that too much to ask for?"

Ryan snorted hearing that guy's stupid question. 'Wizards? Live in peace? Hah! Keep dreaming, buddy.' He rolled his eyes thinking about those idiots. After finishing his meal, Ryan asked for the check, "How much?"

The young girl replied in a cheerful tone, "Three sickles and two knuts, sir!"

Ryan took out two gold coins, "Pack another meal and keep the change." He placed two gold coins on the table and left the inn after receiving the packed food.

'Today is October 31 st, 1971.' Ryan read the date written on one of the letters he found in that old man's pocket. 'Fuck! I'm too far in the past. It's freaking First Wizarding War!' Ryan sighed as he looked around the street. Although it was busy, there was tension hung thick in the air, and everyone seemed scared as if Voldemort was lurking in every corner waiting for a chance to strike. Ryan smirked seeing the terrified expressions of these people.

As he walked through the streets, he noticed that most of the shops were closed, and only a few remained open. Those shops mostly sold potion ingredients or healing potions and salves. Ryan continued walking through the street. He saw wizards and witches flying above the streets on broomsticks, delivering news and packages or maybe going their own ways.

After wandering around for a few hours, Ryan found an empty bench near a park. He sat down and tried to recover his memories. According to the memories he could recover from his current body, he learned that he works for Lucius Malfoy as an assistant, but has a deep connection with the Minestry. His name is Eric Goyle. Today he visited Azkaban to supervise the execution of a Death Eater named Ryan Lance. And, he was currently staying in Ottery St Catchpole, England. As for that woman who he killed, her name was Laura Smith. She was working under Lucius Malfoy as well. 

Ryan closed his eyes as he rested his head on the bench. Countless thoughts assaulted his brain as he cursed the bad luck that followed him from his past life to this one and was still messing with him. He wanted to be reborn in the era of Harry Potter, but instead, he ended up in 1971 during the First Wizarding War, which means Voldemort is alive and kicking, and killing all kinds of muggles and muggle-borns.

'Should I just stay low and master my power till this is over?' A thought flashed through Ryan's mind, but he shook his head rejecting that idea immediately. 'No way! That will take too much time.' He didn't want to wait that long. With his knowledge of the Harry Potter world, he could easily become rich and powerful within a short period of time. On the other hand, he could become the hero if he kills Voldemort before Harry Potter is born.

Ryan pondered for a while before deciding what he should do next. He stood up from the bench and walked towards a nearby shop and bought two Mokeskin pouches. They weren't cheap, but he got the money. Then he went toward a small alley. Once he was inside the alley, he made sure that no one was looking before taking out his wand. He used Goyle's memories and apparated into his mansion. There, he quickly searched and took as many gold coins and potions as he could and put them inside his Mokeskin pouch. Then he apparated to the nearest graveyard.

Right now, he has enough resources. But walking in a Goyle's body might not be a good idea. With the war and shit going on, there might be people after his life and it would be a hassle if he were to meet someone Goyle knows.

He walked toward the small house beside the graveyard and noticed the gravekeeper sweeping the front yard. Ryan approached that middle-aged man and asked politely, "Sir, do you wish to earn ten gold coins?"

That man stopped sweeping and looked at Ryan weirdly before asking in confusion, "Gold coins?"

Ryan took out ten gold Galleons from his pouch and showed it to that man, "Would you accept?"

That man dropped the broom as he rushed toward Ryan, "Of course, I'd accept! What do I need to do? Kill someone? Burn down a village?" For a small timer, that many gold coins were like a treasure trove. His wife would finally let him inside the house and who knows? If he gets lucky, she might just forgive his past mistakes and he'll finally get to sleep in bed with her.

Ryan chuckled hearing that grave keeper's words, "No! Nothing of that sort. Just need a fresh new unknown body with no name or affiliations with anyone. Completely unidentified! Can you find it?"

That man scratched his chin as he thought for a while before replying, "Well... There are a lot of bodies buried here, so I guess I can arrange something."

"I said fresh. Check the bookings or whatever records you have regarding burial dates and find me one that died recently. Not more than two days. Understood?" Ryan instructed clearly as he tossed the pouch full of gold coins toward that man.

The grave keeper caught the pouch, held it tightly close to his chest, and replied, "Fresh body with no records or connections! Got it! Leave it to me!" Ryan nodded his head and waited patiently outside that house while that gravekeeper took out his notebook and began to search for fresh bodies. About half an hour later, that man came out of the house holding a parchment with details of freshly buried bodies. Ryan checked the list and found an unidentified body buried yesterday morning.

A 25-year-old unidentified male wizard died in Diagon Alley. Cause of death - Chocked on food. Ryan read that parchment carefully before nodding his head in satisfaction. "Perfect!" He turned toward the grave keeper and pointed toward the entry mentioned in that list, "Dig this one up. Hurry!"

That man nodded his head before rushing toward the cemetery with Ryan following closely behind him. That grave keeper took out his wand and dug up that particular grave. As they reached closer to the casket, Ryan's heart began to beat faster. 'Finally, I get to possess a new body!!' He couldn't wait to get rid of that old man's body. Finally, after digging for nearly an hour, they pulled out that casket from the ground, and Ryan ordered the grave keeper to open it.

Ryan glanced inside the casket as his face distorted in disgust. "Ughh!! Fucking hell! Why is this guy naked?!" The gravekeeper snickered hearing Ryan's words.

"Well, I might have sold his clothes..." That grave keeper replied sheepishly. Ryan glared at that man causing him to flinch involuntarily.

"And he is fucking fat. Don't you have a better one? Uuggghh!!" Ryan complained. He really hoped to possess a healthy, strong body. But that grave keeper shrugged his shoulders as he replied helplessly, "Sorry, sir! You told me fresh and unidentified with no records. This is the freshest one I found with no records."

***

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Next, Ch: 8: New Body

Ch: 9: Madam Puddifoot's tea shop

Ch: 10: Spell testing