Chapter 1: Rebirth in the Fire
Sizzle... Sizzle...
The hot flames licked every inch of his skin, and the red flames burned his torn wounds.
Lynn's eyes were blood-red. He pushed the child in his arms out of the fire with all his strength and half-knelt on the ground, exhausted.
The devouring flames made his skin blacken, and the constant pain left him with no strength to get up.
Lynn's vision gradually blurred, not just from the distorted air under the high temperature but also from his gradually fading consciousness.
His world became dark and empty, and the burning sensation brought by the flames gradually subsided.
After an unknown amount of time, Lynn regained consciousness under a warm light. He opened his eyes and wanted to say something, but he made a baby's tender "goo goo" sound.
I... am I reborn?
Lynn raised his chubby hands, his small eyes filled with doubt.
Suddenly, Lynn was picked up by a pair of wrinkled hands. Before he could see the owner of these hands, he was placed in a crib.
His mother in this life was a beautiful woman with long golden hair and blue eyes. After learning that her child was born safely, she fell asleep peacefully.
Lynn stared at the ceiling, as if unable to accept what was happening in front of him.
After a long time, a feeling of fatigue came over him, and Lynn closed his eyes and fell asleep.
Years passed, just like the turning of the seasons.
In what seemed like the blink of an eye, Lynn had been reborn into this world for eleven years.
1990, England, Rowle Manor.
This was a magnificent medieval manor house. In the center of the manor stood an old castle. However, while the exterior of the castle appeared shabby and aged, the interior decoration was modern and exuded a gorgeous atmosphere.
In the room by the window on the second floor of the castle, Lynn stood in front of a full-length mirror with a gold frame.
In the mirror, a handsome boy with a slightly immature face stared back at him, his dark red eyes betraying a hint of maturity. The boy had black hair, with streaks of dark red intertwined in it.
This dark red hair color, resembling highlights, was a natural feature of Lynn's, not a result of dyeing.
In this world, Lynn's name was Lynn Rowle, one of the sacred twenty-eight pureblood families.
Yes, the world Lynn now inhabited was the magical world of Harry Potter. When he was just born, the owner of those wrinkled hands was a house-elf serving the Rowle family.
At this moment, Lynn finished adjusting his tie and turned his gaze away from the full-length mirror.
Suddenly, a tapping sound came from outside the window.
It was an owl tapping on the window, carrying a letter in its beak.
"Is it finally here?" Lynn's eyes lit up imperceptibly. He quickly opened the window, letting the tawny owl in, and took the letter from its beak.
The envelope was made of heavy parchment, with the address written in emerald green ink.
Mr. Lynn Rowle
Room by the Window on the Second Floor
Rowle Manor
Sure enough, it was the familiar format!
Seeing this detailed address, Lynn's lips curled up slightly.
He turned over the envelope and saw a wax seal and a coat of arms on it. The capital letter "H" was surrounded by a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake.
Lynn, having read the "Harry Potter" books twice in his previous life, was naturally very familiar with the Hogwarts crest.
Although he could almost recite the contents of the letter, Lynn still opened it with a nervous and excited mood.
"HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Mr. Rowle,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress"
After reading the letter, Lynn took out the list of uniforms, books, wand, and other equipment needed for Hogwarts enrollment from the envelope. After writing them down, he put them back into the envelope.
Hu~
Lynn let out a long sigh. Although he had been prepared for today's events, receiving the Hogwarts acceptance letter still felt like waking up from a dream.
Then came the excitement!
What Harry Potter fan hadn't fantasized about receiving a Hogwarts acceptance letter as a child?!
Snap!
Lynn carefully tucked the envelope into his pocket, then raised his hand and snapped his fingers.
Accompanied by a loud crack, a house-elf appeared before him.
The house-elf, wearing a clean pillowcase, bowed to Lynn. "Master, your breakfast is ready! Mistress is already eating downstairs."
"I know," Lynn nodded. He then went downstairs.
In the dining room of the castle stood a large table. The blonde woman eating at the table was Lynn's mother in this life, Rowena Rowle.
Lynn quickly finished his breakfast, put down his utensils, and said, "Mother, I just received an owl post. I'm going to have the house-elf take me to Diagon Alley to buy the books and equipment needed for my Hogwarts enrollment."
Rowena nodded, and said softly, "Be careful!"
Rowena wasn't worried about Lynn encountering danger in Diagon Alley. With a house-elf by his side, even if Lynn went to Knockturn Alley, he likely wouldn't face much danger.
After all, house-elves had magical abilities surpassing those of most wizards; otherwise, Dobby wouldn't have been able to easily overpower Lucius Malfoy after being freed in the original series.
Lynn didn't say much, simply hugging his mother tightly.
Since his rebirth, he had relied on Rowena. Besides the house-elf, she was the only person Lynn could trust in this world.
As for his father, Hendry Rowle, he had once been a Death Eater. However, ten years ago, Hendry was killed by Voldemort with the Killing Curse for concealing something from him.
At that time, Rowena had just become pregnant with Lynn.
If Rowle Manor hadn't been under the Fidelius Charm, and Voldemort had discovered it, both Rowena and the unborn Lynn might have been killed.
Strangely, even Rowena didn't know who the Secret Keeper of the Fidelius Charm protecting Rowle Manor was.
Fortunately, Voldemort fell a year after Lynn was born, relieving Rowena of her constant fear.
After releasing his mother, Lynn grabbed the house-elf's hand.
The house-elf raised its right hand and snapped its fingers. With a loud crack, Lynn and the house-elf disappeared on the spot.
London, Leaky Cauldron.
Lynn and the house-elf appeared at the entrance of the Leaky Cauldron. Lynn looked around with curiosity.
Although Lynn had left Rowle Manor many times in the past eleven years, he had never been to the wizarding world. In order to protect himself, he had stayed in the Muggle world, suppressing his curiosity.
The modern electronic equipment such as refrigerators that could be found everywhere in the castle were the result of his efforts to modernize the castle using Muggle technology.
In terms of daily life, Lynn had to admit that Muggles knew how to enjoy life much more than these conservative wizards.
Lynn's first impression of the Leaky Cauldron was that it was dingy. The lighting inside was dim, and the tables and floors of the pub seemed to be covered with a layer of grime, which made people uncomfortable.
"Seems like a newcomer, young sir. Is this your first time at the Leaky Cauldron?" Old Tom, the landlord of the Leaky Cauldron, was happily wiping a glass with a rag while looking up at Lynn.
He glanced past Lynn and saw the house-elf behind him, and understood.
Seems like a young wizard from a pureblood family.
"Yes, sir. I want to enter Diagon Alley," Lynn replied.
Old Tom nodded, and walked into a small courtyard surrounded by walls, continuing to wipe the dirty glass in his hand.
Lynn followed him, his eyes resting on the dustbin beside the wall.
"Remember, three up and two across," Old Tom said, tapping the brick wall three times with his wand.
The brick he tapped quivered and a small hole appeared. The hole grew wider and wider until an archway large enough for even Hagrid formed in the wall.
On the other side was a cobbled street, Diagon Alley, the most famous wizarding shopping area in Britain.
Lynn crossed through the archway and turned back before it began to shrink. "By the way, why don't you use a Scouring Charm to clean the glass? It would be more efficient," Lynn asked.
Old Tom chuckled as he shook the dirty glass in his hand, "But that takes the fun out of it! Just like you must pass through here to get to Diagon Alley, right?"
As soon as Old Tom finished speaking, the shrinking archway disappeared, turning back into a solid wall.
Seeing this, Lynn laughed softly.
Yes, just like how he could have asked the house-elf to apparate him directly to Diagon Alley, but he wanted to experience the famous entrance through the Leaky Cauldron himself.
Lynn turned to face the bustling alley, the morning sun glinting off the many shops and store windows. Witches and wizards of all ages were going about their shopping, carrying cauldrons, owls, and packages.
It was just as wondrous as he had imagined from reading the books. Lynn felt a surge of exhilaration to finally be here in the heart of the wizarding world. He clutched the supply list tightly in his hand and strode forward, the house-elf scurrying behind him.
(End of chapter)