"Abel, it's Friday. We're having a party tonight, so you should come with us."
"Sorry, I'm going to the restaurant where my mom works today. I don't have time. If I'm free next week, I'll join."
"Abel, this is the third time you've turned me down. If you say no again next time, I'll be seriously hurt. Remember—next week, no more excuses."
"Okay, I'll remember. I won't refuse next time."
"Good. See you next week, then."
"See you next week."
They exchanged nods, and Abel slung his backpack over his shoulder, ready to leave.
As he stepped out of the classroom, a mixed-race teenager rushed over, throwing an arm around Abel's neck. With a grin, he asked, "Abel, I saw Rebecca talking to you just now. What was that about?"
"She invited me to the party, but I said no."
"You turned her down again?" Sean's eyes widened in disbelief. "Abel, my brother, that's the third time you've rejected her! Three times!"
Abel nodded helplessly. "Yeah, three times. I can't say no again next time."
Sean laughed, shaking his head. "Man, if it weren't for you throwing the quarterback who hit on you last week across the classroom, I'd think you don't like girls. But Rebecca's the most beautiful girl at school, and you're not into her? I just don't get what you're looking for."
Abel chuckled, looking at Sean. "Sean, it's not just about looks. It's about a connection, that feeling. Even if a girl is really ordinary, if you have that spark, she's a treasure. If you don't, even a Victoria's Secret model would just be a stranger."
Sean blinked, clearly puzzled.
After a slight cough, Sean whispered, "I mean, you're right... but I'd still prefer the Victoria's Secret model."
Abel laughed. "To each their own." Mounting his bike, he waved. "Alright, I'm off. See you on Monday."
"See you on Monday!"
Riding away from school, Abel headed straight for the restaurant where his mother, Terea, worked.
The restaurant was in the heart of downtown, an oasis of calm amidst the bustling city. Its fresh, natural decor made it a place Abel genuinely liked.
He parked his bicycle in the designated space outside, then slung his backpack over his shoulder as he approached the familiar guard at the entrance. He greeted him, but to Abel's surprise, the guard didn't respond. Instead, the man stood staring straight ahead.
That's odd... is he in a bad mood? Abel thought.
Although he found it strange, Abel didn't dwell on it. He was just an acquaintance with the guard, not a friend. If the guard didn't want to engage, Abel saw no need to take it personally.
He raised his foot to enter the restaurant, but before he could step inside, the guard suddenly extended his arm to block Abel's path.
"The restaurant is booked for a private event. No one else is allowed to enter."
Abel immediately felt something was off. This was a Michelin three-star restaurant; the prices were high, and the clientele was wealthy or at least upper-middle class. A full private booking? That didn't seem likely. More than that, the guard's behavior was completely unlike his usual self. The sentence he had just spoken sounded mechanical, devoid of any emotion.
Abel glanced at the guard, and an old memory from his previous life came rushing back—the Imperius Curse, one of the Unforgivable Curses.
Was this man being controlled?
Could there be someone here with the power to do that?
A name flickered in Abel's mind, and dread quickly followed. If his suspicions were right, his mother, Terea, was in serious danger.
Suppressing his instinct to rush in blindly, Abel turned and walked away from the restaurant's front entrance. He quickly circled around the building, heading for the back door.
The guard, under his controller's command, had only been ordered to prevent people from entering. Abel's departure didn't trigger any other reaction.
When he reached the back door, he saw it was unattended, just as he had hoped. Typically, this door was used to dispose of garbage, and unless you worked at the restaurant, you wouldn't even know it existed. It was the perfect opportunity.
He tried the handle and sighed in frustration when he found it locked. Determined, Abel pointed his right index finger at the door lock.
Now that his magic had returned to roughly the level of an eleven- or twelve-year-old wizard from his past life, he could at least manage basic spells. The magical rules of this world were different from the Harry Potter universe, causing slight variations in how his magic manifested.
For instance, the Levitation Charm here not only allowed objects to float but also gave him limited control over their movement.
Now, Abel was about to use an unlocking spell—Alohomora. As long as there was a physical lock, whether it was a standard key lock, an electronic lock, or even a safe lock, the spell could unlock it. However, it was useless against non-physical barriers, like digital passwords or online accounts.
Focusing his magic, Abel whispered, "Alohomora."
Click.
The lock disengaged.
Abel quietly opened the door and slipped inside, making sure to close it softly behind him. He moved quickly past the garbage bins in the corridor and entered the pristine back kitchen.
The sounds of cooking echoed around him.
In the middle of the large kitchen, Abel spotted his mother, Terea. As the head chef of a Michelin three-star restaurant, she was naturally the one in charge here.
Abel hurried over. "Mom, are you okay?"
Terea slowly turned to face him, her expression distant and sluggish. "Abel, I'm... I need to cook..."
Seeing her like this, Abel gritted his teeth. Without hesitation, he pressed his hand to her neck, cutting off the blood flow to her brain. It wasn't ideal, and it would cause her to faint, but it was better than leaving her under someone else's control, where she could be forced to do something dangerous.