It was a regular Friday, slightly depressingly so. As a habit, I found myself mashing away attack-moves in League as my Jhin announced "Four!".
Then, I died. Heart stopped, breath hitched and all that. I only recalled hitting the keyboard before losing consciousness.
After that, there's only weightlessness. A voice broke.
'If I may, sir, your reincarnation is relatively imminent.'
After a brief pause, in which I did not reply, it continued unfazed.
'Please state the special powers, as well as the fictional universe of your choice. Specific time and location can be arranged to a reasonable limit.'
'What about limitations or side-effects?'
'The powers should not contradict the world's existence, but they need not originate from that world.'
Well, considering most of my ideals lack 'hard' worldbuilding, anything short of omnipotence should be possible.
First things first.
For my new identity, I would want to be a certain boy with green eyes, messy black hair and a lightning-shaped scar etched upon his forehead. Obviously, in the same world of bastardised Latin magic, shape-shifters and a blood war fought by school children...
'I would like to be Harry Potter in, well, the Wizarding World.'
'A great choice sir,' the voice affirmed. 'Have you a specific time in mind?'
'Yes, just before Harry's sent to Hogwarts.'
'Would King's Cross station, platform 9¾ do?'
'That would be alright, I think.'
'Your space-time request has been finalised. As for the powers...?'
'Right. I'd go for eidetic memory, wandless magic and the ability to summon an object of choice from another fictional world.
Oh, instant access to the Harry Potter Wiki wouldn't hurt either.'
Information for each of them appeared in my mind. Simultaneously, my memories came back more clear and organised, coupled with a simple interface for summoning with a cooldown timer.
'Added, sir. The difficulty is now adjusted to: 'intro'. Which is Super Easy, Barley an Inconvenience. Do keep in mind: the world is allowed to inflict 'traumatic character growth' - on your acquaintances and friends, to be exact, so long as they are by your side. Your reincarnation settings are confirmed, transporting in progress...'
'Wait what was that last part?'
'Your reincarnation settings are confirmed, transporting in progress...', the voice repeated unhelpfully.
A blue screen filled my vision, with the infamous loading bar slowly filling up.
'Reincarnation Request
Harry Potter, Wizarding World
Eidetic memory, Wandless magic, Summoning system
Initiating... 20%... 60%... 99%...' and at long last, 'complete'
I felt my existence stuffed into a body, my senses all slowly returning. Greeting me were the rumble of engines in the loud, bustling crowd. In the distance, a dull taxi rumbled away, leaving me between platforms 9 and 10 in its controlled chaos. Brits of all shapes and sizes hurried to and fro, some dragging trolleys while others lugged suitcases or handbags.
All in all, finding the famous 9¾ seemed temporarily impossible.
Which makes it all the more suspicious when someone half-shouted just then and there.
"Alright, Percy, you first."
Following the familiar sound, I spotted a clearly unusual family, all with an uncanny sense of fashion and bright, red hair that could qualify them for a famous scam. The squabbling twins stood next to their nervous younger brother, pushing massive trunks on a trolley. Come to think of it, the Weasleys being poor probably had a lot to do with why those trunks are so big - they must've been unable to afford the lighter, more expensive alternatives.
While my thoughts wander quite rudely, obviously-Molly-Weasley half-shouted.
"Fred and George, you're next," pushing both to move along. They couldn't quip in return and ran through the barrier. The Weasley matriarch then looked around, searching but not finding something - someone - before hurrying after them with her youngest son. She didn't notice me, I realised, since I was only wearing an oversized backpack with a Undetectable Extension charm, no Hedwig cage in sight.
Well, no matter. I approached the invisible barrier where she just passed, careful of non-magicals noticing. A bushy-haired girl with prominent front teeth caught my eye as I neared, her gaze both curious and nervously excited. She seemed fascinated while dipping her finger into the barrier, seeing it half-disappear, so intent on studying this bit of magic to notice myself.
"Hullo. You're going to Hogwarts as well?"
She wheeled around to meet me, a serious expression on her face.
"Are you a wizard too?" Hermione hushed, searching my expression. As I nodded, she beamed and pointed to the barrier.
"This way to platform 9¾, I think. In case you're going through, Professor McGonagall said to run and be careful not to slow down or hesitate, otherwise you'll bounce right back."
She stepped aside, clearly expecting me to be a lab rat of sorts. I shrugged and did just that, feeling a cool curtain as I phased through what seemed to be a solid wall. Good that there's no Dobby to make that wall painfully real, I mused.
I did not have to wait for long - Hermione followed seconds later, looking excited at both the barrier and probably having someone to explain things. She spent a moment admiring the steam-powered train, which must be a sight for its antiquity I suppose, before pulling me along and chattering nonstop about the history of the magical locomotive according to 'Hogwarts: A History'.
While most of the facts would not be incredibly useful, I found her enthusiasm quite infectious, overriding my own nervousness. Though some parts did not match up with what I remembered, I felt Hermione could be a great friend for the upcoming years. It helped that her potential was all but guaranteed - well, it must be destiny, in some ways. And if not - it was a magical world, one where anything can happen.
As we got onto the train and settled into an empty compartment, Hermione suddenly jolted, her cheeks slightly red.
"Oh, sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Hermione Granger, a first-year. And you are...?"
Taking a slight chance, I replied.
"My name's Harry Potter. Nice to meet you too."