The faint morning light struggled through the small basement window, casting a dim glow over the cramped room.
Dylan Hawkwood stared blankly at the envelope on the table, his expression frozen in shock.
Moments ago, he had pushed open the window as usual, hoping that the fresh air would dispel the suffocating atmosphere of the night.
But to his surprise, an owl had swooped in with a rush of wind, flapping its wings wildly and nearly knocking over the candle on his desk before crash-landing on the old wooden table.
Tied securely to its leg was a letter—the very one he was now holding.
At first, Dylan hadn't thought much of it.
He was just about to shoo the owl away when his gaze inadvertently landed on the unique emblem on the envelope.
A crest formed by a proud lion, a soaring eagle, a steadfast badger, and a cunning serpent—all circling a bold letter "H."
Above and below the emblem, two delicate banners bore the words "Hogwarts" and "Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus."
In that instant, his expression stiffened as if struck by a bolt of lightning from deep within his memories.
"Hogwarts??"
A flood of familiar yet foreign elements surged through his mind like an unstoppable tide, breaking the dam of recollection.
Hermione and her two mistakes?
"I'm actually in the world of *Harry Potter*?"
Dylan had always thought he had simply traveled back in time to historical England.
For years, he had waited in vain for some kind of cheat ability to activate.
His parents were just ordinary, low-ranking employees at a company, and his family was dirt poor.
Over the past decade, Dylan had painstakingly let go of his fantasies about a golden cheat system.
His ultimate life goal had become simple: use his knowledge of future technological trends to invest in stocks, secure a comfortable life, and just coast through the years.
But this letter—this cruel, undeniable letter—had just shattered his dream into pieces.
This world was far more dangerous than he had ever imagined. Even if he amassed wealth, it could disappear in an instant!
After all, those damn wizards could just wave a wand and mutter a few words.
Legilimency, the Imperius Curse—
One spell, and his mind wouldn't even be his own anymore.
And that's if they didn't outright kill him.
If he ran into some deranged dark wizard, one flick of an *Avada Kedavra* and—boom! Game over.
At that thought, Dylan's previously relaxed posture straightened abruptly, his body tensing with newfound urgency.
He untied the envelope from the owl's leg, and the bird immediately took off, disappearing into the sky.
"Well, at the very least, I have a chance to learn magic now."
Since he had received an acceptance letter from Hogwarts, that meant he had magical potential. It also meant he had a shot at survival.
Before he even thought about buying stocks, he needed to master some defensive and escape spells first!
Determined, Dylan resolved to study magic diligently at Hogwarts.
His top priority? Mastering every protective spell possible. Defense first—everything else could wait.
Once he was strong enough, he could slip back into the Muggle world and enjoy a carefree life. Now *that* sounded like a plan.
Dylan stared at the envelope for a long moment.
Finally, he reached out, his fingertips trembling slightly as he tore it open and pulled out the parchment inside.
---
**44 Anson Road, Basement**
**To Mr. Dylan Hawkwood**
**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**
**Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore**
*(Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, Order of Merlin, First Class)*
**Dear Mr. Hawkwood,**
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Please find enclosed a list of required books and equipment.
The new term begins on September 1st. We await your owl no later than July 31st.
**Yours sincerely,**
**Minerva McGonagall**
**Deputy Headmistress**
---
Just as Dylan finished reading the last line, a strange interface suddenly appeared before his eyes.
"Huh?"
He froze.
Could this be… the golden cheat system he had been waiting for all these years?!
A rush of excitement surged through him as he eagerly examined the contents.
**"Achievement System?"**
The interface was divided into four sections—Wizard's Hat, Spell Scroll, Magic Wand, and Spellbook.
The Wizard's Hat icon represented his personal information.
---
**[Name]:** Dylan Hawkwood
**[Magic]:** None
**[Items]:** New Student Gift Pack
---
When he clicked it open, there was nothing but his lonely name. His spell list was completely empty—because right now, he was about as magical as a brick.
The only thing in his inventory was the mysterious *New Student Gift Pack*.
The Spell Scroll icon was linked to quests and achievements.
When he opened it, the quest list was blank, but one achievement had already been unlocked—
---
**[Achievement]: First Encounter**
**[Description]: You have been touched by magic! Embrace this world of wizards and Muggles alike.**
**[Unlock Requirement]: Experience your first magical event.**
**[Reward]: Hogwarts New Student Gift Pack.**
---
Curious, Dylan clicked on the Magic Wand icon.
A new screen popped up.
---
**[Name]:** Dylan Hawkwood
**[Masterable Spells]:** None
---
This section appeared to be a tool that would help him refine and master spells.
As for the Spellbook icon… he couldn't open it. Mysterious and cryptic, with no hints or explanations.
"It really is my golden cheat system!" Dylan rubbed his hands together eagerly, his eyes lighting up as he turned to the *New Student Gift Pack* in his inventory.
Clicking it open, a new notification popped up—
---
**[New Student Gift Pack]: Upon opening, you will receive one magical creature and three max-level spells!**
---
"Wait—three max-level spells?!"
Dylan's eyes widened in shock.
This…
Max-level spells? Right off the bat?!
Holy crap!
The excitement was almost too much to handle.
"Although, there are *a lot* of spells… the chances of pulling something like a Patronus Charm are probably pretty low."
Still, with three max-level spells, he wasn't even that concerned about the magical creature anymore. Whatever it was, it saved him a shopping trip.
Heart pounding, Dylan clicked to open the pack.
In an instant, four beams of golden light shot up, piercing through the interface like falling stars!
Dylan's heartbeat skyrocketed.
Three golden stars shifted unpredictably before suddenly shattering into dark mist, swirling like black holes in the sky!
A second later, knowledge flooded into his mind.
He saw countless figures—humans and creatures alike.
And there he stood, wand in hand.
The first spell—
Screams of agony filled the air as people writhed on the ground, wracked with unbearable pain.
The second—
A jet of green light. Bodies collapsed instantly, lifeless.
The third—
Their eyes turned empty, their movements puppet-like.
---
**[Notification]: Congratulations! You have mastered the max-level spell—Crucio!**
**[Notification]: Congratulations! You have mastered the max-level spell—Avada Kedavra!**
**[Notification]: Congratulations! You have mastered the max-level spell—Imperio!**
---
Dylan's vision darkened.
"No way…"
His mind reeled.
"System, are you trying to get me expelled on day one?!"
(End of chapter)