The world around him was a blur. One moment, Alex was caught in the violent rush of his final moments on Earth, and the next—nothing. No light. No darkness. Just endless silence.
When he awoke, it wasn't to the familiar hum of city noise or the sterile feeling of a hospital room. He blinked, disoriented, his senses slowly coming back into focus. His body felt different. Stronger, somehow—yet softer. Not the body of the young man he had once been, but a different one entirely. His hands were smaller, his skin smoother. His mind, however, was as sharp as ever.
It didn't take long for the memories to flood in.
He wasn't Alex anymore. He was Elias Blackthorn, heir to one of the most powerful and ancient wizarding families in Britain. The family name Blackthorn carried with it centuries of wealth, influence, and power—though it was not without its dark history. Elias had been reborn into this legacy, in a world of magic and wonder. The world of Harry Potter.
He sat up in a grand four-poster bed, the sheets as soft as clouds, their intricate patterns gleaming in the dim light filtering through the thick velvet curtains. The room was massive, with towering bookshelves lining the walls, each shelf filled with rare and ancient tomes. A crackling fire danced in the hearth, adding a soft warmth to the otherwise chilly room. It was a room that spoke of wealth—of nobility.
He swung his legs off the bed, his feet touching the cold, marble floor. The sensation was unfamiliar yet oddly comforting. Elias had always been a practical man in his past life, but here, in this new body, in this new world, the reality was impossible to ignore. He had been reborn into the life of a wizard. Not just any wizard—but the heir to House Blackthorn.
"Elias, are you awake?" a smooth, feminine voice called from the door.
He turned to find his mother standing there, tall and graceful, her dark eyes gleaming with a mix of pride and concern. She was every bit the powerful figure he'd expected. Her name was Seraphina Blackthorn, and she was one of the highest-ranking officials in the International Magical Cooperation division of the Ministry of Magic.
Her presence alone commanded respect, but Elias knew that beneath her elegant demeanor lay a shrewd mind, one that could outmaneuver the most cunning of opponents. A mind that had shaped his future—whether he liked it or not.
"Good morning, Mother," Elias replied, his voice steady despite the storm of emotions swirling inside him. He was still processing the gravity of his situation, but he had always been good at hiding his true feelings.
Seraphina smiled, a thin curve of her lips. "You've slept long enough. Your father will be expecting you downstairs for breakfast." She glanced at the grand clock on the wall. "And you have a meeting with the family council after that. It's time for you to begin your training as the heir."
Elias nodded, trying to mask his surprise. The expectations were already set. As the sole heir to House Blackthorn, it was his duty to uphold the family name and all that came with it. The Blackthorn family was not just wealthy; they were powerful, influential, and deeply involved in the highest echelons of magical politics. Elias could already feel the weight of the legacy pressing down on him.
But Elias had other plans. He didn't want to live according to the rules of a family that had been built on the foundations of control and power. He had lived a life before this one, a life that had been stripped away from him far too soon. Now, reborn in a world where he knew how the story would unfold, Elias had a choice: would he simply follow the path laid out before him, or would he take control of his own fate?
"I'll be down in a moment," Elias said, rising from the bed and walking toward the mirror. He looked at his reflection, at the young man staring back at him. Dark, sharp eyes. A strong jawline. The unmistakable features of the Blackthorn lineage. He had been given a second chance—a chance to change his fate.
He wasn't going to squander it.