The True Pure-blood

This was a small village in western Britain. To the east of the village lay a vast forest. The village children had been warned from an early age never to approach it.

Because legend said that wizards lived in that forest.

This legend had circulated through the village for centuries, and everyone obeyed it strictly. Even the most mischievous children would not go near the forest.

Because the legend was true...

A snow-white owl swept over the village, already deep in sleep. Silently beating its wings, it flew steadily and slowly toward the forest.

On a distant hillside, two robed figures watched the owl enter the woods.

"I thought this family line had died out."

A witch wearing square glasses, with curly black hair pinned into a high bun and dressed in deep green robes, spoke with a particularly complicated tone.

Beside her, the white-haired old man wearing half-moon glasses shook his head. "Yes, Minerva. That was what I thought at first as well. Until his name appeared in the Book of Admittance."

Professor McGonagall looked at Dumbledore beside her. "Is this a good thing?"

Dumbledore said calmly, "No one knows, Minerva. But I think we can look forward to it."

After that, neither of them spoke. They quietly waited for the other party's decision.

Hogwarts was a school, not a prison. They would not force anyone to enroll, and naturally, the boy could refuse. Though such a thing had never happened before.

On a small tree at the edge of the forest, a long emerald-green snake hung lazily from a branch. Only when the owl entered its senses did it gracefully lower itself to the ground, then slipped deep into the woods with elegant movements and swift speed.

As it neared the forest, the owl sensed a very bad atmosphere. It felt as though the woods were a gaping, blood-soaked maw, one it would never escape if it entered. Yet feeling the weight of the Letter in its beak, it courageously dove into the forest.

The forest was not as terrifying as it had expected. That was the owl's first impression. Though it could still feel watched, it no longer had that dreadful sense that it might lose its life at any moment.

The owl breathed a sigh of relief inwardly. Gathering its courage, it flew straight toward the dim yellow glow deep in the forest.

After the owl left, rustling sounds continuously rose from the ground. One snake after another emerged from among the dead leaves and fallen branches. Together, they stared at the owl's retreating figure and slithered toward the center of the forest.

The owl flew quickly, and the faint yet persistent feeling of being watched made it extremely nervous. It had delivered Letters for years, but it had never experienced anything like this. Unconsciously, it accelerated.

Before long, it arrived at the center of the forest. There was a clearing there, with only a simple yet far from crude wooden house standing within it. The house had an ancient, elegant design and was clean and tidy throughout. The light spilling from its windows was dim and yellow, but warm. If a Noble wearing court dress had stepped out through the tightly shut door the next moment, it would not have seemed out of place at all. An S-shaped snake pattern adorned the walls.

The owl circled above the cabin once but failed to spot a mailbox. It therefore prepared to land by the window.

Just as it was about to land, the door opened.

A little boy wearing silk pajamas walked out. He looked up at the owl and beckoned to it.

The owl obediently landed on the wooden railing before the boy and nudged the Letter in its beak forward. The boy accepted it, reached out with his other hand to stroke its head, then snapped his fingers.

Panicked squeaking came from the distance. A rat floated out of the woods, letting out a shrill wail. The owl's eyes immediately lit up at the sight, and it flapped its wings as it rushed toward it.

When it delivered Letters to Young Wizards in the past, some polite half-blood Young Wizards would give it something to eat. But Merlin knew why Young Wizards always liked feeding it nuts...

Owls did not eat nuts. You were the one who ate nuts!

At that moment, the owl was instantly filled with goodwill toward this unknown Young Wizard.

Listening to the owl's delighted cries, the Young Wizard smiled elegantly. He then opened the envelope and took out the Letter he had been awaiting for so long.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore (President of the International Confederation of Wizards, Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot)

Dear Mr. Gaunt:

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Enclosed is a list of the required books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1st. We await your Owl-borne reply by July 31st.

Deputy Headmistress

Minerva McGonagall

[Uniform]

First-year students will require:

1. Three sets of plain work robes (black) 2. One plain pointed hat for daytime wear (black) 3. One pair of protective Gloves (Dragonhide or similar material) 4. One winter cloak (black, silver clasps)

Please note: all student clothing must bear name tags.

[Books]

All students should have a copy of the following:

Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1, by Miranda Goshawk; A History of Magic, by Bathilda Bagshot... Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, by Newt Scamander; Dark Arts Defence: Basics for Beginners, by Quentin Trimble

[Other Equipment]

One Wand; one cauldron (pewter, standard size 2); one set of glass or crystal phials; one telescope; one set of brass scales

Students may bring an Owl or a cat or a toad.

Parents are reminded that

First-years are not allowed to bring their own broomsticks.

Looking at the Letter in his hand, Luke Gaunt finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Ever since he had come to this world five years ago, he had been waiting for this Letter. Now, his wait had finally been rewarded.

[Ding.]

[Obtained quest item "Hogwarts Letter of Acceptance" ×1. Main quest "Pure-blood Glory" unlocked.]

[Obtained Enrollment Gift Pack (automatically stored in Inventory); Transfiguration Talent +1.]

[Main Quest: Pure-blood Glory (Restoring pure-blood glory is the duty of our generation!)

Quest Requirement: Become the leader of the Pure-blood Families and restore their glory!

Quest Reward: Unknown (visible upon reaching 50% quest completion)

Quest Progress: 0%]

Seeing that the system, which had been silent for four years and two months, had finally revived, Luke also breathed a sigh of relief. Back then, though he had been a Wizard, he had ultimately been only a six-year-old child. Without the system's initial guidance, he probably would not have survived at all.

The system had guided Luke through that first confused and helpless period, and he was filled with gratitude toward it.

He ignored the owl, which was currently feasting heartily, turned around, walked into the house, leaned over the table, and picked up a Quill. In elegant handwriting, he wrote on a piece of exquisite Parchment:

"Dear Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall:

Thank you both for your invitation. I very much hope and am willing to become a student at Britain's finest school of magic. However, before enrollment, as there are no other adult Wizards by my side, I hope the school can send a teacher to assist me.

Yours sincerely,

Luke Gaunt

July 30th, 1991"

After quickly finishing his reply, he took an envelope from another table, its edges decorated with a green snake pattern. He placed the Letter inside, then sealed the opening with a Wax Seal and Wax Beads. When the seal was lifted away, an exquisite and imposing dark-green Snake Emblem was revealed.

Luke held the Letter and waited a little longer before finally getting up and going outside.

By then, the owl had just finished eating the rat and was happily flapping its wings. Seeing the kind Young Wizard who had fed it come outside, it enthusiastically hooted twice.

Luke stroked its head and said with a smile, "You've worked hard." Then he handed over the Letter in his hand.

The owl took the Letter in its beak. After nodding at Luke, it flapped its wings and flew back in the direction it had come from.

Luke watched the owl leave the forest, and the smile on his face gradually faded. A long emerald-green snake emerged from the shadows beside the cabin, then climbed up Luke's trouser leg and onto his shoulder.

It flicked its tongue, as if telling Luke something.

Luke nodded. "Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall both came here? Looks like the Gaunt surname of this body isn't fake."

Thinking of that, Luke could not help feeling a headache coming on. Honestly, he had not been a diehard fan of the Harry Potter series in his previous life. His knowledge of the whole story was limited to having roughly watched the films once. Naturally, he knew little about the Gaunt Family, which had barely appeared in the original story.

But Dumbledore definitely had not verified his identity for the first time today. There was no need to doubt his bloodline. And with Dumbledore's endorsement, entering the circle of Pure-blood Families would become much easier.

After all, if you were not even pure-blood, what gave you the right to believe you could represent the Pure-blood Families and lead them?

Right, Tom No-Nose Riddle?

With that thought, Luke returned to the house and shut the door. There was still some information he needed to confirm.

Meanwhile, Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall had already spotted the owl flying out of the forest.

The owl naturally saw them from afar as well. Though it found it strange that the two professors were here, Professor McGonagall was the recipient of the Letter it carried, so it naturally flew toward her.

Professor McGonagall lightly moved a finger, and a stone on the ground transformed into an upside-down L-shaped wooden perch. The owl landed on it and handed the Letter from its beak to Professor McGonagall.

Professor McGonagall accepted the Letter, and the first thing she saw was the conspicuous Crest gleaming with green light.

"It is indeed the Crest of the Gaunt Family," Dumbledore said after a single glance. Though he had confirmed that the child's bloodline truly belonged to the Gaunt Family, he had not expected the Gaunt Family's Crest to be in his possession as well.

It now appeared that the Gaunt Family in Little Hangleton—the Gaunt Family Voldemort's Mom had come from—was merely a decoy placed in the open. This child was the hidden heir carrying the family head's inheritance.

This was not particularly unusual among great families. However, Pure-blood Families were now scarce in number, so such arrangements had not been used for a long time.

But this child clearly had not simply sprung out of a rock. Why had this generation's Gaunt heir entered the world now?

Professor McGonagall had already finished reading the short Letter. Her first reaction upon seeing it was that it was pleasing to the eye. The handwriting was simply beautiful. If handwriting reflected one's character, then this little fellow had to be quite outstanding. Of course, Professor McGonagall knew that was not necessarily reliable, but the fine handwriting alone gave her a favorable first impression.

"Dumbledore, Luke says there are no adult Wizards around him and that he needs a teacher's guidance."

Professor McGonagall sounded somewhat confused as she said this. Was the Gaunt child an orphan?

Dumbledore did not say much. He simply nodded, then said, "You arrange it, Minerva. I need to check on Privet Drive later."

At the mention of Privet Drive, Professor McGonagall became serious as well.

"Has Harry still not replied?"

"No. It seems that family is truly stubborn."

"Do you need me to take a look?"

Professor McGonagall asked. She cared deeply about Harry's situation as well. The Boy Who Lived had always weighed heavily on many people's hearts.

Dumbledore shook his head. "No need. I have already asked Hagrid to handle it."

Professor McGonagall nodded as well. Sending Hagrid was indeed a good choice. What that family needed now was intimidation, not persuasion.

After that, she looked at the Letter in her hand again and said to Dumbledore, "Then I'll guide this child."

Dumbledore looked at Professor McGonagall with some confusion. "I thought you would have Severus do it."

After all, the House this child would be sorted into was almost obvious at a glance.

Professor McGonagall fell silent for a moment, seemingly weighing the pros and cons. But before long, she said firmly, "I should do it."

She looked at the Letter. "This might be a very good child."

Dumbledore nodded. His gaze was deep, and no emotion beyond gentleness could be seen within it.

Luke did not yet know that his guiding teacher had already been decided. He was currently examining his information while preparing to open a Gift Pack.

[Host: Luke Gaunt

Age: 11

Magic Level: Beginner Wizard

Talents: Dark Magic Affinity 9 (Classmate, would you like to learn about Azkaban?)

Transfiguration Talent 7 (A little Transfiguration genius)

Charms Talent 7 (The future Charms encyclopedia)

Potions Talent 3 (You are the fool everyone always runs into)

Herbology Talent 4 (Listen to me, stay far away from that damned greenhouse)

Magical Creatures Affinity 9 (Humans cannot, and at the very least should not)

Skills: Parseltongue max, Cruciatus Curse Level 2 (5/100), Avada Kedavra Level 1 (1/10), Soul Separation Level 0 (0/1), Accio Level 2 (53/100), Obliviate Level 3 (1/1000), Incendio Level 2 (10/100), Aguamenti Level 2 (10/100)

Inventory: Beginner's Gift Pack ×1, Slytherin's Wand (Snakewood, Basilisk Horn)]

Luke chose to open the Beginner's Gift Pack. An animation of the box opening played, followed by a flash of golden light. A delighted expression appeared on Luke's face. The last time he had seen golden light was when he had opened the Guide Gift Pack. That time, he had received the Azkaban Trio Set and the legendary Slytherin's Wand.

What would this golden light bring him now?