In a grand manor, a young man sat engrossed in a book by the fireplace. He appeared to be in his early twenties, strikingly handsome with a tall, well-built physique, around six feet, dark hair, and blue eyes, set within a finely sculpted face.
To be precise, he possessed a face that naturally inspired trust. However, his eyes betrayed the apparent kindness his features displayed. Deep within their depths lay a terrifying tranquility, a calmness that bordered on indifference to everything, even human life itself.
As the young man read, he suddenly lifted his gaze, looking out the window. There, a few meters away, an owl was soaring toward him. He waved his hand, and the window glided open. Seconds later, the owl, a letter clutched in its beak, flew into the cozy room. The young man snapped his fingers, and several slices of bread materialized on the table within arm's reach.
While the owl heartily devoured its treat, the young man opened the letter:
Dear Mr. Edward Bones,
We are pleased to inform you that you have successfully passed the first round of review for the position of Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. However, before a final decision can be made, you will need to undergo a final interview with the Headmaster.
This interview is scheduled for July 7, 1991, in three days' time. Please reply to this letter to confirm your attendance on the specified date.
Sincerely,
Professor Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
Upon reading the letter, Edward sighed. It had been over seventeen years since he transmigrated into this world. He had been only six at the time.
After the initial shock and grief of his own death and reincarnation, he quickly found himself in the world of Harry Potter.
Fortunately, his transmigration coincided with the period when his magic was beginning to spiral out of control. Thus, he swiftly realized he had been born over seventeen years before the story's beginning.
Edward was greatly pleased by this fact, as it meant he had ample time to grow stronger. Of course, this was contingent on him surviving the First Wizarding War as a six-year-old child. After a brief reflection on the past, Edward retrieved a quill, ready to reply.
Once the owl finished eating, Edward placed the letter in its beak and watched it fly away.
Three days later, Edward donned custom-tailored Muggle attire, a cloak draped over it. Then, he Apparated from his home to Diagon Alley.
As he walked through the bustling alley, Edward observed many people entering and exiting various shops. His gaze briefly lingered on two particular children, each wearing a strange device on their wrists.
These children would then place a card onto the device in their hands. Subsequently, after they took turns playing these cards, different kinds of monsters would appear. The game these children were playing was, in fact, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters, invented by Edward himself.
This game was incredibly popular in the wizarding world, beloved by both children and adults. Official tournaments had been held, and an international competition had even taken place two years prior.
After only a fleeting glance at the children, Edward headed toward one of his own establishments. However, before he could enter, he encountered a woman emerging from the shop. The woman quickly looked at him, then let out a piercing shriek:
"You're Edward Bones?!"
The scream was so loud that those nearby stopped and stared. Then, upon seeing him, they all grew excited. The woman began to babble incessantly:
"It really is you! I can't believe I've met Edward Bones, one of Hogwarts' most brilliant graduates, recipient of the Order of Merlin, First Class; awarded the Barnabus Finkley Prize for Exceptional Spell-Casting at just fourteen; and a gold medalist at the International Alchemical Conference in Cairo for your groundbreaking contributions!"
"You're also the youngest recipient of the Order of Merlin, First Class, and the youngest to earn the title of Grand Alchemist. Many say that if you're not stronger than Dumbledore, you'll be the next Dumbledore!"
"Oh, Merlin's beard, not to mention your pioneering achievements! On behalf of all women worldwide, thank you for inventing the Age-Reversal Potion. If only its effects could last longer than six hours!"
"Madam, you need to calm down."
Edward replied, sighing inwardly. He should have used Floo Powder instead, had he known this would happen.
"Oh, I'm sorry. My children always say I talk too much. Speaking of my children, they've all collected your Chocolate Frog Cards, even my husband! Wait, my husband's right here, and he'd love to meet you. And he brought his camera! Would you mind taking a photo with us?"
Without waiting for Edward's reply, the woman dashed into the shop at top speed and returned with her husband. Then, under the gaze of countless onlookers, Edward had no choice but to take a photo with the woman and sign a few of his books. Citing an important meeting, he left the rapidly gathering crowd to see the shop assistant.
Edward entered the shop and had a brief meeting with the assistant, reviewing the sales figures for the past few months. Well, things were as good as ever.
His Age-Reversal Potion was a veritable money-printing machine. The potion's effect was essentially to restore a woman's appearance to a younger age of their choosing. This potion allowed older women to regain their youth, while younger women could maintain a specific age for an extended period. Furthermore, the potion had certain beautifying effects; using it was like having a permanent beauty filter from his previous life's social media.
Of course, the potion had its limitations. It couldn't be stacked, its effects lasted only six hours, and drinking two bottles wouldn't extend the duration to twelve hours; one could only take another dose after six hours. However, excessive use of the potion led to resistance, though Edward had fortunately invented another potion that cleared this resistance. With a monopoly on these two potions, coupled with Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters cards and discs, Edward was a wealthy man in the wizarding world.
Naturally, he didn't do all this because of his family circumstances, but because his research and experiments required substantial funding. After confirming everything was in order at the shop, Edward Flooed to Professor McGonagall's office. There, he saw Professor McGonagall, dressed in green robes, waiting for him.
"Professor McGonagall, it's been a while."
Edward said with a smile. However, the Professor did not return his smile.
"Five years, to be precise, Mr. Bones. No one has seen you for over five years. If it weren't for the occasional letter from you, many people, including myself, would have thought you'd perished in some dark corner of the world."
"Professor, you should have more faith in me. I don't think anything in this world can truly send me to an early grave."
"That's not the point, Edward. You simply vanished after graduation. Many people were worried about you."
Edward maintained his calm smile, replying apologetically, "Well, I vanished for a reason. First, I became completely immersed in my research. And then, I ran into a bit of trouble."
"I am well aware of how dedicated you can be to magical research. But that is still not an excuse for acting this way. As for your 'bit of trouble,' I highly doubt anything that could cause you trouble would be so trivial."
As McGonagall spoke, she led him towards the Headmaster's office. Along the way, Edward continued to apologize to her, and they finally arrived at the Headmaster's door. After the Deputy Headmistress uttered the password, Edward saluted her and stepped inside. The first thing he noticed upon entering the room was Fawkes, the phoenix. He walked up to it and began to playfully tease it.
"So, Fawkes, have you considered my offer to abandon the Headmaster and become my companion? I assure you, your life would be much better."
"No interest."
The phoenix replied indifferently. This answer didn't surprise Edward.
"It's a marvelous spell, isn't it?"
A voice suddenly resonated in the room, "'Voice of Nature,' allowing the user to communicate with animals. Frankly, I think it's one of the best spells you've ever created."
"Professor Dumbledore."
Edward turned to face the Headmaster, responding, "You're looking as hale as ever."
"Thank you. The usual, then?"
"If you don't mind."
The Professor then waved his hand, and a cup of tea appeared on the seat opposite him. After settling down and taking a few sips of tea, Dumbledore surveyed Edward up and down through the depths of his half-moon spectacles.
Has he crossed that threshold?
He thought to himself.
This is faster than both Gellert and I, and even faster than Tom.
After an inward sigh, Dumbledore asked, "So, Mr. Edward Bones, where have you been for the past five years?"
Taking a sip of tea, Edward replied, "After you declined my application to teach at Hogwarts, I took your advice. I traveled the world. I went to America, explored the Amazon rainforest in South America, and visited the pyramids of Egypt. I even journeyed as far as Russia and China. And I didn't just see the magical side of these places; I also explored their Muggle aspects."
In truth, Edward had lied, or rather, he hadn't told the whole truth. He had indeed visited these countries, but not for vacation. No, he had gone to steal knowledge. One could say that over the past five years, Edward had become the most formidable international thief in both the magical and Muggle worlds, leaving behind countless legends, both true and false.
Upon transmigrating into this world, Edward also gained his "cheat," though his "cheat" was neither a system nor a mysterious item.
It was perfect photographic memory; as long as he concentrated, he could remember everything. His "cheat" was essentially similar to the "mental domain" he had read about in many fan fiction novels in his previous life. However, this ability of his was innate. His other "cheat" was his unparalleled talent in magic.
Like Voldemort, at the age of six, he could effortlessly control and use magic as if it were a part of his body. Whether making things float, disappear, or ignite, he could do it with remarkable ease.
Not to mention his superior comprehension and synthesis abilities. Edward could easily learn most spells by simply reading about them and practicing a few times. For him, using magic was as natural as breathing.
However, upon his initial transmigration, Edward still had to confront some issues. One of these concerned his parents.
As it turned out, he was born during the First Wizarding War, a time when Voldemort's power was at its zenith. Witches, wizards, and their families were dying daily. The situation worsened when Edward realized his father was Edgar Bones, Amelia Bones's brother in the original story and a crucial member of the Order of the Phoenix.
Edward knew that his father, mother, and he himself were destined to die in the war. So, he pleaded with his parents to stop fighting and escape together. But his Hufflepuff father simply wouldn't listen to him, continuing to battle Voldemort and his Death Eaters.
Deeply aware that his life was in danger, Edward managed to convince his parents to take some precautions. For instance, they cast the Fidelius Charm on their home. As for the Secret-Keeper, Edward chose their house-elf, Mopsy. The reason was that house-elves were incredibly loyal to their masters and would rather die than reveal a secret. Another reason was that these elves possessed the ability to Apparate, and most anti-Apparition charms targeting wizards didn't affect them.
Of course, this was far from enough. Edward was paranoid to an extreme at the time. He had his parents install many Muggle weapons in their home, which he then enchanted. So, if someone broke into their house, that person would not only have to bypass the protective magic but also contend with several Gatling guns.
And so, Edward lived safely until it was time for him to attend Hogwarts. In the five years in between, he had even mastered all seven years' worth of knowledge before even enrolling. To protect himself and his family, Edward kept a very low profile during his first few years at school. He didn't want to attract Voldemort's attention due to his talent. For safety, he rarely ventured out. Even when attending school, he didn't take the train; instead, he had Mopsy Apparate him directly to the school.
Unfortunately for Edward, near the end of his second year, he still received the news that his parents had perished in a confrontation with Voldemort. Ironically, his parents died in the same year the Dark Lord was vanquished.
After mourning his parents, he moved in with his aunt, Amelia. From then on, Edward no longer concealed his talents.
During his time at Hogwarts, he consulted all his professors, seeking their understanding of magic and spells. After absorbing their knowledge and experience, he began to make a name for himself in the wizarding world. He invented countless spells and won numerous awards. The Ministry of Magic then leveraged his brilliant aura for propaganda, diverting wizards' fears from the recently concluded war. They branded him the next Dumbledore, and Edward lived up to the hype. He won all the awards Headmaster Dumbledore had received in his youth, and even some that Dumbledore never had the chance to obtain.
As for Edward, he used his newfound fame to connect with some of the most learned wizards still alive. He constantly communicated with them and exchanged ideas.
After graduating, he wanted to teach at Hogwarts, but Dumbledore rejected him, citing his youth. Since then, Edward began to travel the world.
And his travels weren't for sightseeing, but for stealing knowledge. Using methods like the Imperius Curse, Polyjuice Potion, and Transfiguration, he impersonated various teachers and infiltrated all the wizarding schools in the world. He then copied all the books in those schools' libraries.
This method wasn't limited to just those eleven wizarding schools. No, he did the same to all ancient wizarding families. And his "claws" extended not just to Britain but to the entire world.
Muggles were not spared either. Based on history lessons, Edward knew that many witches and wizards were hunted in ancient times. So, he speculated that many ancient magical books might still be in the hands of certain Muggle authorities. And he was right.
After successfully infiltrating the Vatican's secret archives, Edward discovered many genuine magical books containing lost knowledge. Of course, many of these books were also fakes. However, even these fake books inspired him, providing ideas or directions for creating new spells.
Naturally, during his years as a "thief," Edward did encounter some trouble. Some individuals were immune to the Imperius Curse, and some vaults required specific bloodlines to open.
However, a Muggle plant called "Devil's Breath" solved this problem. It allowed Edward to strip a person's will, controlling them to do his bidding. After magically treating this plant, its effects were enhanced, enabling Edward to proceed smoothly.
As a result, in the past five years, Edward's knowledge had reached an unimaginable level. He could even say that his knowledge was on par with Dumbledore, if not superior. He felt he was only inferior to the Headmaster in two aspects: his combat experience and the sheer quantity of magic within his body.