Sound came to me first. Muffled, and distant at first, then growing clearer by the moment. Gentle voices echoing around me. I felt a sensation of compression, as though I were being held snugly. A new awareness bloomed. I was dazed extremely weak, but still present.
"He's beautiful baby boy... look at him," a woman's voice said, words dripping with awe and happiness.
.
Those names, Samira. Desmond. Those were the names of my parents. My heart new tiny heart leapt with excitement and joy . With considerable effort, I managed to crack open my eyes. Everything was huge and blurry. I saw two large shapes above me, one cradled close and the other leaning in. As my newborn eyes adjusted to the light, the shapes resolved into faces. My mother's face was a rich light brown and beautiful, her eyes shining with tears of joy.
"He has your eyes, Samira," came a deeper voice, warm and proud She looked exhausted but radiant, wrapped in what appeared to be a hospital gown or perhaps a birthing robe. Black curls framed her face, damp with sweat. She was smiling wider than anyone I'd ever seen, and when our eyes met, a tear of happiness rolled down her cheek.
"And your nose, Desmond!" the she replied softly. "Hello, my sweet Callum," she whispered. That single sentence was laden with such love that I felt my tiny heart clench with emotion.
Beside her, a tall broad shouldered brown-skinned man stood. So he was my father. His gaze was gently but he was handsome from what I could tell. His features were strong and, a neatly trimmed beard. "Welcome to the world, my little prince," he said softly, his voice deep and soothing. I felt his large hand softly caress my head, which I now realized was covered in a soft fuzz of hair. I couldn't help myself, I gurgled, an involuntary baby noise escaping me from the joy I was feeling.
My mother carefully held me against her chest. I could hear her heartbeat, strong and steady, and it was the most comforting sound in the world. Instinctively, my little arms shifted, and one of my hands grasped onto her finger. She gasped in delight at my grip. My father wrapped his arm around both of us, and I felt the warm solidity of family surrounding me.
Tears of joy formed in my eyes. In that moment, I cherished every second I had in this embrace, and I swore to myself. I will face whatever challenges come with determination and heart. I had been given a second chance at life, a rare and precious gift.
I closed my eyes and allowed myself to feel hope and love. My new life as Callum Dawn had just begun, and I was ready to meet it head on. One small step at a time. If being born again wasn't surreal enough, growing up in a magical home made it feel like I'd stepped into the pages of a storybook… only the pages smelled of parchment and cinnamon, and the story was now mine.
My first few weeks in my new life as Callum Dawn were filled with amazement. My mother, had the voice of and poise of a angle. Her eyes were a bright yellow amber color. They were so beautiful I would be lost in them every time I saw her. She carried a scent of Cinnamon and Vanilla, and when she sang in Amharic when breastfeeding me. That took a lot of getting use to at first.
My father's presence was strong but silent. He was always warm. When he held me, the world felt like it was still. He was the kind of man who read aloud from old spell journals and wizarding newspapers while holding me close to his chest. He even read me some Muggle children stories.
And their home, or our home was nothing short of magical or big. At first, I could only absorb its beauty in flashes between naps and bottle feeds, but once I could crawl, then toddle, I began to see it.
It was a great manor nestled in the countryside just outside the city of London. The architecture was a blend of sleek modern curves and old-world charm. There were high arched ceilings self-dusting corners, and enchanted windows that dimmed or brightened based on the sun or made seeing things in the dark more easily.
The walls were alive, the paintings so to speak. They were all moving paintings. Some where of animals or magical creatures. One particularly portrait towards my father was special to my mother. It was a mature looking woman in dark robes. She was one of the former matriarch's of the Tesfaye house. My great-grandmother Saphira, and she was very observant of her great grandchild.
"I got my eyes on you little one."
She said in a indifferent tone. It felt like she knew who I was which was scary.
The manor had books everywhere. Shelves upon shelves that stacked and rearranged themselves when you weren't looking. From what I could tell their were books from every year of learning. From Hogwarts. Castelobruxo. Ilvermorny. Uagadou. Durmstrang. Mahoutokoro. Beauxbatons and Koldovstoretz.
I was amazed by by the sight and especially the fact I saw some muggle books. From grade school all the way to College level. I knew I would not run out of reading material when I start to apply myself.
Despite all the wonder, my parents made sure I also had structure. They began homeschooling me as soon as I could speak clearly and follow instructions. Which was very quick for me at the age of three.
I would have been surprised for how much they were trying to teach me. But with my soul in this body and my thirst for knowledge I welcomed it. My mother was my main teacher, while dad work and would take me on walks or to the park from time to time.
Mom's focus was on basics. From reading, writing and arithmetic. Dad taught me practical things like nature and social rules. Mom was was the technical person while dad was the practical. And they used Muggle methods on purpose.
My mother explained everything with a gentle smile one as I sat at a table watching the enchanted chalk move on the board. "You'll need to understand both worlds. When your magic awakens we will teach you about the magical world. Until then you will learn Latin on top of English."
That made me respect them even more. If not fear her for the standards she placed on a infant. But I guess if you knew your child was gifted, you would go hard from the beginning.
It also gave me the perfect excuse to read all the books I could get my hands on as a toddler. I already knew how to read and do math. My photographic memory helped me remembered everything I learned from my past life.
If this is what it felt like to take the drug from limitless I was happy. I wanted to learn more and more. Dad would sometimes pulled my head out of a book and put me in the dirt. It was fun gardening and playing with the magical creatures in the manor's underground green house.
"He's a little genius like you said he would be Samira ," Desmond said one night when he thought I was asleep. "Our son might be the only wizard to surpass the great Dumbledore."
Samira chuckled softly. "I know he will. We just have to keep loving him and support him. He has a bright future ahead of him either way." Samira said her smile slowly disappearing.
Desmond kissed her cheek "Our bloodline's are strong in him, He will make us proud, no matter what a prophecy says."
Prophecy?... What are they talking about. Do I have a prophecy like the one Harry and Neville had? I kept listening but they just started to doat on each other and just told myself I will figure it out later.
Time passed quicker then I could imagine. By the time I turned five, my thoughts had grown faster than my body. I was tall for my age, my brown skin was beautiful just like my parents. My black hair straight hair refused to stay neat, so I made sure was cut short. My eyes were a bright yellow amber color, just like my mother's. I was the best of both of my parents. Mana only knows the handsome man I will become.
Speaking of which I have to figure out this whole. Being a adult in a child's body and dating later. It will feel so wrong later. Like do I wait until I'm a adult to be intimate and date. Do I stay away from any females I go to school with cause it would then be considered grooming? This was something I needed to figure later.
My parents were so proud of me. I could read college level books and understand them with little to no effort. I could speak and read and write in two languages. English and Latin, with mom talking about me learning all the languages spoken in the different wizarding schools. Dad just added physical conditioning and self defense to his lessons. It made no sense to me why a wizard like him new martial arts, but hey maybe I go Mike Tyson or Bruce Lee on some poor unexpecting wizard that tries to cross me.
Now when it came to magic. I still didn't have a magical spike no matter what. So parents didn't let me learn actual spells yet, just a basic understanding of wand and wandless magic. But I could still feel the magic around me. Sometimes when I was alone, I whispered old Latin phrases I remembered from fantasy books or twisted my fingers the way I'd saw in the movies, But nothing happened.
Until the night of the fire.
It was a quiet evening. Rain tapped the windows in steady rhythm, and the fireplace crackled warmly in the sitting room. My parents and I sat nearby. My father was reading a letter aloud from someone named he said was his brother, and my mother was gently weaving my hair into small braids while humming under her breath.
But something else had my focus.
The fire. It felt like it called to me. not with words, not with sound, but with a feeling. It pulsed in my chest, like a heartbeat. I stared at the white-hot center of the flame, mesmerized. My heart thumped once, then again. The air around me seemed to thicken.
When my mom and dad were busy talking, I began to crawl to the fireplace without thinking. "Callum?" my mother said, but I didn't respond. I got closer toward the hearth. My small hand lifted, drawn toward the fire as if it knew me, wanted me.
My parents reach out their hands. Magic in the air hummed as they tried to grab me. But it was too late. My tiny fingers touched the flame, and it exploded. But there was no pain.
It burst outward in a soft, rushing bloom of white fire. A pure white fire with a gentle warmth. The flames swirled around me, with a gentle embrace towards my arms and face. I felt no pain. Instead, it was comforting, like being wrapped in a warm blanket on a winter night.
Callum stood there, hand still out, eyes wide. Unknowingly his yellow amber eyes glowed golden for a single moment. He felt peace with a slight power surging throw his veins.
Desmond froze, unable to move or speak for a moment. He was in awe of Callum accidental display of magic, while Samira watched Callum closely with a analytical gaze. Then the fire receded, as suddenly as it had burst. The hearth returned to normal, and the room fell still.
Just me… standing unscathed in front of a fire I had touched, and changed.
My father rushed forward and fell to his knees, clutching my arms and checking every inch of me. "You're not hurt?" he asked, his voice trembling.
I shook my head, dazed. "No… it felt nice."
My mother stood beside us, eyes narrowed in thought. "Don't worry honey, This type of thing is normal for child of the Tesfaye line." she said calmy. Desmond looked up at her, alarm and awe mixing on his face.
"I think," Desmond said slowly, "it's time we begin his magical studies," my mother nodded. "I agree or little genius is ready."
My heart with excitement. it's about time for me to learn how to use magic. I straightened my back as best a five-year-old could, looking them both in the eye. That was the night my parents finally sat me down and told me the truth, not just about my magic, but about everything.
My parents led me to the library, a massive room with curved windows and charmed bookshelves that reshuffled themselves based on what you were reading. A fire crackled in the hearth, a normal one this time—and several old tomes, photographs, and shimmering scrolls floated around the room, suspended by gentle hovering spells.
Desmond and Samira sat across from me. My father conjured a warm mug of hot chocolate. My mother tucked a blanket around my legs like I was five again. Which, technically, I was.
And then it began.
"Callum. You're smart enough to understand a bit more the alot of children your age." My father said, his voice low and calm. "And with your magic awakening now you are ready. So tonight, I will tell what my father told me about the magical world."
Dad started with the basics, things I already knew. The Statute of Secrecy. The Ministry of Magic. The way the Muggle world coexisted beside the magical one without knowing it. But then they went deeper.
With a snap of her finger, my mother conjured moving images in the air, memories, projections, magical reenactments of history. A dragon coiled around a floating island. Merlin speaking to a crowd. Witches in Ethiopian highlands forming spell circles beneath a blood-red moon.
My father followed up with family trees, photos, and enchanted images of the sacred 28 families wizarding families. I saw and mesmerized names older than the wizards from his side of the family who had helped build the foundations of magical law in Britain. Some were scholars. Others, duelists and inventors. One was even a codebreaker during World War II, helping to beat the dark wizards on the side of the Nazi's and Japanese.
Then came the mind-touches.
My mother sat beside me, touched her hand gently to my temple, no words were said. Only Magic flowed in images. Whole stories packed into seconds and planted inside my awareness. I blinked as whole genealogies, snippets of spells, and traditions unique to her lineage bloomed behind my eyes.
I saw her as a young girl on the volcanic plains near Lalibela, practicing magic with a older man and a girl. Her sister my Aunt Aster, the name appeared in my head. The man was my grandfather who was long dead. Then I saw mom walking barefoot through a forest in Kyoto, her hands glowing with blue flames. I saw entire schools of magic unknown to European traditions.
It was overwhelming. It felt like hours passed, maybe more. Time here became meaningless. When the last projection faded from my mind, I sat back, breathless. My eyes were wide. Not just from the visuals, but from the sheer depth of it all.
To me, it was lore. World-building on a scale no writer could ever fully capture. This world, this real magical world, was way deeper and more layered. It was more alive than the sanitized Hogwarts I'd grown up reading about. There were hidden truths here, with complexities and so many different cultures that had existed. Many were here long before the founders of Hogwarts, and even Merlin.
My mind buzzed with thoughts. Then, Dad smiled and said something that knocked the wind out of me all over again. "You're five now, Callum. We've still got time, but eventually, you'll have to choose where you want to learn magic formally."
My ears perked up. " A wizarding school. You mean like Hogwarts?"
"That's one option yes," Mom said, her fingers gently lacing with his. "That's one most British-born witches and wizards go to. I was given the choice "
"But it's not the only option," Dad added, leaning forward. "You could study abroad, at Ilvermorny in the States, like I did. Or..." He hesitated and looked at my mother.
Mom nodded with a wistful smile. "Or you could go with your Aunt to Mahoutokoro. The school in Japan. You're the first in our family to be born with ties to all three schools." There is a student exchange program and you can qualify for a transfer if you change your mind but your grades need to be on point son or you can go to any of the other schools should you choice". My father said.
My jaw dropped. I had known this was a possibility, intellectually. But hearing it confirmed was something else entirely.
"I… I didn't know I had that many options," I whispered. My voice came out higher than I meant. "
"Do I have to decide now?" I asked.
Mom shook her head. "Not yet. Not until you're eleven. But we wanted you to know. So you can start thinking."
I nodded, "Then I'll wait. I'll think seriously when I'm ten."
They nodded. The conversation began to settle. The fire burned low.
Later that night as I laid in my bedroom my mind reflecting from today's events. And then, just like that. everything around me stopped. The rain outside the room made no more sounds. It was like a switch flipped in my mind.
My vision dimmed just slightly, and a strange pressure pulsed softly behind my eyes, like a pressure being held suddenly released. And then I saw it.
Not in front of me. But inside my mind's eyes. Behind my eyelids.
A screen. Simple. Sleek. Clean lines of gold text over a dark translucent interface. And at the top it said:
[Initializing System Interface]
.....Link Established. Awaiting Directive. Please assign a name to the system's assistant.
My heart skipped a beat. It's here. I took a breath and thought clearly: "Aia. Artificial Interface Assistant."
The screen then flickered. Then the text changed.
[Processing name... Aia has been registered]: Hello Callum it is nice to meet you. I am Aia your system interface assistant. I am here to help assist you with your journey. I may not be able to do much right now, but I will still be in your care. Please don't be mean to me lol.
The robotic tone in my mind shifted, just slightly, into something smoother. Feminine and almost Familiar. I froze in surprise. The voice I hadn't heard in a long time. My brain stumbled, then connected the dots. It sounded just like her. Like my ex from my past life.
I blinked hard, a bit thrown. Did the goddess do this. Or was this some kind of cosmic joke, cause I wasn't laughing. Still… I couldn't help but grin.
"It's Nice to meet you Aia. I will treat you well ,and will be in your care. Can you please show me my status window."
Then in front of me the system interface appeared, Slightly bigger now
[Status Window]
Name: Callum Tesfaye Dawn
Age: 1 month old
Race: Human
Class:
Traits: Blessing of Mana (Rare)
Spells/Abilities: Mind's Eye (Rare)
My eyes widen when I saw the Mind's Eye (Rare), and I clicked it.
Ability: Mind's Eye (Rare)
Yours eyes can perceive the world around beyond mere sight. You can see raw magical energy/ mana. From people to objects. From the color, to the quality of mana and quantity of it. Weaknesses in people and structures will be easily noticed. Lies and falsehood's will no longer escape your gaze.
This was amazing. Mana gave me Mind's eye, and now I can perceive all things magical, and now no one can lie to me. But there is that (Rare) thing again. I wonder.
"Aia. Can you explain what this (Rare) thing means ?"
[Aia]- " Yes Callum, I can.... This system interface uses two forms of Identification rather then the average level description." Then the text letter's began to shift and form.
"Common is the first and lowest ranking. Next is Rare. Epic. Heroic. Mythical, and finally Transcendental. Next would be the letter ranks for proficiency F being the lowest and SSS being the highest."
Then as Aia explained it to me.
Common: The Lowest ranking anything can be designated. Spells and abilities and traits with growth properties start as F proficiency and can go as high as the user can push them.
Rare: Are good designation ranks. Which one in every 100 people have rare type traits. Rare spells are more common, but have hard proficiency growth rates.
Epic: The third highest rank. Traits and abilities with this rank are only found in every one of 10,000 people. Spells with this designation are currently in the 70's number. Proficiency growth rates for spells like these take years to push past the D proficiency ranking.
Heroic: Is the highest rank a tiny number of modern Wizards have achieved, when it comes to spells. Spells of this level have diminished over the past 400 years. Proficiency growth rates for spells of this rank takes decades to move past the F rank. Traits of this rank is only found in one in every 100,000 people.
Mythical: Is the rank known as the Lost magic rank. Spells on this level have been lost to time. Dying with certain bloodline and the wizards that created them. Proficiency growth rates for spells of this rank takes 100 years minimum to move past the F rank. As for the trait rates. One in every hundred million people are born with this type of trait.
Transcendental: The only thing I got from Aia when it came to this. Was that she said my soul authority is not high enough for this information. She wouldn't elaborate either.
The Proficiency Rankings for spells were simpler.
F: Meant you just learn the spell. (Common ranked)
E: Slightly better understanding of the spell. (Common Rank)
D: Experience with the spell but know it enough to use it when needed. (Common Rank)
C: A veteran with the spell. It's application are easier to use and can be used like second nature. (Common Rank.)
B: A expert with the spell. The spells nature begins to change and be influenced b your proficiency with it. More power and efficiency, and less energy needed. (Rare Rank and above.)
A: A master of the spell. It can be used and alter to the user's specified control. Changing the very nature of the spell itself into something new. (Rare rank and above.)
S to SSS: I got the same message. My Soul Authority was to low.
I then closed the interface. I will have to figure out this damn Soul Authority another time. For right now I need to sleep, come tomorrow my official magic lessons begin. I can't wait to see places like Hogwarts in the future. My body relaxed as my eyes closed, as I then drifted to sleep.
24 Years Later....
Callum sat looking deep into the sight before. Hogwarts in ruins as black flames consumed it. Building's in ruin and destroyed. In the night sky above the moon shined a light below. The place he once called school. A place once filled with the happy memories of him and his friends. Now only showed the reminder of his choices.
Then Callum stood sensing others approaching. Several individuals Apparated behind hind him. There was little to no sound made when then touched the ground. These were professional's Callum thought.
Callum pulled over the hood of his long ebony jacket. As the individuals behind him spoke.
"Callum Tesfaye Dawn. By the order of the magic council, you are under arrest for the murder 1000 wizards. And the use of the Dark arts, and disclosing magical secrets to muggles. And many more unspeakable crimes. Me and the other Aurors have been given permission to use the unforgivable curse against you if you resist in any way." The voice said.
Callum didn't turn around. Without looking he could tell from the voice and the magical signatures who was behind him. "Is that anyway to talk to me Harry." Callum said his voice cold and tone indifferent. "I thought we were brother's."
Harry Held up his wand. A pulse of powerful magic filled the air. "After you killed your parent's and Dumbledore, your no brother of mine. Now turn around, stick your hands out and surrender. Or I will kill you where you stand.
Harry said his voice filled with anger.
Callum placed his hands in the air. This sent the other Aurors to step back slightly in fear as the air around them hummed. And the tension became higher the more time passed. Callum with turned his head slightly to Harry. His yellow ember eyes met Harry's green emerald eyes.
Then Callum's eyes glowed golden as the magic in the air hummed to life. "I'm not going back with you Harry. If you have to kill me then do so. But I came here for a reason, and I will see it through to the end."
Then several flashes of green be seen as the wizards around Harry casted the killing curse. Callum didn't as the spells made their way to him. Only one thought raced through Callum's mind.
I wish I new what I would have become back then. If I did then none of this would have happened. I should have killed him on that day. I should taken her offer, and now I lost it all. But if I'm right the key to saving everyone is here.