Flora Dunn's last breath felt strangely light, like she was dissolving into a breeze. One moment she was arranging flowers in the shop for Mrs. Carver's orders, the next she opened her eyes to a world that felt… smaller. Her hands were smaller, the furniture taller, the sunlight somehow sharper through the window.
Blinking, she realized the impossible: she wasn't Flora Dunn anymore.
A calm, mechanical voice echoed inside her mind:
[SYSTEM ONLINE. SURVIVAL SYSTEM ACTIVATED. SOURCE: CROSS-WORLD ENERGY.]
Petunia froze. A voice? In her head?
[Greetings, User. You are now operating under the Survival System.
Purpose: To ensure your survival, growth, and mastery in this world.
Source: Energy from multiple dimensions and worlds beyond this plane. All abilities will integrate into your physiology and all items will be placed in your system inventory.
Petunia's pulse quickened. It wasn't a dream. Something had been plugged into her very being, giving her access to rules and powers she had never imagined.
[SYSTEM: Preliminary Scan Complete. Environment Detected: AU Harry Potter Universe. Canon divergence recognized. User is 'Petunia Evans,' age 8, Cokeworth residence. Magical events exist nearby. Note: User has retained canon awareness from previous life.]
Petunia's mind spun. AU Harry Potter Universe? Canon-aware? She remembered the stories—Hogwarts, magic, wizards, witches… but now she was inside it. And she could see it, feel it, interact with it.
[MISSION DETECTED: "Observe and document early magical incidents nearby."
Reward: 10 SYSTEM CREDITS (SC)]
[SYSTEM: Your first items and abilities are being deployed]
Instantly, Petunia felt subtle shifts in her senses and at her side:
- Enhanced Perception (Star Wars)– her senses sharpened. She could now detect faint magical auras, like ripples in the air that had been invisible to ordinary eyes.
-Survival Satchel (I Shall Survive Using Potions): a small, sturdy bag appeared. It seemed ordinary, but the system assured her it could expand to carry anything she would need for survival, research, or missions.
Petunia rose from the bed, cautiously inspecting her room. Everything looked ordinary: curtains fluttered in the breeze, books piled on top of her dresser, and her reflection in the mirror showed a young girl with light blonde hair falling in soft waves just past her shoulders and pale grey eyes, staring back with intelligence far beyond her eight years.
Her outfit was simple but practical for an 8-year-old in 1965 Cokeworth: a soft pastel blouse tucked into a knee-length skirt, white socks, and sturdy black Mary Jane shoes. Even at eight, she carried herself with a quiet precision, the imprint of her former adult mind guiding her movements.
[SYSTEM: Step 1 – Scan surroundings for magical phenomena using Enhanced Perception.]
Petunia focused. The faint blue shimmer of magic appeared above the rooftops, subtle pulses near the hedgerows, and even tiny flickers around her neighbor's cat. It was everywhere, invisible to ordinary eyes.
[SYSTEM: Observation complete. SC AWARDED: 10]
A thrill ran through her. Canonically, Petunia Evans was ordinary, a muggle girl, unaware of magic. But now… she knew. And not only that—she had tools, a system, and knowledge from her previous life to navigate this AU world.
[SYSTEM: User Note – This is not a simulation. Survival and mastery are imperative. Warning: AU divergence may introduce variables outside canonical expectations.]
Petunia felt the faint hum of the satchel at her side, almost as if it were alive, ready for whatever she might need. She could feel the first threads of a life vastly larger than her eight-year-old self. This was more than survival—this was preparation.
And deep down, somewhere in the shadows of Cokeworth, she felt a ripple- the world had shifted, and she was at its center.