Chapter 5: Resolutions

===========A few hours later ==========

....

*hmmm*, Right now I was cuddling this white cozy blanket and I can vouch that it felt heavenly. I slightly opened my eyes and peeped around the room, I was alone.....

The lights were dimmed and the door was closed, I guess they had let me sleep a good few hours, because I felt well rested. My vitality was coming in handy, my muscles felt fatigued, but relaxed. As if I had just finished a really good workout.

Naturally, an overflow of vitality was the reason why I had healed so quickly, even my chipped nails had somewhat regrown. Though, I didn't doubt that Sophie's potion also had a hand in it.

I sat up in bed, my back seemingly unwilling to part with the warm sheets. Unsurprisingly, my spine was still sore, and I could feel a slight itch at the back of my throat. Not to my mention the slow burning scar on my chest, I do recall that my skin had been impaled by a vampires nails. It was possible that they carried some sort of disease. Or perhaps it was just my body trying to put itself back together.

My legs were twisting and turning in the bed, as I made my best attempt at standing up. But soon, my movements were felt and an envelope made its way towards my face, the wax seal parted to form rosy lips, imitating a woman's smile.

"Dear, if you've got the energy, you should freshen up and come downstairs, I've made a most wonderful stew to nurse you back to health", the letter articulated in Sophie's voice, and then promptly tore itself apart.

A howler? I saw these a few times in the movies.... My mind was still busy adapting to my current situation, so a lot of things had naturally slipped my mind. It was hard to associate your reality with some knowledge inside your head. I still had to remind myself where I was now.

This was no longer a fantasy, this was my life.... I peered into my hands, torn skin, calluses and fingers webbed by bandages. This was proof that I had taken this world too lightly, I was drawn in by magic, mesmerized....

Like a bumbling idiot, I was too curious for my own good, naturally my actions had immediate consequences. Within just a few hours of exploration, I was followed, trapped and assaulted by an eldritch creature. That was the harsh reality....

If Dalton had not arrived..... I didn't have to complete that sentence as unsatisfaction settled into my heart.

"I need to change."

That was my decision. At first I was a fanboy, I thought I would get to see some cool magic and pass my life in peace. But life had other intentions. This was surely a reminder.

Life was not easy.....

It was unsettling... really..... I could feel some anger boiling up inside of me. Not towards the monster who had put me in this state. But towards myself. I was deeply disappointed in myself. At first glance my actions might have seemed alright. For someone my age that is....

I was not a 6 year old mentally, and I had no reason to have been lured into such a trap. I was blindsided by my fantasies coming true and dropped my guard. There was no excuse. I needed to change and I knew it.. tsk...

Putting my hands on the bed frame, I got up and limped towards the door. Dragging my hands across the wall to save myself from falling, I could see some clothes hung on the door knob, probably for me.

A white shirt, black shorts and some suspenders. Exactly what I would expect a kid to wear in this era. I grabbed the clothes and put them over my shoulder, opening the door slowly to peek through the gap, I saw a staircase going down to the right, another door in front of me, and what I presumed to be a bathroom to the left.

When my eyes rested on the bathroom door, the knob slowly turned and the door gave way, almost as if hinting me to go through. I shuffled my way across to it.

When I stepped inside, the door gently closed on its own. Magic sure was convenient....

I could see a sink with a bath near it. Unsurprisingly, almost as if judging my intentions, the bath tap had turned on and began filling it with hot water....

You know I was really beginning to warm up to magic, in a way I had never considered before....Not having to do menial tasks was a blessing some people did not understand.

I hung the new clothes on the door and began unwrapping my bandages. Halfway through, I was basically peeling them off, because my skin had essentially bonded with them. It was a painful experience and I have no idea how I wasn't screaming because of the pain.

Every strip I removed basically ripped off a part of my skin.....I clenched my teeth and before long I was hissing from the pain.....Excruciating was an appropriate description of what it was.

Once I had managed to somewhat skin my self alive and remove all the wrappings, I stepped into the bath and laid down till only my neck was above the water. The warm water seeped into my wounds and soothed my pain.

After a few minutes of soaking in the water, I used whatever soap around me to scrub my body clean. I expected to feel some toned muscles on my body, partly because I was somewhat strong compared to a normal child.

But I found that my body was exceedingly normal, albeit now it was riddled with wounds.

Finishing washing up, I got out of the bath and went to the sink. The sink had a mirror hanging above it like in almost any home. Though I was a bit too short to see myself in it, so I grabbed the mirror from its bottom edge, and took it off to bring it closer to my face.

So this is what I look like....

Short brown hair, deep blue eyes and a baby face. I was pretty surprised to find that I looked like quite the charmer. (A/N: I will attach an image of what I imagined him to be).

I still couldn't remember my name, but there was nothing to be done about that. I hung the mirror back in its place and once my body dried as the water dripped down, I took the clothes and began putting them on. They felt a bit itchy, probably because they were made out of cotton.

Once ready, I looked like a young gentlemen. The outfit was a bit silly for my taste, but I doubt I had another choice. I twisted the door knob and stepped out towards the stairs. It was odd that I couldn't hear anything happening down below, but I did feel the vibrations. People moving around, chairs and tables, and what not.

It was probably a muffling charm, as I went down the steps, a huge gathering came into view. I could see Dalton, sitting with a few people, discussing something, but I could not make out his words... I looked around and spotted Sophie, behind what seemed to be a bar counter.

Now that I realized it, this whole setting looked like a pub, a lot of chairs and tables, one bar counter and whatnot. Astonished to say the least, because I thought it was someone's house.

Seeing Sophie behind the counter, her and Dalton probably owned this place. I wanted to look around, but she spotted me near the stairway....

"Oh you look so cute dear, why don't you come and sit beside everyone, I will give you something to eat soon"

She rushed to me and checked my condition, seeing as I had unwrapped all the bandages which left my skin chaffed in some places. I could sense her giving me a cautionary gaze, judging me perhaps?

Soon she took my hand and brought me near the group of people sitting at the table. Dalton was the first to notice my getup. I could see a bit of a smirk but it died down pretty fast.

I will give it to him, I looked like a cartoon.....Once I joined them, Dalton cleared his throat and tapped the table a few times to gather attention.

"That's all for today, our young friend here is probably anxious. As I told you all he survived the attacked when I chanced upon him. Probably would have been eaten alive had I not heard the horrid shriek from the creature."

His friends beside him seemed to nod their heads with a serious expression, and then I did feel a few gazes gauging me.

"You guys have to excuse us now, we have much to discuss with the boy", Dalton said with a stern voice. The men around him shared a few glances and got up from their chairs, it wasn't long before I heard a few *pop* and *whop* as they all disapparated.

Almost on cue, Sophie left the counter and took a seat beside me, I was prepared for a new interrogation, but the atmosphere felt quite calm compared to the first one.

Dalton took the first go again,

"I shared your situation with some people, we couldn't find who had left you here, but you don't need to be nervous. I'll help you as much as I can."

I didn't expect his encouraging words or his support, but I was grateful to have it. Though, I did see some sadness in his eyes, I couldn't figure out why. Sophie glanced at him, and he immediately understood as his solemn expression shifted to a smile. Perhaps distracting me from what had really happened.

Judging the situation, had someone really left me there?.... Perhaps, I took over the kids body when he appeared in the park, maybe he died or maybe...I killed him?

Such questions did enter my mind. But I found no answers. To me, one moment I was in the abyss, and the next, I was here, getting ready to live a new life. There were no other memories of this life. Slight hesitation creeped into my heart, but it was too late. If I had taken over the kids body once he died? Well that would be fair game....but even if I had taken over his body forcibly? I found no regret on my conscious...

I was selfish, there was no denying it. Maybe I was even a parasite...A ghost, haunting some poor boy... Either way, I was going to desperately cling to this second chance I had gotten. My goals at first were to find a way to pass time peacefully. But now it was completely different.

After going through that near death experience. It was obvious what I had to do. Only one thing mattered right now..... Strength...

I needed to get stronger... not just physically... but magically... Magic was might, and I was going to go to any length to gain that power. It's in front of you guys....what seemed to be a life or death encounter for me..... was solved by a simple spell from Dalton.

Was that not power? I will admit, I was greedy for it. Brooding in my thoughts, Dalton looked at me with some pity. Perhaps, he did know the reality, or the version that had happened before I took over this life. Was I abandoned? Sent away from danger?. None of that mattered really, I was going to live my own life.

"You are still young. Boy..... I didn't expect you to be a natural legilimens, but it is best if you learn to restrain that power. People don't appreciate probing of the mind", Dalton stated as I tried to look into his eyes. So that's what it was?...

Legilimency, the mind arts. It did explain why I felt I could read his emotions, but the main aspect was the fact that I could use it. My talent in magic must be pretty solid if I could use such a thing from birth. He did mention natural legilimens, because I was doing it unconsciously.

"Times are hard right now, the situation outside Romania is unstable, I am sorry but for now I cannot let you leave Romania. You will be staying with us until we find your origins", a somber voice resounded in the room.

Romania.... so that's where this is?. Eastern Europe, Romania, probably near the 1970s....

Of course, I was glad that it turned out this way, I had no where to go anyways. But my curiosity did get the better of me. The fact that he was willing to help a stranded child and took upon this responsibility....

"Are you an Auror?" I said with a meek voice. That was the only conclusion, either he was somehow affiliated with the ministry around these parts, or he himself held some authority. There was no other reason for him to be concerned about my safety.

Hearing my question he did show a sly smile...

"Not exactly boy, but rest assured. I am an enforcer, It's my job to assure safety within bloodfly alley".

An enforcer?.....

Hearing his reply, I could conclude that the area I got lost in was called bloodfly alley. A weird name if you ask me.... I am sure it had something to do with vampires anyway.....

"You two should relax now. Dear, please drink this soup, careful.... its very hot", Sophie said as a bowl of hot chicken soup made its way to the table. Seeing as I was being fed, I didn't complain. They weren't as curious on who I was right now, probably Dalton had found something about my tragic past and shared it with her.

Seeing as he said he was an enforcer, someone who assured safety? I am sure he had connections in the right places.

I was curious still, and also infatuated with magic, I wanted to learn more. But for now I calmly sipped on my soup. No merit in rushing this.... I needed to take it slow.

My resolutions had already been made. I wanted strength, and from what it seemed to me, a gold mine of knowledge was sitting right across me.

There were also other thoughts in my head, seeing as I did legilimency without a wand... Could I perform other magic without a wand? I was a wizard, and that fact was set in stone. But if I could somehow use this ability to perform magic at will.. and without a wand?

It was surely groundbreaking. At this point I was lost in my thoughts, unaware of whatever they were talking about. Simply lost in my own day dreams about magic...