The 20th of February 1986.
Kieran looked at the date, he was now 6 years old.
His parents and Aunt Abi had woken him with song, and Aunt Abi had set off some magical fireworks in his room, to his mum’s exasperation.
At least his mum and dad had gotten used to Aunt Abi’s and his display of magic in the house, his mum barely shook her head anymore!
As he woke up and dressed for the day, he joined his family at the breakfast table, seeing four brightly coloured presents waiting for him.
He blinked in surprise at seeing four, he expected a gift from each person.
Who is the fourth one from?
He sat down between his mum and Aunt Abi, looking wondering at the presents.
“Which one should I open first mum?” he asked his mum, the true leader of the household, despite what his dad said.
“Well, the blue one is from your dad, the purple one is from your aunt, the yellow one is from me, and finally the green one is from Mr. Craig,” his mum said, a smile in her eyes.
Kieran looked at the green gift in surprise, having not expected Mr.
Craig to actually give him a gift for his birthday.
Especially considering he had been so kind to respond to all his letters the last year.
He can’t help but think back on the excitement he got when Mr.
Craig responded to his first letter, that Hogwarts’s location was somewhere in the Scottish Highlands.
Then Mr.
Craig proceeded to list the answers to his other questions, including the existence of Hogsmeade near Hogwarts, confirming to Kieran that his knowledge from his prior life still held some water.
It was a good day.
The owl mail exchange only continued after that day.
Excitedly, Kieran started unpacking the gift from Mr.
Craig.
It was a book.
It had a grey covering and had no exciting features; he read the title.
The Ministry Explained: A Plain Guide to Magical Governance, By Cornelius Pittsworth.
Curious about the kind of book this was, he read the index and it was exactly what it sounded like.
A layperson’s guide to how the Ministry of Magic was structured, what each department did, how laws were passed and enforced in magical Britain.
Would likely be a dry read for most, but since this topic was about his new magical reality, it would be easy for him to devour this book.
Kieran hugged the book, knowing this was the first magic related book that was solely his, not borrowed from Aunt Abi.
His book.
Next Kieran started opening his dad’s gift, removing the blue covering, finding a box with a note attached to it saying it should only be opened in his room when he was alone.
Kieran looks suspiciously at his dad who gave him a smile.
“Don’t worry son, I am sure you will love it,” his dad said with a wink.
Shaking his head, Kieran put the box to the side after giving his dad a hug as thanks for the gift, despite still not knowing what it was.
He then opened his mom’s yellow gift, finding a long rainbow coloured scarf, black gloves, and a silver monocle.
“I had your aunt help me with the monocle, it is magically enchanted to keep itself in place, no matter how active you get, it will never fall off until you take it off,” his mum said, looking proud at the gift.
I love it!
The scarf was pretty, and the gloves were sorely needed since his current ones had holes in them.
The monocle, however, was the best part of the gift.
He had wanted a monocle for himself ever since Mr.
Craig wore one when he visited for the first time, it looked so wicked.
He smiled happily and hugged his mum as thanks for the gift.
“Finally, my turn I see,” his Aunt Abi clapped smilingly, pushing her purple gift toward him after he sat back down.
Kieran patiently removed the purple covering…and the next layer of covering…and the next…and the next.
Finally, after dumbfoundedly removing 50 layers of paper, that seems to be enchanted to prevent one from removing several layers at once, he reached the end.
An empty box with a single note inside it.
He glanced at his aunt seeing the excited smile.
He read the note out loud.
“To my dearest little nephew, I wanted to give you a magical gift that I could never share with a muggle child. This note is a promise for a years’ worth of magical candy; you decide what you want. Of course, your parents will try to limit your intake, as they should. However, just say the word and auntie will smuggle some in for you.”
“…you weren’t supposed to read the last line out loud,” Aunt Abi smiled shyly, while avoiding the piercing eyes of Kieran’s mum.
Kieran leaned in and gave his aunt a big hug.
“Thanks for the gift Aunt Abi! Can my first magical candy be your favourite? I want to eventually try them all!”
After breakfast, Kieran entered his room wearing the rainbow scarf and the silver monocle over his left eye, smiling brightly when he saw himself in his mirror.
He placed his dad’s box on the bed, preparing to find out why his dad wanted his gift to be a secret.
When he opened the box, he finds a small book inside.
He blinked and opened the book.
It was a book describing pranks with magic.
It is a bit over a month until April’s fools, does dad want me to continue after the tragic failure last time?
Kieran carefully flipped through the pages; a lot of the pranks were things he had no idea how to do yet.
One prank, however, described a one-way mirror, which reminded him of his mastery of illusions the last year.
Just before Christmas, he had a breakthrough.
He tried invoking the emotions of fear and wonder at the same time when trying to create the image of his meeting with Aunt Abi.
The image collapsed almost instantly.
Therefore, he tried emotions nearer each other instead.
He tried invoking the emotions of sharpness and fear.
The result was still having the kitchen knife becoming very distinct in the image, but the moment he looked at the knife, he flinched.
After several attempts he realized it was possible to imbue illusionary images with the very emotions that helped create them.
As he thought on the one-way mirror again, he wondered if it was possible to imbue an image with the emotions that would make you overlook the image, allowing Kieran to make an illusion that would make one lower their guard.
The question is, can I use this method to lower the guard of a vengeful witch?
…
Over the next weeks, Kieran practised his light and illusion magic.
He was after a year of daily training of his magic, draining his reserves until empty, capable of doing basic magic for four hours, and more advanced magic for half that time.
It was during mid-March he managed a breakthrough in his preparations.
Kieran was standing with his back to the wall watching his dad fix a chair in the shed, several times his dad’s eyes moved over where he stood, but there was no recognition in his dad’s eyes, as if he didn’t see Kieran.
After an hour of standing in silence and watching his dad, his dad left with the now fixed chair.
Kieran stepped forward, walking through the illusionary image in front of him and looked back at his creation.
Three different illusionary images, each placed to hide Kieran standing at the wall.
The images each depicting the wall from a specific angle.
He was hidden in plain sight behind the illusionary images.
It worked.
This is so wicked!
The emotions used for these images were carefully selected.
Emotions of feeling safe, of feeling protected.
Alongside sturdiness to give the images the same feelings as the wall.
Finally, he focused on the emotion of shyness, the desire to hide away from the eyes of others.
Imbuing a minor form of misdirection into the images.
His dad’s eyes were encouraged by the magic to look away.
The big question was, and always would be, would the tricks that work on a muggle, work on an experienced witch?
…
When the 1st of April hits, April Fool’s Day, Kieran watched as his Aunt Abi emerges from the guest room, looking suspiciously at him while he was eating his morning toast with his mum.
“What’s wrong Aunt Abi?” Kieran innocently asked.
Aunt Abi squinted at him and looked around the kitchen until she finally nodded.
“It seems you inherited your dad’s wisdom; I can admire that.”
Kieran tilted his head, pretending to be unsure what she was talking about, before nodding to himself.
“Oh! That time was because I was a bit flustered after the heavy talk we had, and well…your payback was thorough…It was not worth it,” Kieran said and pretended to hang his head sadly.
“I am sorry for pranking you last year auntie…”
He heard his Aunt Abi sputter and get flustered, before he was embraced in a hug.
“Hey, it is okay Kieran. I was maybe a bit too thorough in the payback. Never think I am mad at you!”
Kieran hugged Aunt Abi back and afterwards, all three of them naturally got some breakfast.
His mum and Aunt Abi started talking about their plans for the day, with Kieran saying he had planned to play in the back garden with his magic.
The day continued in normal peace.
Late afternoon his dad came home from work and appeared surprised at nothing special having happened.
As Kieran watched his dad prepare to go change from his work clothes, he approached his dad.
“Dad, can I show you something outside?”
His dad looked up and smiled.
Kieran took his dad to his meditation spot, and saw his dad look around, spotting nothing out of place, before tilting his head and looking at Kieran.
“Okay dad, so, you mentioned that when you were kids, Aunt Abi had an internal rule that revenge on the kids you lived around was only allowed as long as it was the same day. Once you go to bed, April Fool’s is over,” Kieran said, before hesitantly continuing.
“You mentioned to mum that the neighbour is on a small holiday and asked you to look out for his house…Can I get the keys and go hide in that house until my bedtime?”
He watched his dad process in real-time what was actually happening.
“Son, you did something that she hasn’t discovered yet, didn’t you?” his dad said with a raised eyebrow.
When Kieran hesitantly nodded, his dad scoffed a laugh and reached into his keychain and withdraws the key to the neighbours’ house, handing it to Kieran.
“I will not snitch, but I also will not lie. If she asks for the key and I don’t have it, she will figure out where you are,” his dad said.
Kieran nodded and hugged his dad and ran to the neighbours’ house by finding the weak spot in the hedge between the two properties.
…
Victoria was preparing dinner when she saw her husband come inside, looking tired after work.
She kissed her dear husband and smiled warmly.
“Welcome home Hector, how was work?”
She listened to him groan as he sat down at the table.
“There is a lot of stress regarding planning for the new client, I am just happy being home,” Hector said as he relaxed in the kitchen chair.
“How is Abi doing?”
“I expected some chaos in the morning but turns out the pranking was a one-time thing from our son last year. Abigail’s revenge must have had the same effect it did you back when you were young. So, Abigail has been very relaxed today,” she said, then she noticed the faint smile on her husband’s face.
“He…no, don’t tell me, just make sure he actually eats,” she said, as she shook her head fondly.
When dinner was ready she called for Kieran and Abigail, and they sat on their chairs.
Despite everyone being able to sit everywhere, the adults have noticed that Kieran preferred it when everyone had a designated chair, so they unconsciously started following this little wish.
Victoria watched Abigail walk in with a pep in her step as always, wearing a beautiful red dress with golden stripes, she pulled out her normal looking chair.
Abigail sat down.
BRRRRAAAAAAPPPPPPTTTT
All three adults froze.
The moment Abigail sat down, several illusory images on the chair seat broke, revealing a whoopie cushion, producing a disgusting fart sound when Abigail sat down.
Making Abigail freeze and grow red in the face, with Hector almost falling off his chair due to dying of laughter.
Victoria can’t help the small giggle she produced, which only deepened the redness on Abigail’s face.
Slowly Victoria watched as the embarrassment on Abigail’s face gave way to indignation and a desire for payback.
“That little brat played me…He made me think he wasn’t going to do anything!” she exclaimed, and glared around her, seeing no sign of Kieran.
Before Abigail could storm off, Victoria interjected.
“Abigail, please finish dinner before you chase down Kieran. I am sure he will reveal himself when he gets hungry.”
Words that Victoria had to eat again when Abigail searched the entire house and garden, with herself and magic, without finding her son.
Victoria could see that it was frustrating for Abigail, and that Abigail was suspicious of her and Hector.
Likely realizing that Kieran wouldn’t disappear without at least letting one parent know; but asking for help against a 6-year-old kid, rattled her pride, she would never ask.
Eventually it reached bedtime and Abigail huffed as she sat down heavily in the couch next to Victoria.
“He got you!” Victoria said with a smile, as she glanced at Abigail.
“He got me. I underestimated the brat, I hope he enjoys this brief moment, because today is the last day he pranks me successfully,” Abigal said with a half proud, half smug smirk.
Both women looked toward the entrance to the living room as Hector came inside with Kieran, who quickly hid behind his dad.
“It is my bedtime! April Fool’s is over; you cannot take revenge!” Kieran said as he peeked out from behind Hector.
That is so cute!
Victoria looked fondly at her son hiding behind his dad, as if Hector was a towering mountain that Abigail would never overcome.
Abigail must have reached a similar thought, as she smiled.
“That is true but know this Kieran. I will not fall for the same trick twice, I now know you can hide things behind your illusions. It is no longer a blind spot for me,” Abigail said with a strict face, before giving a brilliant smile.
“Congratulations Kieran, you got me.”
Victoria watched as her son lost the tension he had been carrying before returning a bright smile, he got his own form of payback from last year.
She was so proud of him.
First bunch of chapters, I hope you like my story.
I know you likely hope to reach Hogwarts soon.
We will get there 😀
Step into the Restricted Section
You-know-where/Murtageyra
The first volume which I called Pre-Hogwarts, is finished in there ^^