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In 1980, in the quiet village of Biberel in Southwest Britain, the sky was dim, and a gentle drizzle fell over the land. Above, a massive Dark Mark flickered ominously, casting a shadow over the once-peaceful village.
Remus Lupin moved swiftly through the night, cradling a baby in his arms. The rain soaked his robes, but he pressed on, weaving between the cottages. Suddenly, a spell flew toward him. Remus rolled forward, narrowly dodging the curse as it exploded against the cobblestones behind him.
"Hand over the child, Lupin!" A harsh voice snarled from the shadows. "Prewett dared to defy the great Dark Lord. He signed his own death warrant."
A figure cloaked in black stepped into the faint light, his laughter twisted and cruel. "Who would have thought Gideon would leave behind a child? Kill him! Tonight, the Sacred Twenty-Eight loses a family forever. Hahahahaha!"
Remus tightened his grip on the baby. "Not if I can help it!"
Suddenly, a spell struck the black-robed attacker from behind, sending him sprawling to the ground. Arthur Weasley emerged from the gloom, wand raised, his face set with determination.
"Looks like I arrived just in time, Remus," Arthur said, glancing around warily.
Remus gave him a grateful nod. "Perfect timing. This child is the last of the Prewett line. Take him to Molly—keep him safe." He gently handed the baby to Arthur and drew his wand, ready for whatever else the night might bring.
"I got a message from Sirius," Remus added quickly. "He says I need to get to James now."
With a shimmer of magic, Remus vanished from Biberel, leaving Arthur alone with the child.
Arthur looked down at the baby, his expression softening. "Well, it's just you and me now, little one." He mounted his broom, tucking the baby securely against his chest, and sped off toward home.
At The Burrow, Arthur placed the child gently in Molly's arms. "I'm so sorry, Molly. Remus found him and gave him to me. He said this little one is Gideon's child—the last of the Prewett family."
Molly gazed down at the baby, her eyes filling with tears. For a long moment, she said nothing, her grief too deep for words.
Finally, she spoke, her voice trembling. "Arthur, let's raise him. I'm his last living relative."
Arthur nodded, understanding her pain. "Of course, Molly. He'll have Ron for company, and Merlin knows we have enough children to keep him busy."
He tried to lighten the mood, but the sorrow lingered between them.
"We'll write to Professor Dumbledore later," Arthur said gently. "Did Gideon mention his name?"
Molly wiped her eyes and nodded. "Aiden Prewett."
*****
A sudden awareness flickered in the baby's mind. "Where am I?" he wondered, opening his eyes to the unfamiliar world. "Aiden Prewett? Is that my name?"
A mechanical chime echoed in his thoughts. "Ding. Hello, Host. The Pathways System is at your service."
Aiden blinked, startled. "A system? I have a system? Where exactly am I"?
His memories flashed back to the night before—the mad laughter, the shadowy figure, the desperate flight. "Did I transmigrate? And Dark Lord, Remus… Could this be the Harry Potter world?"
"Ding. Affirmative," the System replied.
"System, what can you do?" Aiden asked, his curiosity piqued.
"This System is designed to aid your growth and help you ascend to the Divine Throne."
"Do you have a status panel? Show me."
A translucent screen appeared in his mind:
Name: Aiden Prewett
Age: 1
Talents (Max: 10):
Transfiguration: 7
Potions: 9
Charms: 7
Alchemy: 6
Herbology: 5
Dark Arts (Soul Studies): 8
Magic (Spirituality): ???
Bloodline:
Diluted Dragon Lineage
Known Spells:
None
Aiden felt a surge of pride. "Not bad at Potions," he thought. "System, is there a newbie pack?"
"Ding. Newbie Pack detected in the warehouse. Would you like to open it?"
"Yes, open it."
"Ding. Gift package opened. You have received one Audience Pathway Potion. Detecting Host is an infant; potion will be used automatically."
Aiden felt a gentle warmth spread through him. His mind sharpened, his senses heightened, and every detail of his short life became crystal clear.
"An Audience? Not a bad start. It's not for fighting, but I can always learn spells for that. Besides, as a baby, I doubt I'll be thrown into battle any time soon. Better to stay behind the scenes and quietly shape the world."
"System, any other functions?"
"Ding. This system can analyze the properties of potion ingredients you collect."
"For making advancement potions?" he wondered, but a wave of exhaustion overtook him. "I guess this body is still too young…" His thoughts faded as he drifted into a deep sleep.
When Aiden awoke the next morning, he found himself lying in a crib. To his left, another baby with a shock of red hair was sleeping soundly—clearly a Weasley.
"Is that Ron, one of the Golden Trio?" Aiden mused. He glanced to the other side, where Arthur and Molly Weasley sat nearby, reading letters delivered by owls and speaking in hushed tones.
"Molly, Dumbledore says the Dark Lord has been defeated," Arthur said, unable to hide his relief.
"Yes, Arthur, but did you finish reading the letter? James and Lily are gone, too. Poor Harry—he's so young and already orphaned. Why send him away from the wizarding world? There are so many who would take him in."
Arthur shook his head. "I don't know, but Dumbledore must have his reasons. We should trust him."
Aiden listened quietly, piecing together the timeline. "So last night was when the Boy Who Lived became famous, and Voldemort lost his body," he realized.
As he pondered, he sensed the potion within him being slowly digested. "Is this what it means to act as an audience? Just quietly observing, like a bystander eating melon seeds at a spectacle?" He almost laughed at the thought.
Just then, Molly noticed Aiden was awake. She stood, scooping up both babies—Ron in one arm, Aiden in the other.
"Arthur, the little ones are up. I'll take them for a walk in the garden," she called over her shoulder.
Aiden rolled his eyes. "Aunt Molly, is this really how you carry children? And please, let me keep observing… I mean, acting as an audience."
But Molly, of course, couldn't hear his thoughts. She strode toward the door, both babies in tow.
Arthur called after her, "Don't forget to come back for lunch. Professor Dumbledore is visiting, and I'll be home early from the Ministry."
"Got it!" Molly replied, not breaking stride.
Outside, Aiden finally got a good look at The Burrow. The house was crooked and ramshackle, with windows at odd angles and a roof that seemed to sag under its own weight. Yet despite its haphazard appearance, the place radiated warmth and security. Vines and flowers crept up the walls, and the garden overflowed with magical herbs and vegetables.
"It might look rundown," Aiden thought, "but it's full of life and magic. No wonder the future Savior called this place home."
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