In a large four-poster bed, a young boy lay in a deep sleep, sunlight gradually filtering through the open balcony doors.
"Ugh, what hit me?" Adrian muttered, his hands moving to his forehead as he slowly blinked his eyes open. As his vision cleared, he stared at the unfamiliar ceiling. "Man, that was rough."
Memories of the events before he lost consciousness flooded back, and Adrian sat up with a gasp.
His eyes scanned the lavish bedroom, a far cry from what he was used to. "Where did he send me?"
A massive bookcase dominated one wall, reminiscent of something you'd find in a national library. Beside it sat a desk and a chair. The walls were adorned with subtle artwork, and several plants were placed around the room. A plush carpet covered the floor.
As Adrian took in his surroundings, he became aware of subtle changes in his body. It didn't feel drastically different, but there was something.
"Am I… smaller?" He lifted his hands, confirming his suspicion.
Standing, Adrian hurried to the nearest door, opening it to reveal an adjoining bathroom. He caught sight of himself in the mirror and froze.
"Who the hell is this?" Adrian exclaimed.
A boy, maybe ten or eleven years old, stared back at him. He had striking amber eyes, an aristocratic face, and soft, slightly wavy, long blonde hair.
"No way," Adrian muttered. "Did he really have to be so obvious? I'm a dead ringer for Alucard."
He examined the younger version of the immortal dhampir. Even with the smaller frame, the boy had a lean build and a face that could grace the silver screen.
Taking a deep breath, Adrian left the bathroom and continued his exploration. Leaving the bedroom, he was again awestruck by the... well, it wasn't quite a house. It was more like a cross between a mansion and a castle.
A long hallway led to a grand marble staircase that split in two. Following them down, he found himself in front of the main doors, in a foyer large enough to hold a small crowd.
"Hello? Anyone here?" Adrian called out, wondering if he had parents in this world. 'Hopefully not. I don't think I could go from being essentially independent to having a doting family.'
Lost in thought, he almost missed the distinct pop behind him.
"Master Tepes! How can Grim be of service?" a small, squeaky voice said.
Whirling around, Adrian saw the strangest creature he had ever encountered. "What! Who are you? What are you?" he asked, a little too quickly.
"I am Master Tepes' house-elf, Grim. Does Master need a potion for a headache?" the creature replied.
'The damn God has a sense of humor, doesn't he? I'm Master Tepes now. He gave me Alucard's looks and lineage. A house-elf means I'm in Harry Potter, doesn't it?'
Adrian cycled through a range of emotions before squaring his shoulders and offering a gentle smile.
"No need, Grim. I think I just bumped my head a bit. Could you answer a few questions for me?" he asked.
Grim nodded eagerly, awaiting his master's inquiries.
"First, what year is it? How old am I, and where are we? And… where are my parents?"
Grim's expression turned somewhat somber. Perhaps his master was more injured than he realized.
"Master, it is currently February 28th, 1992. Your eleventh birthday is tomorrow. Tepes Manor is located in the Transylvanian Alps, in Romania." Grim paused, looking at Adrian with a hint of sadness. "Master is the last of the Tepes line. He will become Lord Tepes on his eleventh birthday."
Adrian absorbed the information, stunned.
'I start my magical education in just over six months.' He knew he had to be magical. He wouldn't be a Lord without magic in his blood, and physically becoming Adrian Fahrenheit Țepeș meant he had power—likely a considerable amount.
Nodding, he pushed his golden hair behind his ears and smiled at Grim. "Thanks, you've cleared things up for me. I'm a bit peckish; could you make me some breakfast?"
Grim beamed and turned, heading towards the large kitchen that Adrian could see beyond the foyer.
_____
"Well, Grim. That was the best meal I've ever had!" Adrian declared. 'My first meal here, anyway.'
It seemed the being who'd sent him here had a flair for the dramatic. Adrian found himself in this new world with no memories of his own, only the knowledge he'd gleaned from fanfiction and original stories.
He'd casually asked Grim about his parents, learning they'd disappeared without a trace. 'They probably didn't even exist. This whole backstory was fabricated for me.'
Standing, Adrian wandered through the ground floor until he found two large oak doors. 'Please let this be a library,' he thought. Pushing the doors open, he grinned.
"Bingo!"
It was another lavish room, one that would put any library from his previous life to shame. Moving towards the center, Adrian read the note on the study table.
'To use the library, state your research requirements aloud. Books will appear on the right side of the table. Place completed books on the left side to be returned to their original places.'
Humming, Adrian thought for a moment. "I need books on family law, specifically on the last of lines, along with ICW law."
Adrian was taking a gamble with this request. He'd read enough fanfiction to know that people often tried to manipulate orphaned heirs for financial gain. 'The number of stories where Dumbledore or the Malfoys tried to steal Harry's inheritance is insane.'
In addition, Adrian needed information on his independence, especially if he planned to study abroad. The last thing he wanted was for some foreign power to control his life outside of school.
_____
Five hours later, Adrian closed the final book, a content sigh escaping his lips. He smiled.
"Firstly, Romania is outside of ICW jurisdiction. As a citizen here, no one can circumvent or create laws to dictate my life, especially in another country. Secondly, as the last of my line, I need to visit the local Gringotts tomorrow to accept my lordship. Once that's complete, I'll be legally and magically recognized as an adult."
Placing the books on the left side of the table, Adrian watched as they disappeared back into the shelves. He hummed in satisfaction, enjoying the sight of magic in action.
Then something nagged at his memory.
'Oh, shit! System, are you there?!' Adrian thought.
A blue panel appeared in front of his face.
[Name: Adrian Fahrenheit Țepeș
Race: Dhampir (Vampire/Human)
Age: 10
World: Harry Potter
Assimilation: 1%
Skills:
- Magic (Wanded/Wandless)
- Dhampir Body (Superhuman Strength, Speed, Durability, Agility, Stamina, Senses)
- Genius Intelligence
- Devour (Consumed blood can aid in faster assimilation, additional skills, or benefits.)
Inventory:
- Heirloom Ring (Currently able to turn into Heirloom Wand. Increased assimilation will lead to more forms.)
- Gringotts Key
- Heirs Ring]
Each detail made Adrian vibrate with excitement. It was real. He wasn't dreaming. He truly had Alucard's abilities. Even the Devour ability was listed.
"This is incredible!" Adrian exclaimed, half to himself.
"Maybe I should test out this new body of mine? I can always start using magic tomorrow, after I gain my Lordship. I have six months to get ahead of everyone else. I'm not going to be mediocre." Adrian vowed.