A/N: Previously when I tried writing this story, I felt huge pressure to hit a certain word count every chapter which allowed scenes to be read and written very choppy. So I decided on one to two scenes a chapter. This feels more organic, and I feel I can write better~
I also decided as a deviation from the typical gamer fic, to write in more game mechanics and reduce the over used 'OBSERVE' tool.
Normal Speech - regular text
Thoughts & Memories - italicized text
Non-English/Non-Human Language - bold italicized text
Game Announcements - bold text
Chapter 3
Narrator's POV
In the next week following Arelia's successful shopping trip at Diagon Alley, she trained like she never did before.
She started working out every morning: calisthenics (different exercises she learned from her past life), running about the neighborhood, etc. And she raised her stats by a fair amount, though she's still saving up her stat points. She rented a room at the Leaky to live in until it came time for the train ride. She also named the owl she got Hedwig.
Now you may be wondering- what happened to perks?
Well... here's the list of all available perks Arelia unlocked after she leveled up:
Shapeshifting - 8 Points
Extremely rare! The ability to shift into any animal with any mass just have to concentrate and poof!
Metamorph - 8 Points
Be a Metamorph just like Tonks is! (Who's Tonks?)
Friends All Around - 2 Points
Your ability to make friends is unparalleled, turn enemies into allies with this perk! Permanent +30 to CHARISMA
Wandless Magic - 6 Points
A skill that would take a million years to learn on your own, but here's a cheat! You can now do the basics, gotta practice for the bigger stuff!
Merlin's Eyes - 4 Points
The ability to see magic, wouldn't that be so cool?
Animagus Unlocked - 5 Points
You'll finally find out what your inner animal is!
Sorcery - 10 Points
There's different kind of magic here, didn'tcha know?
Speed Demon - 3 Points
You can run, and fast. It's almost supernatural.
Technomancy - 9 Points
The ability to manipulate technology with magic! Code spells, create unique and powerful artifacts, and search the mundane web!
And this is great and all... but Arelia only gets one perk point per level and so... yeah, the only one she could afford was 'Friends All Around.' But she was thinking of just saving her points for something better.
But let's go over some of the skills she has already and trained (well at least as much as one can when only non-wanded subjects can be practiced):
Skills (Abilities That Otherwise Normal People Do NOT Have):
Observe (LVL 8)
[Can only be used on objects only- currently only gives brief description and effects]
Basic Charms (LVL 15)
[Currently 15% Chance of Success, 50 MP Per Spell]
Basic Transfiguration (LVL 13)
[Currently 13% Chance of Success, 75 MP Per Spell]
Basic Potions (LVL 35)
[Currently 35% Chance of Success, 5 MP Per Potion]
Basic Defense Against the Dark Arts (LVL 20)
[Currently 20% Chance of Success 50 MP Per Spell]
Basic Astronomy (Level 50)
[Currently 50% Chance of Success]
Basic History of Magic (LVL 40)
Arelia finished reading all her school books and when she eventually read them all, practiced as much of the magic she could (stupid underage magic laws! we are totally getting around that!), she took a stroll through the different alleys converging from Diagon Alley.
Arelia's POV
Phew! Studying can be so boring at times, but I mean it's magic? Becoming the most badass witch ever?!
Anyways, I found something super exciting the other day while wandering about Diagon Alley. I was about to enter into what seemed like a hidden alley when I got this:
Ping! Diagon Alley Map Unlocked!
You have now unlocked the Map Feature!
You will only have access to a map in select locations, like Diagon Alley!
Side Alleys Unlocked:
Knockturn Alley
Vertic Alley
Horizont Alley
Each Alley has something special to explore and it will be up to you to find out what it is!
Quest Alert!
Explore the different Alleys!
-Knockturn Alley
-Vertic Alley
-Horizont Alley
Success:
-500 XP
-?
-?
Do you accept this quest?
YES / NO
I quickly hit 'YES' and immediately start checking my pockets for my moleskin pouch. I carefully checked how much money was left (only 22 galleons and some change) and quickly decided on a trip to Gringotts just fill it up a bit more.
I pivot and start heading towards the huge marble building. I enter and get into one of the shorter lines.
I'm at the front of the line and notice I had a different teller from last time.
"I'd like to access my vault please," I say politely.
"Name?"
"Arelia Potter," I say in a somewhat hushed voice, trying not to attract attention to myself. The goblin merely raises an eyebrow and scrutinizes me carefully.
"And do you have proof of identity?"
"What do you mean? I was here a couple weeks ago, and you had no trouble letting me into my vault!" I exclaim with indignation.
"Hm... very well, follow me Ms. Potter, there is a simple solution to this."
Confused, I hurry to follow him. We walked down a long, almost never-ending hallway until we stop right in front of a set of doors that have a sign 'Inheritance & Ancestry Department.'
'If you are who you say you are, you should not be scared. But if Gringotts finds that you are trying to obtain treasure beneath our walls that is not yours to take… well I hear the dragons have been very hungry lately." And with that wonderful message, he walks off.
I pull open the door and flick my eyes around the room. The back wall was lined with book shelves and a mahogany desk stood grandly in front of it. The goblin sitting behind that desk looked austere and quite fierce.
"What can I do for you, human?" He asks.
"I guess I'm here to do an inheritance test to prove my identity," I say as I cautiously creep in to the cavernous room.
"Well don't just stand around, sit down already," The goblin grumbled (a goblin whose name is apparently Gornuk).
He pulled out a sheet of parchment and handed me a black quill. "Write your full name."
I took the quill and winced sharply when I felt a stinging sensation as I wrote my name.
Ping! -50 HP
The ink was apparently my blood. Gornuk snatched the parchment back and before I could protest, the cuts in my wrist slowly started to fade away.
"Hmm… Very Interesting indeed," he passes the parchment back to me, "Would you like to file the paperwork to obtain your inheritances today?"
I shot him a confused look and started reading the parchment, increasingly shocked.
Name: Arelia Lily Potter
Father: James Potter
Mother: Lily Potter nee Evans/?
Species: Demigod
Inherited Lines/Estates:
Primary Heir to the Potter Family:
Vault 587 - The Potter Vault
Vault 621- Potter Trust Vault
Potter's Cottage (Godric's Hollow, UK)
Boar's Valley Manor (Scottish Highlands, UK)
Marauder's Den (London, UK)
Primary Heir to the Peverell Family
Vault 329 - The Peverell Vault
No Known Estates
Secondary Heir to the Black Family
Vault 292 - ! Cannot Access without Permission from Primary Heir
12 Grimmauld Place (London, UK)
Access Granted to Vault 13 - ! Requires Director's Immediate Attention
Ping! Ping! Ping! Ping! Ping!
Okay... I have so many questions. Ignoring the notification sounds for a bit.
Why is there a question mark next to mom's name and what is a demigod?
How am I the heir to so many families?
"I'm confused," I state plainly to the visibly amused goblin.
"Please wait a moment while I call the director, it has been many decades since one of your kind has graced our halls." He gets up and makes his way to the door, pauses for a minute, and goes, "Please don't touch anything while I'm gone, I will know if you do," and hobbles out the door. The door making an audible click sound.
I watch the door close, and I take a moment to let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.
I refocus and open up the notifications that popped up:
Quest Complete! Finally! Find Out Who You Truly Are (At Least in This World)
Find out more about your birth parents and the secrets in your blood!
Success:
You learn more about how your powers came to be!
+5000 XP
+Ability to see past the mist
I check out the remaining notifications and I received three of these:
Ping! Congratulations! You Leveled Up!
I also received another quest alert:
Quest Alert! Find out who your godly parent is!
Success:
+Bloodline Powers
+5000 XP
+?
I had just dismissed these notifications when I hear footsteps approaching from the hallway. Just in time. Gornuk opens the door for who I assume is the director and bows to him and leaves the room?
I'm now pretty nervous as I really can't mess up this meeting.
The director moves to sit in the chair across from me and stares me straight in the eyes without saying anything?!
Well, two can play this game and so I simply stare right back at him trying not to let my nervousness show.
After a tense couple of minutes, he booms out a sharp laugh.
"Ah, you demigods are quite an interesting bunch, aren't you? I am Ragnok, director of this branch of Gringotts, it is good to meet a fellow warrior!"
Confused by the interaction, I ask, "How can I be a demigod? I'm fairly certain my parents were normal people…"
"Bah," Ragnok waved off my question, "There are many ways a dedicated witch could gain the attention of a deity. The more interesting question is who is your godly parent?"
My heart skips a beat. "And" I say slowly, "Would Gringotts be able to help me figure that out?"
He grins a shark's smile, "For a fee, Gringotts can do anything."
"How much?" I internally start dreading his response.
"10,000 galleons," then he continues smoothly, "of course we would be willing to waive the fee of taking the gold out of your vault for you."
I internally baulk at the number and as confidently as I can, try to haggle, "1,000 Galleons."
He scoffs at me, "We are a bank not a charity, 9,000 galleons and two goblin made artifacts from your vault."
"2,500 and half of the goblin made artifacts in my vault."
"6,000 and three-quarters of the goblin made artifacts."
"4,500 and all of the goblin-made artifacts in my vault"
"Deal," he grins like the cat that caught the canary.
"Deal," feeling slightly less sure but knowing it doesn't feel like a loss since the stuff wasn't mine until today.
"Let's first deal with your human inheritances."
He goes over in detail the hard currency in the vaults, the various properties, and investments my family had made in the centuries of its existence. Some properties definitely needed renovations, and some were perfectly fine if caked in dust.
He also pulls out rings. He explains that I'm now head of the Potter and Peverell families and that I'm entitled to the headship of the family.
He watches closely as I slip the rings on my finger one by one and nods when I put the last one on.
"Now as for your godly parent… Follow me." He gets up and walks towards the door holding it open for me. We walk down the hallway making a bunch of turns until we stop right in front of the underground system holding the vaults.
He calls for a cart runner, who literally runs towards us pulling a cart on tracks.
"Take us to vault 13."
The cart runner pales and looks back at me and back at Ragnok and hurries to start the cart. If I thought the carts were fast before, it felt like light speed now. I struggle to hang on and peek a glance at Ragnok somehow looking completely unphased. Lucky bastard.
We finally reach the vault and get out of the cart. I'm feeling a bit green but luckily it quickly passes.
I move to approach the doors, but I notice Ragnok standing way back and shoot him an inquiring look.
Seeing my look, he says, "Only the vault owner can open the vault. Place your palm against the door and hopefully it lets you in…" he leads off suggestively.
I shoot him an annoyed glance and brace myself.
I place my palm gently against the door.
Nothing.
Then.
Ping!
Would You Like to Access Vault 13?
YES / NO
I think 'YES' and the door starts to glow slightly and open slowly.
I walk in and there are three podiums.
The left podium had an old looking scroll on it. The right podium had a book propped up and had a title on the front in Olde English, 'Grimoire.' Oddly, the middle podium simply held a large brazier with blue fire.
I decide to look at the scroll first.
Dearest Arelia,
I suppose it's about the time you're off to school. You may be wondering who I am. My name is Hestia, and I am your godly parent. How? It isn't easy to describe. Your parents were bright flames calling to me for help. They so desperately wanted a child, you. I helped them, I forged you from the fires of my hearth and James and Lily blood-adopted you. In a way, you have three parents. You are my only child; all I have on the mortal plane is yours to access. Take the grimoire and brazier with you. You will know why soon enough.
I love you,
Hestia
Ping!
A tear slides down my face as I read the letter. But my sadness quickly turns to shock when the once almost empty vault turned a brilliant gold, with piles and piles of galleons and some other currency I couldn't recognize. The vault that was big enough to house a dragon was suddenly filled to the brim.
I carefully place the scroll, brazier (which was surprisingly not hot?), and the grimoire in my inventory. I pull out the moleskin pouch and quickly shovel a couple handfuls of coins in, just enough for my shopping trip-which is totally happening tomorrow.
I walk out of the vault and the three of us head back up to the surface. Ragnok finishes off the meeting with pleasantries and a request to continue going over my finances via owl post. I agree and start walking back to the Leaky Cauldron absentmindedly.
I got back to my room and pull out the brazier (which was still lit by the way!) and the grimoire.
I placed both on the desk and moved to study them both when I heard a voice call out my name.
"Arelia?"
I look around my room in panic, only for me to realize there was a face in the fire. A face in the fire?
"Mom?"
"Yes, darling?"
"Is it really you?"
"Yes, dear. I felt the changes in the fire, and I just wanted to pop in and see how you were."
"I'm so happy, mom. Will I be able to talk to you through this fire anytime?"
"Yes, as the hearth is part of my domain, you will always be welcome at my hearth. I hate to drop off so soon but there will be a council meeting soon. I will talk to you later, I promise. Love you, Lia." Mom blows a kiss at me and disappears from the fire.
I let out a deep breath and fall back into my seat. I am so overwhelmed right now. I've been overwhelmed. I suddenly remember the notification from earlier and pull it up.
Quest Completed!
Find out who your godly parent is!
Success:
+Bloodline Powers (Fire Manipulation & Food Generation)
+5000 XP
+A map to Camp Half-Blood
Ping! Ping! Ping!
And I'm not proud to say it but, I fainted.
Current Stats
Name: Arelia Lily Potter
Level: 17 (1050/1700)
Species: Demigod
HP: 2700
MP: 2700
(As your mana grows, so too does your HP, currently +100 for every level)
Active Buffs:
Clearsighted (+5 to INT, +5 to WIS)
Holly & Phoenix Feather Wand (+2 to all STATS}
Active Debuffs:
Curse Scar (from Lord Voldemort, -50 MP/Hour)
Titles:
Girl-Who-Lived (equipped)
[+10 to LUK, +5 to CHA)
Stats:
STR - 17 (+2)
AGI - 18 (+2)
DEX - 20 (+2)
INT - 23 (+7)
WIS - 19 (+7)
LUK - 4 (+12)
CHA - 9 (+7)
Remaining stat points (currently three for every level increase): 51
Skills (Abilities That Otherwise Normal People Do NOT Have):
Observe (LVL 8)
[Can only be used on objects only- currently only gives brief description and effects]
Basic Charms (LVL 15)
[Currently 15% Chance of Success, 50 MP Per Spell]
Basic Transfiguration (LVL 13)
[Currently 13% Chance of Success, 75 MP Per Spell]
Basic Potions (LVL 35)
[Currently 35% Chance of Success, 5 MP Per Potion]
Basic Defense Against the Dark Arts (LVL 20)
[Currently 20% Chance of Success 50 MP Per Spell]
Basic Astronomy (Level 50)
[Currently 50% Chance of Success)
Basic History of Magic (LVL 40)
Fire Manipulation (LVL 1)
Food Generation (LVL 1)
Perks (Available Points: 7):
TBD
Inventory:
522G 67S 33K
Hestia's Scroll
Hestia's Brazier
Hestia's Grimoire
Map of Diagon Alley
Map to Camp Half-Blood
3x Work Robes
1x Pointed Hat
1x Winter Cloak
1x Dragon-hide gloves
1x Brass Scale
1x Crystal Phials
1x Pewter Cauldron
1x Telescope
1x The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1
1x A History of Magic
1x Magical Theory
1x A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration
1x One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi
1x Magical Drafts and Potions
1x Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
1x The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection