HARRY POTTER :A New Player

Harry woke up to a now-familiar ping echoing in his ears. He groaned and rubbed his eyes, half-expecting another notification to be floating in front of him.

[Daily Quest Completed: Survive the Dursley Household (Day 2)]

• Complete daily chores (5/5) ✔

• Avoid Dudley's wrath (1/1) ✔

• Find a place to safely read your book (1/1) ✔

Rewards: +5 EXP, +1 to DEX, Loaf of Stale Bread (1)

Harry squinted at the screen. "Stale bread? Really?" He rolled his eyes but accepted the reward anyway. It wasn't like he could be picky about food in this house.

He sat up slowly and stretched, glancing at his Status screen.

[Status]

Name: Harry Potter

Level: 3 (EXP 40/500)

HP: 105/105

MP: 50/50

STR: 2

VIT: 5

DEX: 5

INT: 1

WIS: 1

LUC: 3

CHA: 1

Points Available: 0

Seeing his Dexterity increase brought a small smile to his face. All that sneaking around the house was paying off. He felt lighter, quicker, and more in control of his movements. Maybe he'd level up his Strength next; after all, having a bit more muscle could come in handy when lifting Dudley's discarded junk during chores.

The Letter That Changed Everything

Just as Harry was contemplating his skill tree, a loud thud echoed from the front door.

"BOY!" Uncle Vernon's booming voice shattered his thoughts. "GET THE MAIL!"

Harry sighed and scrambled out of the cupboard, making his way to the front door. As he reached down to grab the stack of letters, something peculiar caught his eye. A thick parchment envelope, unlike any of the usual bills and advertisements. His name was written in elegant, emerald-green ink.

Harry Potter

The Cupboard Under the Stairs

4 Privet Drive

Little Whinging, Surrey

His heart pounded. No one ever sent him letters, let alone ones addressed so specifically. He hesitated for a moment before grabbing it and stuffing it under his shirt. Pretending nothing was amiss, he handed the rest of the mail to Uncle Vernon and hurried back to his cupboard.

Once inside, he pulled out the letter and examined it carefully. A wax seal with an ornate 'H' adorned the back. His hands trembled slightly as he broke it open and unfolded the parchment.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1st. We await your owl by no later than July 31st.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

Harry's head spun. "Witchcraft… wizardry…?" he murmured, rereading the letter.

Suddenly, his Game Interface pinged.

[Main Quest Updated: The Hogwarts Letter]

• Open the letter ✔

• Survive Dursley interference (0/1)

• Prepare for your Hogwarts journey (0/1)

Reward: +50 EXP, +1 INT, Wand Selection Quest unlocked

"Survive Dursley interference… of course," Harry muttered, barely finishing the thought before he heard a sharp knock on his cupboard door.

"WHAT are you doing in there, boy?" Uncle Vernon's voice thundered.

Harry stuffed the letter under his mattress. "Nothing, Uncle Vernon," he called, trying to sound casual.

"Come out and make breakfast!" Vernon barked, stomping off.

Harry let out a breath. "Great," he muttered. He had a feeling that hiding this from the Dursleys would be harder than sneaking toast from the fridge.

The Stats of Magic

Once breakfast was over and Harry was left to his chores, he snuck a few minutes to glance at his Quest Log, where a new objective had appeared.

[Quest: Magic Basics]

To prepare for your time at Hogwarts, you must understand your innate magic.

• Discover how to channel magic (0/1)

• Learn a basic spell (0/1)

• Hide your magic use from the Dursleys (0/1)

Reward: +25 EXP, Unlock "Mana Control" Skill

Harry grinned. If magic was real, then that meant he could actually do things. He closed his eyes and focused, trying to sense something different within himself.

At first, there was nothing. Just the usual warmth of the summer air and the smell of detergent lingering from his scrubbing duties. But then… he felt it. A strange, tingling sensation deep within his chest, as if something was waiting to be unleashed.

"Come on…" he whispered, focusing harder.

[Skill Created: Mana Sense Lv.1]

You have unlocked the ability to sense magical energy within yourself and your surroundings.

+2% control over magical output.

Harry's eyes snapped open in shock. "I actually did it," he whispered. He felt a tiny pulse, like an invisible heartbeat of energy flowing beneath his skin.

Testing his newfound sense, he pointed at a nearby plastic cup and willed it to move.

The cup vibrated slightly before tipping over.

[Skill Created: Wandless Magic Lv.1]

You have tapped into your latent magical abilities without a wand.

+1% effectiveness for basic spells.

Harry nearly whooped in excitement, but a loud THUMP from upstairs reminded him to keep quiet. He wiped the sweat off his brow. This was… incredible. If he could do this without even trying, what would happen when he learned real spells?

But his celebration was short-lived.

The Dursleys' Wrath

Dinner that evening was tense. Uncle Vernon had been muttering about "those blasted freaks," and Aunt Petunia kept sending Harry suspicious glances. Dudley, oblivious as usual, continued stuffing his face.

Then Vernon spoke. "Boy," he grunted, staring at him with narrowed eyes. "Did you… get any letters today?"

Harry forced himself to stay calm. "Just bills, Uncle Vernon," he lied smoothly, keeping his face neutral.

[Skill Check: Charisma - SUCCESS]

Your deception has worked.

Vernon huffed, satisfied, and went back to his meal. Harry let out a relieved breath and mentally checked off another quest objective.

[Quest Progress: The Hogwarts Letter]

• Open the letter ✔

• Survive Dursley interference ✔

• Prepare for your Hogwarts journey (0/1)

His mind whirled with plans. He needed to figure out how to get his school supplies and make it to Hogwarts without the Dursleys ruining everything.

As he lay down in his cupboard that night, he whispered, "Game Menu."

A list of his quests, stats, and skills appeared in front of him. He stared at it in awe.

This was his life now. A game.

And he was ready to play.

End of Chapter 3