I lay on my small bed in the orphanage, staring at the ceiling, letting my fingers trace patterns through the thin blanket. The world outside was alive, chaotic, and brimming with opportunity—and I, Elaine, was in the perfect position to seize it.
Gellert Grindelwald was rampaging across Europe, mainly Germany, with some trouble spilling into London. The wizarding world was distracted, fractured, and ripe for someone bold. The Fantastic Beasts were alive, creatures stirring, and the entire magical ecosystem was unstable. It was perfect.
I let my mind drift to the long-term. Hogwarts was just around the corner—my first true step in this world. And for someone like me, Slytherin was the only sensible choice. Of course, the Sorting Hat might hesitate, but my intellect, power, and my Merlin bloodline would leave no doubt. Slytherin offered political alliances, access to the most talented pureblood families, and resources beyond imagination.
I made a mental list:
Tom Riddle: Direct descendant of Salazar Slytherin. Brilliant, ambitious, the perfect ally—or plaything—for shaping the magical world. He was malleable if nudged correctly, and with guidance, could become a powerhouse at my side. Recruiting him was priority number one.
The Blacks: Ancient purebloods, steeped in dark magic traditions. Knowledge, influence, and access to forbidden spells—they would be invaluable allies.
The Malfoys: Wealthy, influential, and magically capable. Draco would be a useful pawn, especially if I could bind him with loyalty or fear.
The Potters: Powerful, resourceful, and possessing the Deathly Hallows. My own bloodline—why wouldn't I make use of it? Particularly, I could recruit the older generation first; their knowledge, skill, and influence would be easier to bend than their children's over-idealized sense of morality.
The Lestranges: Formidable dark wizards, loyal to Voldemort in the future. In this timeline, they could be molded into my most loyal agents—devoted, ruthless, and extremely talented.
The Snapes: The Prince family produced geniuses. Severus Snape himself would be a remarkable asset later, but even now, having access to his family's potion-making knowledge and connections could prove essential.
I smiled faintly, letting the plan crystallize in my mind. Hogwarts would be my first political and magical foothold, but I had to move with subtlety. I would cultivate allies slowly, gain influence among the pureblood families, and consolidate magical knowledge until I could reshape the world in my image.
I glanced toward Tom, who was practicing some incantations across the room. His skill was already apparent, and his lineage gave him untapped potential. "You'll be useful," I whispered to myself. Not just useful… necessary.
Then I thought of the others. The magical world was full of talent, ambition, and arrogance, but most of it was poorly directed. I would correct that. I would gather the brilliant, the powerful, the ambitious—and bend them to my vision. A network of loyalty, knowledge, and raw magical talent that could rival any Dark Lord, past or future.
And yes… ruling the magical world sounded like the most fun thing ever.
I sat up, letting my mind stretch further. Hogwarts would be my launchpad, but I needed preparation: magical theory, advanced spells, potions, dueling skills, ancient magic, and manipulation. Everything had to be precise. Every alliance deliberate. Every advantage exploited.
The thought of immortality settled like a crown on my mind. Decades, centuries, millennia—time was my servant. Mistakes were my teachers. And the magical world? That would be my playground.
I smiled again. One by one, the pieces were falling into place. Tom Riddle. Purebloods. Wealthy families. Political influence. Ancient magic. Dark knowledge.
Hogwarts was just the beginning.
And I? I would be unstoppable.