A World of Creatures and Fire
Draco Malfoy had never felt so utterly out of place in his entire life.
It had been an ordinary evening at Malfoy Manor—well, as ordinary as life could be for him these days. His family’s name had long carried a weight that seemed impossible to shed, even though his father’s reputation had softened after the war. They were spared from the worst, thanks to their lack of involvement on the battlefield and Narcissa’s carefully orchestrated neutrality. Still, expectations lingered, and Draco felt trapped under the shadow of his family’s reputation. He had never taken the Dark Mark, never truly fallen into the web of the war, but the legacy of being a Malfoy felt suffocating all the same.
That night, desperate for something—anything—to change, he’d found himself wandering through the manor, lost in thought. He entered the family’s hidden library, where powerful, ancient magic crackled in the air. It was there he found the strange, glowing portal that seemed to beckon him. Without thinking twice, Draco stepped through.
Now, he found himself lying in a sunlit meadow, a gentle breeze brushing against his face. The landscape around him was nothing like the familiar English countryside or any part of the wizarding world he’d ever seen. Everything felt… brighter, more alive.
Sitting up, he looked around. His hand instinctively went to his pocket, but his wand was gone. Panic bubbled in his chest for a moment before he forced himself to remain calm.
“Where in Merlin’s name am I?” he muttered to himself.
As if to answer him, a soft rustling from the bushes caught his attention. Draco tensed, his sharp gaze snapping toward the source of the sound. From the underbrush emerged a small, white-and-green creature. It had a large head with green bangs covering its eyes, and a fragile-looking body. Despite its delicate appearance, there was something ethereal about it—like it was more aware than it let on.
Draco’s frown deepened. “What are you?”
The creature stepped closer, its head tilting curiously. It made a soft, almost melodic sound, and suddenly, Draco felt a strange sensation wash over him—a wave of calm and curiosity, feelings that didn’t belong to him. The creature was somehow projecting emotions into his mind.
“Are you… reading me?” Draco asked, his voice soft, more intrigued than defensive. The Ralts let out a small coo, taking a few more steps toward him.
He had no idea what this creature was, but something about it felt… safe. Unlike the dangerous magical creatures he had encountered back home, this one seemed to be drawn to him for reasons beyond mere curiosity. It was as if it was offering him something—connection, perhaps?
Draco shook his head, feeling a bit foolish for even entertaining the idea. “Well, whatever you are, I don’t need your help.”
The Ralts blinked, its emotions still trickling into Draco’s mind, conveying feelings of patience and empathy. Draco, however, wasn’t in the mood for a companion, magical or not.
Just as he was about to stand and continue his search for answers, a familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.
“Draco?”
Draco froze, his heart leaping into his throat. He recognized that voice immediately, though he hadn’t expected to hear it here, of all places. Turning around slowly, he found himself face-to-face with Charlie Weasley.
Charlie stood at the edge of the clearing, dressed in rugged clothes with a travel pack slung over his shoulder. His hair was a little longer than Draco remembered, and there was a wild, untamed energy about him that seemed fitting for the man who had spent most of his adult life working with dragons. But there was also something calm in Charlie’s eyes—a steadiness that Draco had always found unsettling, like nothing could truly rattle him.
“What are you doing here?” Draco asked, more baffled than anything. Of all people to run into, why him?
“I could ask you the same thing,” Charlie replied, stepping closer. His eyes flicked toward the Ralts, which was still standing calmly beside Draco. “Looks like you’ve made a friend.”
Draco glanced down at the small creature again, still trying to make sense of it. “I don’t even know what this thing is. It just… showed up.”
“That’s a Ralts,” Charlie explained, his voice softening a little. “They’re Pokémon—creatures from this world. Ralts are known for their psychic abilities and their connection to emotions. Seems like it’s taken a liking to you.”
“A what?” Draco stared at Charlie as if he’d lost his mind. “A Pokémon? You’re telling me this thing is some kind of… creature from another world?”
Charlie nodded, completely unphased. “Yeah, pretty much. You’re not in our world anymore, Draco. This is the Pokémon world.”
Draco blinked, his mind struggling to keep up. “The… what?” He paused, his eyes narrowing. “How do you know all of this?”
Charlie’s expression softened further. “I’ve been here for a while. People from our world occasionally end up here. No one really knows why, but it happens. I’ve been stuck here for about a year now.”
Draco’s heart sank. “A year?”
Charlie nodded, though there was no trace of bitterness in his tone. “Yeah. I’ve made the best of it. There are ways to get by here—new rules, new challenges. But it’s not all bad. You’ll see.”
Draco wasn’t sure he believed that. He hadn’t signed up for any of this. His life might have felt stifling, but at least it had been predictable. Now, he was stranded in some strange world with creatures that didn’t exist in any book of magical creatures he had ever studied.
“So, what do I do now?” Draco asked, feeling a little lost.
Charlie gave him a small, reassuring smile, the kind that always felt genuine, even though it annoyed Draco how calm he was. “First things first—you’ll want to bond with your Ralts. In this world, people and Pokémon work together. You’ll need each other.”
Draco raised an eyebrow. “Bond with it?”
Charlie nodded. “Ralts are powerful, but they’re empathetic. They respond to the emotions of those around them. If you can connect with it, you’ll have a powerful partner by your side. Trust me, it’s better than being alone here.”
Draco looked down at the Ralts, which gazed back up at him with what felt like cautious hope. Despite his misgivings, he couldn’t shake the sense that this little creature understood him better than he would have liked.
With a sigh, he ran a hand through his hair. “Fine. I suppose I don’t have much of a choice.”
“Don’t worry,” Charlie said, stepping closer. “I’ll help you figure it out. We can get through this together.”
Draco found himself strangely comforted by Charlie’s words, even though he had never expected to rely on a Weasley for anything. Maybe this world was different enough that he could put aside his old grudges. For now, at least, he had a guide—and a strange little creature that seemed to think he was worth something.
And that, for the moment, was enough.