1994
He sucked a mouthful of air, and he was grateful. He was grateful for being alive. He wouldn't waste this opportunity, however difficult it made things. Too many things had gone wrong, and he knew what they were. Like the fact that the process depended on an incompetent little coward. He wouldn't allow that. He would do everything himself, because that was the only way he could be sure everything went exactly as planned. All he had to do was modify certain details of the plan. Of course, it would be more difficult with her around, but unlike her, he had no moral qualms about getting rid of opposition.
With a soft 'pop' sound, he vanished, as if he was never there. A few people looked out of their windows at the sudden noise, and a few dogs started barking, but none of them saw anything.
He reappeared again at a familiar place. His father was looking over some documents, and his mother was washing the dishes. It was a scene from the happier life, a life he once dreamed of having. It was a life they could have had, if his father wasn't married to the job. But it was too late now, he thought darkly.
"Afternoon, father, mother," he says out loud.
"Where were you?" his mother asks, brow furrowed in worry.
"Just out with some friends," he says vaguely.
And it was true. He had just left out what he and said friends had been doing at the time. His father makes a non-committal noise and goes back to reading the papers, not sparing him a glance. His insides clench painfully as he is reminded why he chose to go down this road. It was really simple, he wanted to be noticed by his father, who hunted dark wizards for living. The only way to get his attention would be to become a dark wizard himself. That was his initial reason, anyway. But somewhere along the line, that changed. It was the thrill of it that made him choose to stick around. The knowledge that they were doing something worthwhile, all the while dangling from the knife's edge. That very fact exhilarated him. It made him feel alive in an otherwise dead world. It wasn't about being noticed by his father anymore. He wanted to avoid being caught by his father. And in the end, he had succeeded. Or so he thought. But his father had gotten the last laugh from beyond the grave. And he...had lost everything that made him who he was.
Until an unknown entity sent both him and her back in time. Champions of dark and light, respectively, they were to match wits to see who came out on top. And matching wits with father was an unexpected bonus. He would change it. He would change his fate.
And he would win.
"I baked your favorite," his mother announces. "Chocolate pancakes."
He licks his lips.
"Then let us eat," he replies.