Choices and Preferences

It's not too early. The Honey Duke, usually crowded with Hogwarts students, was now in a resting period. However, Jon could still see shelves full of various candies that children would surely love. Peanut brittle, assorted chocolates, and puddings were neatly arranged on the shelves, alongside a variety of beverages. The only difference was that the door of the shop had already been closed.

"The door is blocked, but the window is still an option."

Jon glanced at the window that was blown open by the wind, wrapped his cloak around himself, and flipped over the windowsill. He had underestimated his height, almost stumbling as he climbed out. Taking a few small steps, Jon swiftly moved behind a house and lightly tapped his wand, dispelling the enchantment that had been placed on him.

When he emerged from the underground passage earlier, he had neglected the fact that he had been sustaining a Disillusionment Charm for an hour. His magical energy had been depleted, and the unexpected charm nearly caused him to lose control of his body while climbing through the window.

"I should exercise and strengthen my body. Otherwise, once I exhaust my magical power, I won't be able to hold up."

Jon shook his head to alleviate the slight pain in his head. Resting against the damp wall had made his limbs grow cold.

"Ah... I miscalculated."

He touched the ring on his hand and retrieved a peppermint candy from it, placing it in his mouth. The refreshing taste relieved the chill that had permeated his body. Jon finally felt a bit revitalized.

"Using poison to counter poison is not a good solution. I should use it sparingly in the future."

Jon weakly leaned against the wall, staring absentmindedly at the shadows across from him. It was his first time seeing Hogsmeade Village, which appeared much more prosperous than described in the books. Even though it was night, the extraordinary nature of the place could still be discerned.

No wonder it's the most prosperous place in the British wizarding world, with the top educational institution right next to it. The economic conditions are undoubtedly more convenient. Doing business next to a school is a universally accepted principle.

...

Adjusting his wizard's robe, Jon slowly walked along the street, keeping close to the wall. The quietness here was different from the tranquility of Hogwarts Castle. There was a stronger scent of fireworks in the air, and the academic atmosphere inside the castle was not as prominent.

With no curfew in Hogsmeade Village, if any dark wizard were to mix in at this time, it's likely that no one would notice. The buildings on both sides of the street had a somewhat ancient style, but they were ultimately Muggle architecture, easily giving the impression of strolling through a medieval town.

After all, wizards originated from Muggles, but fundamentally, they are still humans.

Speaking of which, the economic warfare in the human world has already begun, yet the British wizarding world remains completely oblivious. It's truly a strange phenomenon. Jon didn't believe his deduction was wrong; he felt that the alertness of the British wizarding world was questionable.

If another war were to begin, the German wizards, having learned from their previous experience, would definitely choose to gather covertly rather than expose themselves. After a major war that took place in Europe, the victors from the previous war naturally became the targets of the next.

The Ministry of Magic's upper echelons, who live off their past glory and fantasize about a peaceful life, are unwilling to acknowledge the possibility of another war, especially the newly appointed Minister. His actions are truly... indescribable.

Jon shook his head. That's just the way the world works. History always exhibits astonishing similarities.

During the World War, it wasn't until Churchill came to power that people realized war was inevitable. Similarly, in the original story, when Voldemort returned, the Ministry of Magic was equally incredulous, even marking "I must not tell lies" on Harry's arm.

It's truly a... boring game.

Jon loves magic, but he hates war. A scholar should stay in the laboratory and focus on their own research. Professional matters should be left to the professionals.

It's like a practical question that Jon has considered. In his own world, he is the protagonist, and he has the freedom to do whatever he wants. However, in Harry Potter's world, Harry Potter is the protagonist.

In his previous life, when Jon read fanfiction, the protagonists who crossed into different worlds used their knowledge of the plot to completely change the course of the story. The stories written by those authors were interesting, but Jon didn't agree with that approach.

He could certainly demonstrate his exceptional talent and choose to be sorted into Gryffindor or Slytherin during the Sorting Ceremony—of course, that might mean not meeting his ancestors, but it wouldn't affect anything. As long as he was talented enough, this fact would be discovered sooner or later.

Then he could help Dumbledore change the course of events. Harry Potter wouldn't need to live in such danger, and there would be no need for him to undergo so much training. They just needed to destroy the Horcruxes and find a way for Voldemort to be resurrected using Harry's blood, along with the protection left by Lily Potter. As long as Voldemort didn't die, Harry wouldn't die either. Jon just needed to be resolute and turn Harry Potter into a tool, then he could gain fame, status, power, and more.

He could have all that if he wanted to. It wasn't that difficult for someone who had already died once. Jon was well aware that this decision wasn't difficult at all—it was simply a matter of making a simple choice. Who wouldn't choose when faced with a multiple-choice question?

Jon would, so he chose the latter.

Using his advantages to accomplish things was undoubtedly a good choice. As long as he did it well and achieved the desired outcome, everyone would be happy—except for Harry Potter, who seemed to be treated as a tool.

That's what Jon cared about—the fact that he used to genuinely enjoy the Harry Potter story, the characters in those stories, including the main and supporting characters. Even the Slytherins, who appeared as antagonists, were not particularly disliked by him.

One's likes are precious—the emotions that are transmitted are the connection between people and the world. Therefore, Jon had planned early on that since he could become the person he wanted to be through his abilities, there was no need to change other people's destinies or even live through someone else's life.

Otherwise, what did his previous fondness for this story and its characters mean?

Jon thought about all this as he returned to Hogwarts Castle through the Honey Duke's secret passage. He might change some minor things through his foreknowledge of this world, but he would never become a new "savior."

Grievances and grudges were left for Harry Potter to handle. Jon only wanted to become Jon himself.

That was his choice.

(Author's Note: The content of this chapter, rather than being Jon's choice, reflects my original intention. I often read fanfiction where the protagonists are exceptional and use their plot knowledge to change the course of the world, turning the original protagonist back into a nameless existence. Is this really right? We like a story because we like the life experiences of the protagonist. So, at the beginning of writing this book, I thought about what kind of storyline to give the protagonist, replacing the original protagonist would be easy and fun, just changing the original plot a bit, and it would be another exciting story. But I gave up on that idea. Therefore, Jon ultimately chooses a new beginning, while the savior still goes to save his world. If my readers are disappointed with this choice, I apologize. After all, I am just an ordinary person and cannot take into account the thoughts of all readers. It was my fault to disappoint everyone. However, I still hope that everyone enjoys this story. This passage is important to me, so I included it in the text instead of as an author's note, hoping that readers from anywhere could see it. I also hope that everyone can live up to their own preferences. That's all.)