Chapter 03: Dumbledore

Dumbledore?

What?

Meow meow meow?

Where am I? Who am I? What am I doing?

Wasn't I supposed to have been reborn, gotten a cheat power, used my foreknowledge to marry a rich and beautiful woman, and dominated the world? So why is Dumbledore here?

...I should have known. Wool's Orphanage… of course, that's where Voldemort grew up. No wonder the name seemed familiar.

In that moment, countless thoughts raced through Owen's mind, but he quickly buried his confusion deep inside and kept his expression calm.

"Hello, Mr. Dumbledore, and Mrs. Garry," he said, stepping aside. "Please, come in and have a seat."

"Oh, no need, Owen," Mrs. Garry said with a warm smile. "Mr. Dumbledore is the headmaster of a school, and he'd like to have a private chat with you. I'll leave you two alone." With that, she closed the door behind her.

Soon after, the creaking sound of her footsteps could be heard as she descended the stairs.

"Well then, child," Dumbledore said gently, his eyes warm and kind. "I am the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"Hello, Mr. Dumbledore," Owen greeted him calmly, though his eyes betrayed a glimmer of excitement. He wasn't able to hide his enthusiasm about having crossed into another world, but Dumbledore misinterpreted it.

"You don't seem surprised by the term 'magic.' It seems you've already realized your unique abilities," Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eye. With a snap of his fingers, the teacup on Owen's desk refilled itself.

"Oh! Cool!" Owen exclaimed with admiration. However, he wasn't about to be outdone. With a flicker of concentration, a spoon from the tea tray trembled and then clumsily floated into the cup before falling in with a splash.

Dumbledore was genuinely taken aback. He had never seen a child possess such raw magical power before even learning magic. Typically, young wizards lacked the magical capacity and control to cast spells without the aid of a wand.

Although Owen's magic was still rough around the edges, compared to adult wizards, it was undeniable proof that he was a magical prodigy.

"I figured it out when I first noticed my abilities," Owen said, pretending to be nonchalant. "I knew I couldn't be the only one with magic—or superpowers—but everyone around me denied their existence. I suspected there had to be an organization covering it up. Maybe they were like me. Maybe they'd come find me one day."

"You're quite the clever child," Dumbledore said, smiling warmly. "So, would you like to join Hogwarts and learn more about magic alongside other young wizards your age?"

"Of course, Mr. Dumbledore. I'm really looking forward to life at the academy," Owen replied with a smile, his expression brimming with childlike excitement. Though he was technically 31 years old across two lifetimes, he couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement at the prospect of attending Hogwarts—a magical world that had once been a childhood fantasy.

What was the internet compared to this? Or becoming the world's richest man? Or marrying a rich, beautiful woman? None of that mattered now.

What treasure could be greater than the power of magic? And what beauties could compare to Hermione Granger, Fleur Delacour, and the other heroines of the wizarding world?

Sure, there were dangers—Death Eaters, Voldemort, and countless crises during those seven years at Hogwarts—but overall, the risks weren't too severe. After all, the forces of good always prevailed, and most of the dangers were a result of Dumbledore's own plans to ultimately defeat Voldemort.

Besides, where there's risk, there's opportunity. Owen's cheat ability didn't come with a clear guide or training path like a system, so learning magic to further develop his powers—especially his time-space abilities—was the best option. He even dreamed of one day traveling between worlds and living multiple different lives.

Owen and Dumbledore talked for quite some time. Though Owen already knew much about the magical world from books and movies, he still asked many curious questions like a child, and Dumbledore patiently answered them all.

Finally, Dumbledore stood up and said, "It's getting late. We should head to Diagon Alley to purchase your Hogwarts supplies. Do you have enough money in pounds?"

"Of course, Mr. Dumbledore," Owen replied, pulling out a wallet from his desk and holding up a handful of bills. "I've been submitting articles to children's magazines, and I've saved up quite a bit of earnings. I think it'll be enough."

"Good," Dumbledore said with a satisfied nod. "Let's head out, then."

"Himari, let's go," Owen said, opening his backpack for the small white cat perched on the windowsill. The nimble little feline jumped inside, her head poking out of the bag.

After bidding farewell to Mrs. Garry and the curious kids at the orphanage, Owen and Dumbledore left Wool's Orphanage. They stepped into a secluded alley nearby, ready for the next part of the journey.