The Wizarding Emperor Emerges from Hogwarts
Chapter 1
The magic Emperor from Hogwarts - Author: Lost and Never Returned
Some say that "Harry Potter" is a fairy tale about love and growth.
But Solon feels that this world is filled with misunderstandings and prejudice—
He just happens to have an origin like Lord Voldemort, an appearance like Lord Voldemort, and talent like Lord Voldemort, and he just happened to get a rather special wand, and just happened to be sorted into Slytherin!
Because of these trifles, there are always people who look at him with colored glasses—it is too much!
Solon must speak up for himself; he is different from Lord Voldemort—
Lord Voldemort does not understand love, but Solon loves his wives deeply!
Lord Voldemort despises Muggle blood, but Solon treats them equally, and is even willing to form a Muggle army!
Lord Voldemort is Ambitious and longs to conquer the world. Solon is... ah... well... Solon is also Ambitious and longs to conquer the world, but they are still different!
Lord Voldemort is just a self-proclaimed Dark Lord; the great His Majesty Solon is a man who wants to become the magic Emperor!
"My fellow Wizards, hear me out—this world is in danger! The Wizarding World is in decline, while the technology of the Muggle World is soaring! If we do not take the initiative to change, you and I will all become the castaways of this era!"
"Now, we need a visionary leader..."
Character Settings and Miscellaneous: Hogwarts First-Year Timetable
First-year only; class times for upper years are different.
Short breaks are 10 minutes, long breaks are 20 minutes.
Morning Session 1: 09:00-10:40
Morning Session 2: 11:00-12:40
Afternoon Session 1: 14:00-15:40
Afternoon Session 2: 16:00-17:40
Evening Class: 20:00-21:40
Astronomy Class is set to every two weeks, the most meaningless course for the first year...
Bugs are normal; in a school of a thousand people, with only one Professor per subject, wish them a long life.
(G = Gryffindor, H = Hufflepuff, R = Ravenclaw, S = Slytherin)
[Gryffindor First Year]
Monday: Morning N/A, Afternoon [Herbology Class (H)], Evening [History of Magic (H)]
Tuesday: Morning [Herbology Class (H)] [Charms Class (R)], Afternoon [Transfiguration (R)], Evening N/A
Wednesday: Morning [Herbology Class (H)] [Defense Against the Dark Arts (H)], Afternoon [Defense Against the Dark Arts (H)], Evening [Astronomy Class (R)]
Thursday: Morning [Charms Class (R)] [History of Magic (H)], Afternoon [Transfiguration (R)] + [Flying Class (S)], Evening N/A
Friday: Morning [Potion Class (S)] [Potion Class (S)], Afternoon N/A, Evening N/A
[Hufflepuff First Year]
Monday: Morning [Potion Class (R)] [Potion Class(R)], Afternoon [Herbology Class (G)], Evening [History of Magic (G)]
Tuesday: Morning [Herbology Class (G)] [Transfiguration (S)], Afternoon [Charms Class (S)], Evening [Astronomy Class (S)]
Wednesday: Morning [Herbology Class (G)] [Defense Against the Dark Arts (G)], Afternoon [Defense Against the Dark Arts (G)], Evening N/A
Thursday: Morning [Transfiguration (S)] [History of Magic (G)], Afternoon [Charms Class (S)], Evening N/A
Friday: Morning N/A, Afternoon N/A + [Flying Class (R)], Evening N/A
[Ravenclaw First Year]
Monday: Morning [Potion Class (H)] [Potion Class(H)], Afternoon [History of Magic (S)], Evening N/A
Tuesday: Morning [Defense Against the Dark Arts (S)] [Charms Class (G)], Afternoon [Transfiguration (G)], Evening N/A
Wednesday: Morning N/A + [Herbology Class (S)], Afternoon [Herbology Class (S)], Evening [Astronomy Class (G)]
Thursday: Morning [Charms Class (G)] [Defense Against the Dark Arts (S)], Afternoon [Transfiguration(G)], Evening [History of Magic (S)]
Friday: Morning N/A, Afternoon [Herbology Class (S)] + [Flying Class (H)], Evening N/A
[Slytherin First Year]
Monday: Morning N/A, Afternoon [History of Magic (R)], Evening N/A
Tuesday: Morning [Defense Against the Dark Arts (R)] [Transfiguration (H)], Afternoon [Charms Class (R)], Evening N/A
Wednesday: Morning N/A + [Herbology Class (R)], Afternoon [Herbology Class (R)], Evening N/A
Thursday: Morning [Transfiguration (H)] [Defense Against the Dark Arts (R)], Afternoon [Charms Class(H)] + [Flying Class (G)], Evening [History of Magic(R)]
Friday: Morning [Potion Class (G)] [Potion Class (G)], Afternoon [Herbology Class (R)], Evening N/A
The data was found from the neighboring 'Hogwarts on the Tip of the Tongue', I didn't copy the reasoning process because there was too much of it, but it feels quite rigorous (though thinking about the 7 grade levels, I still feel the Professors are prone to overwork death).
Character Settings and Miscellaneous: Heroine Card — Hermione Granger
Name: Hermione Granger
Age: 11
Birthday: September 19
House: Gryffindor first-year student
Background: Muggle-born
Family: Both parents are dentists, living in London, Britain, a well-off family
Hobbies: Reading, studying, cats
Personality: Smart, proud, brave
Traits: Superb desire to win; competitive; accustomed to using a strong posture to mask nervousness, easy to leave a bossy first impression; strong principles; willing to share knowledge; fond of lecturing others, likes to manage people who are clearly not as good as her (Headmistress mode)
Note: Please separate the actors from the characters in the novel. Actors in the real world are in a high-risk profession, and it is rare for them not to have scandals. Please view it rationally.
Character Settings and Miscellaneous: Heroine Card — Ella
Name: Ella
Age: 10
Birthday: TBD, depending on plot needs
House: None
Background: Muggle-born
Family: Parents both passed away when she was eight, transferred to Brent Orphanage, became an orphan.
Hobbies: Animal friends, handicrafts, organizing and storing items, magic.
Personality: Smart, hardworking, kind, well-behaved
Traits: Loves to act spoiled, likes to cling to people, likes fluffy animals, likes flowers, is learning to dance.
Note: magic Cinderella, Ella, waiting for a dreamlike transformation.
Character Settings and Miscellaneous: Heroine Card — Cassandra
Name: Cassandra
Age: 15
Birthday: TBD, depending on plot needs
House: Slytherin fifth-year student, Prefect (term lasts until graduation).
Background: Pure-blood, but not from the Sacred Twenty-Eight
Family: Not yet written in the plot
Hobbies: Power, unknown
Personality: Smart, strong, confident, aloof.
Traits: A true Slytherin, aloof senior, values results over process, so strong it is suffocating (varies by person).
Note: A popular female character from the HP mobile game [magic Awakened], won with high popularity when selecting the female Prefect.
Character Settings and Miscellaneous: Heroine Card — Cho Chang
Name: Cho Chang
Age: 12
Birthday: Not written in the original work, just free to play with
House: Ravenclaw second-year student
Background: Pure-blood, but not from the Sacred Twenty-Eight
Family: Mr. and Mrs. Zhang from China, gossip says they run a restaurant in the Muggle World?
Hobbies: Quidditch, unknown
Personality: Gentle, sensitive, kind, values friendship
Traits: A typical "little girl", longs for someone to accompany her, longs for someone to care for her, always talks about her friends, looks like the type who is keen on socializing and afraid of loneliness.
Note: The movie casting is not good-looking, even though she is a great beauty in the original work, it is better to look at fan art.
Character Settings and Miscellaneous: Heroine Card — Helena Ravenclaw
Name: Helena Ravenclaw
Age: Forever 17-year-old beautiful girl (in a sense, it is true)
Birthday: Not written in the original work, just free to play with
House: The Princess of Ravenclaw!
Background: Daughter of one of the four founders
Family: Mother is Rowena Ravenclaw, father unknown
Hobbies: Stalking (?), unknown
Personality: Exceptional intelligence, profound knowledge accumulated over a millennium, proud, willful
Traits: Female ghost, Princess of Ravenclaw. During her lifetime, due to jealousy of her mother's wisdom, she stole Ravenclaw's diadem, hoping to become smarter and more famous than her, but in the end, she paid a heavy price for this willfulness. After a thousand years, she has not given up looking for that glimmer of hope, she knows...
Note: The movie casting is not good-looking, there is not much description in the original work, which is convenient for free play.
Chapter 2
Character Profiles and Miscellany: Female Lead Card — Helena Ravenclaw
[Content adjusted based on plot progression, images added _(:з]∠)_]
Name: Helena Ravenclaw
Age: Forever a 17-year-old beautiful girl (in a sense, it's true)
Birthday: Not written in the original work, perfect for creative freedom _(:з]∠)_
House: Ravenclaw's Princess!
Background: Daughter of one of the four founders
Family: Mother is Rowena Ravenclaw, father unknown
Hobbies: Stalking (?), unknown
Personality: Extraordinary intelligence, profound knowledge accumulated over a millennium, proud, willful
Character Traits: Female ghost, Ravenclaw's Princess. In life, due to jealousy of her mother's wisdom, she stole the Ravenclaw Diadem, hoping to become smarter and more prestigious than her, but ultimately paid a heavy price for this willfulness. A millennium later, she still hasn't given up on finding that glimmer of hope; she knows...
Remarks: The movie casting wasn't great, and there isn't much description in the original work, making it easy to exercise creative freedom _(:з]∠)_
Beauty Gallery — —
Image: "Frightened Female Ghost", Location: "Images/1775123626-100471970-114654541.jpg"
Image: "Helena Waiting", Location: "Images/1775123704-100471970-114654541.jpg"
Character Profiles and Miscellany: Female Lead Card — Daphne Greengrass
[Content adjusted based on plot progression, images added _(:з]∠)_]
Name: Daphne Greengrass
Age: 11 years old
Birthday: Not written in the original work, perfect for creative freedom _(:з]∠)_
House: Slytherin student in the same year as the protagonist
Background: A pure-blood witch from the Greengrass family, one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight.
Family: The Greengrass family, has an equally beautiful younger sister _(:з]∠)_
Hobbies: Unknown
Personality: Calm, rational, intelligent, with a slight sense of detachment.
Character Traits: Born into an ancient pure-blood family, but not as extreme as Pansy and the others. Proud as a person, but willing to lower her status and take the initiative to make friends with those she admires. She has a very good relationship with her twin sister and is waiting for her sister to enroll so they can play happily together.
Remarks: Sister combination, foreshadowing in the early stages; the romantic arc probably won't start until the sister appears _(:з]∠)_
Beauty Gallery — —
Image: "Daphne Beautiful Photo 1", Location: "Images/1777545520-100471970-114770703.jpg"
Image: "Daphne Beautiful Photo 2", Location: "Images/1777545532-100471970-114770703.jpg"
Soren Reed and the Magic Library: Chapter 1 The Late Acceptance Letter
[Years later, when we marvel at the profound and infinite wisdom and knowledge of His Majesty, the "Magic Emperor" Soren Reed, we cannot help but feel curious, yearning to explore the source of that extraordinary creativity and all those incredible achievements. When we trace back through history to that lazy, sunny summer, we finally realize — greatness comes from the ordinary, and miracles stem from persistent, painstaking accumulation. — "Chronicles of the Magic Emperor: Origins"]
1991, London.
The once invincible British Empire was facing the painful throes of economic recession.
Against the backdrop of a global economic slowdown, rising unemployment and waves of corporate bankruptcies trampled over everyone's ankles equally, leaving the working masses in misery.
Fortunately, even in such a gloomy era, some institutions remained unaffected by the outside world, enjoying the privilege of being isolated from the rest of the world.
Take, for example, the Brent Orphanage located in the Bermondsey district of London.
It wasn't that the government's welfare policies were particularly good, but rather that there was often no profit to be made from orphans, so they were selectively ignored by all sectors of society, living a life of poverty that remained unchanged year after year.
But on a certain day in late July, changes quietly occurred —
"Soren... Headmistress Brent is looking for you, she wants you to go over there right now."
On a lazy afternoon, in a secluded open space surrounded by flowers at the back of the Orphanage.
A little girl's timid voice rang out, disturbing the tranquility of the place.
The thin, small figure who was squatting on the ground, busy with something, paused and slowly raised his head, revealing a delicate face.
It was a slightly thin little boy with short black hair and handsome features. His black-and-white eyes, however, revealed a calmness and indifference inconsistent with his age, giving people a sense of coldness that was not easy to approach.
Soren's gaze lingered on the girl's face for a moment, his expression softened imperceptibly, and he nodded gently: "I know, you go back first, I'll go after I finish cleaning up."
The girl nodded quickly. Before leaving, curiosity got the better of her, and she secretly glanced at the ground beneath Soren.
On the ground, which had been deliberately swept clean, broken limbs and stumps were scattered everywhere, filling the entire "battlefield".
The only fortunate thing was that the owners of these corpses were not humans or small animals, but insects of all sizes.
A glance revealed grasshoppers, spiders, ladybugs, ants—all the common bugs in the grass were there. Most of them were already motionless, while a few were still struggling on the verge of death.
Thinking of the horror legends circulating in the Orphanage, the girl shivered, pretended she hadn't seen anything, turned stiffly, and was about to run away.
Suddenly, Soren's calm voice sounded from behind her: "Ella, are they still isolating you lately?"
"Eh!?" Ella was startled by him, turned around hesitatingly, and gave a constrained smile, "Oh, no, not anymore... Thank you for always helping me."
"It's nothing, we are all orphans with no one to rely on; we can only go further if we help each other."
Soren, not caring that the person in front of him was just a ten-year-old girl, started dishing out chicken soup for the soul as a matter of routine.
Perhaps moved by his words, Ella's tension eased somewhat. She stole a glance at his cheek like a thief, then hurriedly lowered her head, suppressing the panic in her heart: "Ye, yes, you're right, thank you really."
"You've thanked me many times already, go ahead. I have to speed up, if I keep Headmistress Brent waiting too long, she'll start nagging again."
"Um... then I'll go first..."
Ella left with light steps. Although she was still nervous, at least she wasn't as scared as she was at the beginning.
She felt from the bottom of her heart: Soren is actually a good person, although his personal hobbies are indeed a bit... alternative, and he often gets into conflicts with other children. But he never actively bullies others, and he takes extra care of her. He is not some evil dark wizard; those annoying big kids just like to spread rumors...
After she walked away, Soren lowered his head, looked at the results of today's practice, and let out a breath, feeling unsatisfied.
It was going smoothly enough. His telekinesis, through day after day of hard training, could finally come in handy. In addition to being effective in fights, it could also control objects light enough.
There was also significant progress in fine manipulation; he could already control these insects to stage a real-life version of "Worms".
He stretched out his hand, palm facing the ground, and tried to focus his mind.
The insect remains all over the ground trembled slightly and slowly floated, as if grasped by an invisible hand, magically floating up.
If such a magical scene were seen by outsiders, they would have to call it a miracle.
But Soren treated it calmly, neither surprised nor happy, because this was his mundane daily life since he awakened his telekinesis at the age of seven.
He had another secret that no one knew — he was a reincarnator, not only with a system but also with superpowers!
His superpower was the legendary telekinesis, or perhaps the Force. Since there was no one to ask, he was not sure what his ability specifically was, so he could only explore it on his own.
But he was very sure that with the triple buffs of reincarnation, system, and superpowers, he would surely live a legendary life full of ups and downs!
Filled with excitement, he covered the anomalies around him with his second-hand trench coat, walked to a corner of the garden, and threw all the insect corpses next to an anthill.
The ants, who had been waiting for a long time, swarmed out to enjoy the gift from heaven.
Although these little guys didn't have enough brain capacity to understand what had happened, Soren still insisted that this was a fair deal.
According to the rules he set — this colony of ants was responsible for helping him dispose of experimental waste. In exchange, when he couldn't find enough experimental materials, he would pick some lucky ones from the ants, considering it the price they paid.
After smoothing out all suspicious traces, he went to wash his hands and face, cleaned his clothes, and then set off for the Headmistress's office.
Along the way, the children of the Orphanage he met peeked at him cautiously. When a few big kids saw him, they looked as if they had seen a ghost and hurried away.
Soren was accustomed to this, not even bothering with a business-like smile, and walked past calmly with an expressionless, cold posture.
When he arrived outside the Headmistress's office, he adjusted his emotions and knocked on the door politely.
"Knock, knock, knock —"
"Please come in."
After receiving permission, Soren pushed the door and entered, his eyes quickly scanning the room.
July, midsummer.
The afternoon sun was always too intense, illuminating the simply furnished Headmistress's office.
Behind the desk piled with files was only the Headmistress. There were no troublemaking brats in the reception area to tattle, and no strange couples. Then, what could be the reason for calling him here?
"Good afternoon, Headmistress Brent."
Soren greeted her appropriately and, at her gesture, sat in the chair on the other side of the desk, looking at the sundries on the table with curious but polite eyes.
At first glance, they were all very common items; he didn't see anything special.
This made him even more unsure of the reason for this visit.
Headmistress Brent, who was middle-aged, quietly examined him, truly having a headache over this "problem child" in the Orphanage.
In her impression, Soren used to be a polite little gentleman, always staying quietly in the corner, never causing trouble for others, and was a model child in the eyes of the caretakers.
But after entering elementary school, he suddenly changed, becoming maverick and aggressive.
Since then, he had caused quite a stir, such as frequently clashing with the big kids, even fighting, and scaring them so much that they ran to cry, saying he was an evil wizard who knew Dark Arts...
Later, he also occupied a corner of the garden and forbade other children from approaching, like a little bully.
Fortunately, these were all small things; it was normal for children to fight, not to mention that they were orphans with a stronger sense of struggle.
But this time it was different —
Seeing that the Headmistress remained silent for a long time, Soren's brainstorming started uncontrollably, and he subconsciously thought of the rumors he had heard recently:
It is said that the government has set a hard target for all Orphanages, requiring a sufficient number of orphans to be adopted every year, otherwise funding will be reduced.
Could it be?
This kind of "good thing" had fallen on him again and again. He had refused so many times, was the Headmistress still not giving up?
Soren couldn't be bothered to care if it was true, and as always, took the initiative: "I would like to declare to you in advance that I refuse adoption of any kind. I have stated the reasons many times already. You can just consider me unsociable. I will study hard, get a full scholarship, and not add a burden to the Orphanage. Please believe me!"
Headmistress Brent sighed silently and said: "I know, Soren, you have always been the smartest and most opinionated child here. Calling you here this time is not about adoption, nor is anyone complaining; it's about... further education."
"Further education?"
Soren suddenly realized that he was eleven years old this year and it was time for middle school.
With his straight-A grades, even if the elementary school was a suburban school, he should be able to attend a decent public middle school, right?
Headmistress Brent understood the look in his eyes, hesitated for a moment, opened the first drawer on her left, and took out a retro-style paper envelope.
She placed this letter flat on the table and said to Soren:
"You should know that the children in the Orphanagealways submit various documents uniformly. At present, everyone's applications for further education have not received a reply, except for one letter addressed to you personally, which was sent to the boys' dormitory.
You weren't there at the time, and Caretaker Alisha didn't know how to communicate with that 'messenger', so she called me over."
There was no need to say more about what happened later, because the letter was already in her hands.
Soren nodded knowingly and had no objections to this.
Headmistress Brent was a good person, strict but fair. Thanks to such a Headmistress, the struggles in the Orphanage could be stopped at small spats and did not touch the true dark side of society.
His gaze fell on the envelope, and Soren's heart skipped a beat, his calm state of mind instantly shattered.
That letter... why does it look a bit familiar!?
The quaint envelope had no stamps, and the emerald green ink looked particularly formal.
Through the gap between the envelope and the table, one could faintly see the dark purple wax seal, pushing the letter out into a slight arc.
On the front of the envelope, the detailed address was written in beautiful calligraphy:
London, England,
Chapter 3
Bermondsey District,
Brent Private Orphanage,
Boys' Dormitory, Room 201, single bed by the east window,
For Mr. Soren Reed.
It was a very detailed address. If his ID number from his previous life were also included, it would be a standard 'doxxing' process.
Soren didn't have time for wild thoughts. With trembling hands, he flipped the envelope over and, as expected, saw the familiar shield crest: a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake surrounding a capital 'H'.
If this wasn't a joke, it seemed, perhaps, possibly, he might have received an acceptance letter from Hogwarts.
In that instant, Soren's world collapsed...
Soren Reed and the Magic Library: Chapter 2 The Hogwarts Messenger
This is the world of Harry Potter!?
He wasn't just reborn; he transmigrated and was reborn, and into a fantasy world from a fairy tale novel!?
Ah, this... is this right!?
His mind buzzed, and Soren felt a mix of joy and worry: joy that he would soon be able to systematically learn magic and advance on the shoulders of giants; worry that he had lost the uniqueness of 'only I can use magic' and would have to compete fairly with an unknown global number of wizards.
Even worse, all the life plans he had painstakingly made were in vain. In this world where magic truly existed, the global situation of his previous life no longer served as a reference, and whether the Bitcoin he longed for would even come into existence was still up in the air...
What's more... this year is 1991...
The year the famous Harry Potter was about to enroll.
And he happened to enroll in the same year as the Savior. Perhaps they could even spark a friendship and expand the Golden Trio into a Golden Quartet?
—As if!!
Cherish life, stay away from Harry Potter!
Hogwarts, as one of the safest places in the wizarding world, had only seen a few student and staff deaths in over a thousand years.
But in Harry's seven years there, the death toll directly soared to around fifty people. Just thinking about it was terrifying.
Soren would absolutely not get close to Harry. He had too many secrets himself and didn't want to be stared down by the Dark Lord and the White Lord in turn.
Countless thoughts churned in his mind. If he hadn't considered the presence of others around him, Soren would have truly wanted to open the system and fiercely question it, asking why it didn't reveal the truth of the world sooner.
But now was not the right time—
Forcibly stopping his wild thoughts, he tried to manage his expression, not letting Headmistress Brent, who was so close, see any flaws.
After his emotions had somewhat calmed, he picked up the envelope, felt the solid texture of the parchment, and turned the letter to the back.
As expected, the wax seal had already been broken.
This was normal; after all, this was an Orphanage, and as the 'legal guardian' of all the children, Headmistress Brenthad the right to check their private mail to prevent harmful individuals from society from affecting the children.
And the fact that she could open this 'magic letter' indicated that Hogwarts had also tacitly approved this action.
Soren composed himself, nervously and expectantly took out the letter, and read it word by word:
—Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry—
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(A long string of titles, automatically replaced by Soren with White Lord and Old Bee...)
Dear Mr. Reed:
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Enclosed is a list of required books and equipment.
Term begins on September 1st. We await your owl by July 31st.
—Deputy Headmistress: Minerva McGonagall, Yours sincerely.
The handwriting was neat, the wording elegant, leaving no room for misinterpretation.
Soren read it once, turned back and read it again, and then read it yet again.
He repeatedly looked at the few short lines for a full five minutes, finally extinguishing the last bit of doubt.
Alright then...
Hogwarts is pretty good too, free magic lessons, free room and board. This was much easier than his original plan for getting rich.
After reading the letter, he quickly scanned the booklist and equipment list, confirming that they were all perfectly normal items.
Undoubtedly, this was a standard Hogwarts acceptance letter.
In his previous life, he had read the original books, watched the spin-off movies, and played 'Hogwarts Legacy.' He never thought that one day he would personally receive an admission letter from Hogwarts.
While he was pondering, Headmistress Brent waited patiently until he folded the letter and put it back into the envelope before speaking in a slightly complex tone: "You see, Soren, this is a very—"
She hesitated for a moment, finally finding a suitable adjective, "—special letter."
She sat up straight, her fingertips unconsciously tapping the table. "When I first got this letter, I thought it was another prank by some bored person and wanted to throw it away directly. But for some reason, this letter gave me a very strange feeling, as if... my subconscious was telling me it was real, and stopping me from throwing it away or destroying it."
Soren remained calm, but his heart was clear: it was right that the Headmistress couldn't figure it out, because this was the power of Magic!
He was certain that his treatment would definitely not compare to that of Harry, the Boy-Who-Lived.
Hogwarts wouldn't send him hundreds of letters to play an email bombing trick; at this time, just one enchanted letter could easily achieve the goal.
Judging by the Headmistress's expression, she was already half-convinced. Once she met a Hogwarts staff member, she should accept the bizarre notion that magic truly exists.
Although Soren was confident that he had been very 'low-key' these past years, not revealing too many unusual traits, he was equally certain that the Headmistress, who had cared for him for eleven years, would definitely have noticed some peculiarities, more or less.
After all...
Psychologically, he wasn't a 'little kid' and wasn't willing to pretend to be innocent to please others, which made him seem somewhat 'different'.
Now, to ensure that his enrollment at Hogwarts went smoothly, he didn't mind showing off a little; after all, the Headmistress would soon learn about the existence of the wizarding world.
"Headmistress Brent, please have some tea!"
Soren pointed at the teapot on the table.
His telekinesis skillfully...
No, it was now confirmed that this was not telekinesis at all, but the innate magic of a wizard.
Invisible magic surged out like water, skillfully enveloping the English teapot.
The teapot seemed to be lifted by an invisible hand, flying up, adjusting its center of gravity, and refilling the Headmistress's cup with warm black tea.
Not only that, another empty teacup 'jumped' out on its own, pouring a cup of black tea for Soren as well.
Soren calmly met the Headmistress's astonished eyes, picked up his teacup, and elegantly took a sip.
"Mmm~ excellent, very pure!"
Just a bit bitter, a few more sugar cubes would be perfect...
Headmistress Brent witnessed the existence of magic firsthand. As her materialistic worldview crumbled, she also believed the contents of the letter.
There was a magic school called 'Hogwarts' inviting Soren to study there.
Since it was a 'magic school,' it naturally taught magic courses.
The Brent family had run the Orphanage for so many years, and she never expected to cultivate a wizard...
She was in a daze for a moment, then suddenly thought of something and looked directly into Soren's eyes: "I never thought you were truly a 'wizard.' You haven't used your Dark Arts to bully other children, have you?"
Facing the gaze of his 'parent' and 'dean of students,' Soren instinctively recoiled.
Then he stiffened, refuting with unrighteous but strong indignation: "I've been wronged, Headmistress Brent. I only stepped forward to stop the older children from bullying the younger ones, nipping bad behavior in the bud! They couldn't beat me, so they ran to tell tales. What a bunch of cowards!"
Headmistress Brent sighed softly, unsure what to say.
She had been an Orphanage Headmistress for nearly thirty years, having cared for generations of children, and Soren's generation was the most troublesome...
Humans often appear bewildered and helpless when facing the unknown.
Headmistress Brent had received too much information in a short time and didn't know what to do next.
Just then, a flapping of wings came from the window.
Along with the sound, a wise shadow enveloped Soren's upper body.
The two people in the Headmistress's office turned to look together. A large, majestic great owl stood on the windowsill, scrutinizing Soren with its sharp eyes.
Soren quickly recalled and recognized it as an 'Eagle Owl,' one of the largest owls in the wild.
If he could keep one as a pet and carry it on his shoulder when he went out, he would definitely be the coolest kid on the block!
Hogwarts' 'Mr. Messenger' tilted its head, observed Soren for a while, seemed to confirm his identity as a new student, and squeezed out a muffled 'hoo-hoo' from its throat.
As if finding that not imposing enough, it raised its neck, opened its mouth, and swallowed the little mouse it held whole, as smoothly as eating a 'fry'.
After finishing its snack, it opened its mouth again, letting out an even louder 'hoo-hoo,' striking a very majestic pose.
Soren sincerely praised, thinking that wizards must have used intelligence-enhancing potions on magical creatures to make them so spiritual.
Headmistress Brent added at the appropriate moment: "Just now I wanted to feed it some nuts, but it didn't eat them and flew away. It turns out it went hunting."
"Most owls are carnivorous birds of prey." Soren actually knew this fact. "There are quite a few mice in the barn, so it's also helping to get rid of pests."
The Eagle Owl watched them converse quietly. Only when they stopped did it extend a leg and make a grabbing motion with its claws.
No words were needed; it was waiting for Soren's reply.
Soren understood this as well, suppressing his excitement, and asked Headmistress Brent for paper and a pen.
Writing tools were naturally not lacking in the Headmistress's office. Soren quickly got a fountain pen and wrote a reply on a standard sheet of letter paper.
————
Dear... doesn't feel quite right, crossed out.
Esteemed Deputy Headmistress Minerva:
I am Soren Reed, and I am honored and willing to enroll in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Indeed, some phenomena inexplicable by science have occurred around me.
However, I am merely an orphan without parents and know nothing about Hogwarts. My guardian, Headmistress Brent, also has many doubts. If possible, could your esteemed school provide more explanations and assistance to answer our questions?
I look forward to your next reply.
—Applicant for Admission: Soren Reed, Yours sincerely.
Soren referenced the official acceptance letter and wrote a reply in the same format, then found a new envelope to seal it.
He rolled the letter into a scroll and tied it to the Eagle Owl's outstretched left leg, taking the opportunity to stroke its fluffy body.
The feel was fluffy yet firm, and it emitted a pleasant feathery scent—truly delightful!
The Eagle Owl seemed to sense his affection and likewise nuzzled him in a friendly manner.
Soren was overjoyed and wanted to tip it. Although he currently had no magical currency, he had other things that could serve as payment: "Are you full? If not, I have a few more small mice, I'll give them all to you~"
The Eagle Owl slowly blinked, guiltily averted its gaze, let out two 'hoo-hoos,' and then flapped its wings, soaring into the sky.
Soren didn't understand owl language, but judging by its behavior, that last 'hoo-hoo' probably meant 'no thanks,' right?
What a good owl, sending his letter for free!
Soren Reed and the Magic Library: Chapter 3 Soren: I might have a fake system...
Hogwarts' 'Mr. Messenger' flew away, carrying Soren's beautiful aspirations for the future.
The two people in the Headmistress's office fell into a brief silence.
After communicating for a while longer, Soren politely bade farewell and left.
Headmistress Brent's thoughts were somewhat jumbled; she also needed time to clear her mind.
After leaving the Headmistress's office, Soren was preoccupied, trying to recall all the details from the original Harry Potter novels, searching for undiscovered opportunities and treasures.
Unconsciously, the surroundings grew dim, and there was no path forward. He had arrived at a slightly cluttered room.
Soren snapped out of it, realizing he had habitually walked back to the communal dormitory.
The dormitory was quiet now, with only him inside.
It wasn't that others were deliberately avoiding him; it was because it was summer vacation, and children around his age were all full of energy, playing outside almost all day, only returning in the evening for dinner and rest.
He personally quite enjoyed this sense of solitude; it was rare to have some peace and quiet.
Sitting on the edge of his bed, his gaze swept over the familiar furnishings. At the thought that he could stay at Hogwarts Castle in September and eat the sumptuous feasts prepared by the house-elves, his stomach grumbled uncooperatively.
If he had to say what pained him the most after his rebirth:
First, it was definitely his status as an orphan. Lacking family support truly made for a hell-mode start, where everything he did took twice the effort for half the result.
Second was the damn British diet. Reborn in a culinary desert, and in an underfunded private Orphanage at that, his Chinese stomach had long been battered beyond recognition by "authentic" British food, leaving him somewhat malnourished.
Fortunately, things were looking up; he would soon be going to Hogwarts to enjoy three buffet-style feasts every day!
While he was excited, his gaze inadvertently swept over the bedside locker, and his eyes narrowed slightly.
The cabinet door was ajar, and the strand of hair tied to the handle had vanished. Without a doubt, his locker had been opened!
Which little rascal was itching for a beating again?
Had he been too kind lately, causing certain people's old habits to resurface...
Soren Reed suppressed his annoyance and pulled open the cabinet door to check.
He certainly wouldn't keep valuables in such an insecure place, although... he didn't really seem to have any valuables anyway.
He was certain that this locker, which was close to his bed, contained the experimental animals he had caught from the barn. He had even given them food and water last night.
As the cabinet door opened, an unpleasant odor quietly filled the air.
It was the stench of fresh feces.
The source of the stench was the scattered black, strip-like droppings in the hamster cage, commonly known as—rat droppings.
That's right, what Soren Reed had caught in his mousetrap were, of course, rats, which he kept in the cabinet to use as experimental material.
But now, the door to the hamster cage was open, and the little rats inside had vanished without a trace.
The culprit had taken advantage of his absence to steal... no, that wasn't right, they must have eaten these poor little guys.
A feather carelessly left behind in the cage exposed the true culprit's identity; it was undoubtedly that owl which had delivered the letter...
"Fine, it seems that 'hoot' wasn't 'no thanks,' but 'already ate,' Mr. Messenger with the sticky fingers..."
Realizing the truth, Soren Reed actually stopped being angry.
They were just a few wild rats; it was reasonable to give them to the owl messenger as postage.
Besides, he was a person who believed in the "principle of equivalent exchange."
Putting the theft behind him, he plunged into a brainstorming session again, with endless thoughts rushing out in a scramble.
Suddenly, one particularly important matter surfaced in his mind again.
Soren Reed closed his eyes with a look of annoyance and roared in his heart: "System, get out here!"
Silently, a holographic panel unfolded before his eyes, the pale white fluorescence dispelling the darkness.
[achievement system]
An unadorned name; this was the cheat code Soren Reedpossessed as a transmigrator.
Compared to the advanced versions of other transmigrator predecessors, his system seemed a bit "dull." It couldn't speak, it couldn't add stat points, and it couldn't issue quests. To be precise, it had absolutely no interactivity.
Soren Reed once thought the system was broken, only to realize later that it was simply quite useless.
As the name suggested, the only function of this system was to light up an achievement after he completed certain things, while incidentally saying some nonsense...
Furthermore, it wasn't there from the beginning; it only appeared after his magical power awakened—oh, no, that's right, now he knew it was a magical outburst. It was only after that that the system suddenly appeared, giving him the surprise of "destiny is in my hands."
Unfortunately, this surprise didn't last long before it was shattered...
His thoughts drifted briefly, but Soren Reed pulled himself together and interrogated it fiercely in his mind: "Look at other people's systems, and then look at you! We're both systems, why are you so useless?"
[...]
The system did not speak, remaining silent.
"You didn't even tell me in advance that I was in the world of Harry Potter. What use are you to me!"
[...]
The system remained silent, without joy or sorrow.
"You—sigh, you, you useless thing, what do you want me to say!"
Soren Reed outputted a rant unilaterally and shook his head speechlessly.
Forget it, the useless system had always been like this, like it was autistic...
If it weren't for the fact that the achievement rewards were always in effect, he would really have taken this system, which no one else could see, as a product of some mental illness.
However, since the system was real, why didn't it warn him about the truth of this world? It made him take a detour for several years...
While he was distressed, he suddenly saw the system interface blur, and two new icons suddenly appeared at the very top.
Could it be?
The system had finally officially activated!?
Soren Reed perked up immediately, almost shouting that unforgettable classic line— "System, add points for me!"
After anxiously waiting for a dozen seconds, the two icons fully formed, revealing the text on them.
Left—Muggle World Achievement.
Right—Wizarding World Achievement.
The default interface at this moment was [Muggle WorldAchievement], and Soren Reed had long since memorized those achievement items.
He couldn't wait to select the other icon with his mind and switch to the [Wizarding World Achievement] page.
"System! Let me see your true... true... that... ah!?"
Soren Reed's excitement was cut short, left hanging in mid-air.
This page was empty, with only one line of prompt: [Missing necessary information; the achievement systemcannot successfully create sub-items. Please collect information on the Wizarding World yourself to help the system complete the update.]
"Ah, this..."
Soren Reed's brain crashed for a long time, then the corners of his mouth suddenly curled up neurotically, and he covered his face with his hands.
So it turned out that people really do laugh when they are extremely speechless...
"Fine, it's just as expected, even gathering information requires me, the host, to do it myself. You useless system."
After three years of getting along, Soren Reed had long since lost his illusions about his system; let it be.
It was fine if it was a bit retarded; after all, this was the magical Wizarding World.
How did that popular saying in the Wizarding World go—never trust anything that can think for itself, unless you can see where it keeps its brain.
Soren Reed reined in his wandering thoughts and stopped getting angry with the system.
Information about the Wizarding World was also crucial to him. Fortunately, he would soon be able to complete this prerequisite task himself; he just needed to wait a little longer...
*
The efficiency of Hogwarts was higher than imagined; before dinner that day, the reply had already been delivered to the Headmistress's office.
Soren Reed was invited to view it together and went happily.
— Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry —
Dear Mr. Reed:
We know that mentioning magic suddenly may cause you and your guardian some confusion. To prove that what we say is true, and to better complete the preparations before enrollment, we will send a member of our school staff to visit you and help answer your questions.
If possible, our staff member will visit the Headmistress's office at nine o'clock tomorrow morning. If there are any special circumstances, please reply. If you accept, just prepare and wait patiently.
— Deputy Headmistress: Minerva McGonagall, Sincerely.
Soren Reed couldn't wait for the school staff to come today, so of course, he had no objections.
Headmistress Brent was feeling dizzy, absent-mindedly tidying up the desk while preparing to welcome the mysterious guest from the Wizarding World.
Soren Reed helped tidy up obediently, and only went to the dining hall to eat when the dinner bell rang.
Later that day, he remained immersed in his own thoughts, ignoring the passage of time.
The question he was currently most curious about was: Who would come to pick him up tomorrow?
Would it be Professor McGonagall?
Or perhaps Hagrid? Flitwick? Sprout? Hooch?
It couldn't possibly be Dumbledore, surely; Soren Reeddidn't think he had that much clout yet.
Oh, right, and it was unlikely to be that Potions professor; given his personality, he probably wouldn't be willing to do this kind of work of receiving new students.
As his thoughts surged, the night grew darker.
*
It felt like just a blink of an eye, and the next day had arrived.
Soren Reed forced himself to sleep for six hours for once, and rushed to the Headmistress's office early with the most energetic appearance.
Headmistress Brent also changed into a decent formal outfit and put the best tea bags she had on hand into the teapot.
Subsequently, the adult and the child looked at each other, falling into a long wait.
Time passed minute by minute, gradually approaching nine o'clock in the morning.
What made Soren Reed feel quite tormented was that he didn't know if that staff member was particularly punctual or had other reasons, but in any case, he or she had to arrive right on time, knocking on the door at exactly nine o'clock.
"Knock, knock, knock—"
A very polite, yet slightly heavy knocking sound rang out.
Soren Reed hurriedly stood up and adjusted his posture.
Headmistress Brent glanced at him quickly, nodded gently, and said in a polite and courteous tone: "Please come in."
The wooden door of the Headmistress's office suddenly opened, and a black figure floated in.
Soren Reed bowed his head respectfully, his gaze sweeping from bottom to top.
Black boots, black pants, black clothes, black robes, black eyes, black hair—all over his body, only his face was white, and it was that kind of paleness that hadn't seen the sun for a long time.
The visitor strode into the room, looking just like a large bat gliding at night, wearing a sour face mixed with gloom, boredom, and irritability...
It made Soren Reed's vision go black.
He was too familiar with this expression; in his past life, many overworked employees had this standard world-weary face.
After eleven o'clock at night, if you find any large enough office building to stake out, nine out of ten of those overtime workers dragging their exhausted bodies off work have this expression of "barely alive but seems a bit dead"...
He realized that this "staff member" wasn't particularly punctual, but was particularly unwilling to come and receive a new student.
But... why?
Why did it have to be you—Snape!
Soren Reed and the Magic Library: Chapter 4 Snape: "Looks like... very much like..."
Seeing this heavyweight plot character, Soren Reed's breathing became slightly disordered, and his heart jumped uncontrollably.
Fortunately, the situation today was special, and given his "apparent age," having this reaction was quite normal in the eyes of outsiders.
After a moment of chaotic thinking, he regained his composure and quickly lowered his head, pretending to be a shy child, but in reality, he was avoiding eye contact with Snape—this was a genuine master of Legilimency.
Contrary to what Soren Reed thought, Snape did not look at him immediately after entering the room, but quickly observed the layout of the Headmistress's office, his gaze pausing on the old-fashioned fireplace for a moment, before landing on Headmistress Brent's face.
Headmistress Brent smiled politely at this "school staff member" who looked a bit scary, and introduced herself voluntarily.
Snape listened quietly until she finished, and similarly introduced himself: "Severus Snape, Potion Class professor at Hogwarts and Head of Slytherin House. Nice to meet you, Ms. Brent. As agreed, I have come to escort the new student."
Seeing his toes turn slightly, Soren Reed knew he was looking at him, so he quickly adjusted his mindset, looked up, and showed a decent smile: "Nice to meet you, Snape. My name is Soren Reed, a new student this year. Thank you for coming to answer our questions."
"Hmm..."
Snape let out a low nasal sound, pursed his lips, and let's just take that as a smile.
Subsequently, his gaze fell on Soren Reed's face, observing carefully.
Soren Reed bit the bullet and accepted the "inspection," panicking internally.
The torment, where seconds felt like years, lasted for a dozen seconds before Snape moved his gaze away. His expression seemed to have changed, but Soren Reeddared not stare at him, so he wasn't sure if it was his own illusion.
Chapter 5
After a brief round of introductions, Snape, with high efficiency, went straight to the point.
The first thing he did was take out his wand to prove the reality of magic—with an elegant wave of his wand, he performed a beautiful piece of non-verbal magic, transforming the European-style bench Headmistress Brent was sitting on into a magnificent banquet chair covered in soft cushions.
Headmistress Brent touched the soft cushions in surprise, feeling the plush texture, and exclaimed with genuine amazement at the wonder of magic.
Snape put away his wand with a bland expression and explained, "This is Transfiguration, one of the compulsory subjects for young wizards, and the effect can last for six hours."
Headmistress Brent's mouth opened slightly. Suddenly realizing he had been standing the whole time, she hurriedly invited him to sit, "Please, take a seat, Snape. I am now fully convinced that the magic school truly exists, but I still have many other questions. And, you know, Soren... he is an orphan."
Snape did not accept her offer. He took a bound booklet from his pocket, placed it on the table, and pushed it toward her:
"The basic information you need to know is written in this booklet. It is educational material prepared by Hogwartsspecifically for Muggles... that is, ordinary people who do not know about the existence of the wizarding world. Just sign your real name in the bottom right corner of the cover to open and read it.
By the way, this booklet has been enchanted with a secrecy spell to ensure you do not leak the secrets of the wizarding world. Also, why do I get the feeling that you don't seem very surprised by the existence of magic?"
He reeled off a long speech, causing Headmistress Brentto pause for a few seconds before responding, "Oh, it's like this. When I received this special letter yesterday, Soren demonstrated the existence of magic to me. It is indeed quite wonderful."
"...Hmm?" Snape looked at Soren again, his deep eyes filled with contemplation. Afterward, he nodded slightly, "If you don't mind, please demonstrate it for me as well, just to confirm your magical talent."
Soren would be a fool to believe him, but considering that other young wizards also exhibit various phenomena during magical outbursts, he decided to proactively display some talent to avoid being looked down upon.
Given the current situation, he had prepared his plan since yesterday. Now, adjusting his mindset, he pointed his finger at the teapot and once again "showed off his talent."
Wrapped in magical power, the teapot floated up slowly, and the lid on the teacup moved aside on its own, allowing the clear tea to pour into the cup. Immediately, the teacup lid gently stirred the surface of the tea, skimming off the foam, just as if an invisible person were performing a tea ceremony.
It was a seemingly simple operation, but in reality, it was not easy at all. Soren focused entirely, only then successfully completing the performance.
After placing the teapot steadily back on the table, he let out a sigh of relief, picked up the teacup, and obediently offered the tea to Snape, "Snape, please have some tea!"
"..." Snape said nothing. He watched him for quite a while before nodding, signaling him to put the teacup down first.
After he complied, Snape continued, "According to school regulations, staff members responsible for guiding new students must take them to Diagon Alley to purchase all necessary school supplies. While Ms. Brent reads the educational materials, let's go shopping first and try to finish the process before noon."
Soren nodded obediently, but suddenly put on a troubled expression, "But... Professor, I don't have much money. Does the wizarding world also use British Pounds?"
"Hogwarts does not charge tuition fees and has prepared a bursary for new students in special circumstances like yours, so you don't need to worry about these problems. Of course, the bursary is not very large, so it would be best for you to choose second-hand textbooks so you can save some money for later use."
As he spoke, Snape pulled a bulging little pouch from his coat pocket and handed it to Soren.
"Thank you, thank you very much, Snape!"
Soren respectfully took it with both hands, knowing that this contained the currency of the wizarding world and was his entire startup capital.
Snape nodded casually and looked up at Headmistress Brent, "Ms. Brent, is this arrangement acceptable?"
The Headmistress, who was staring blankly at the booklet, hurriedly nodded, "Of course, no problem. Everything is up to you."
"Very well. If you don't mind, I would also like to borrow your fireplace here."
"...The fireplace?" Headmistress Brent was stunned, "Uh... of course, please go ahead."
Snape nodded silently and took out a smaller pouch from his pocket. He untied the string and showed Soren the sandy, gray powder inside, "This is Floo Powder. When used correctly, you can move quickly from one fireplace to another. Every year during this time, Leaky Cauldron clears out a fireplace specifically to welcome young wizards visiting Diagon Alley for the first time."
He motioned for Soren to follow him and strode to the fireplace, casting a spell that seemed to temporarily add this fireplace to the Floo Network.
"Take a small pinch, throw it into the fire, and when the flames turn green, step inside and clearly shout out your destination—Leaky Cauldron." Snape taught him the method, "Don't worry, it's very safe. I will follow behind you to ensure nothing goes wrong."
"Understood, Snape."
Soren took a deep breath, reached into the pouch to take a small pinch, and tossed it into the fireplace.
The flames in the fireplace surged violently, turning a vibrant green.
Ignoring the hot wind rushing toward him, Soren bravely stepped into the fire, shouted "Leaky Cauldron," and his figure vanished instantly.
Snape watched his retreating figure, mentally labeling him as "calm, composed, and having good adaptability," and finally looked around the Orphanage Headmistress's office.
So similar... very similar... No wonder Dumbledorespecifically sent him. This new student from the Orphanage gave him an uncomfortable sense of déjà vu in many respects.
Hopefully, it won't be another...
Soren Reed and the Magic Library: Chapter 5 - First Arrival in Diagon Alley
Soren felt as if he had fallen into a huge vortex, his body spinning rapidly and uncontrollably... The roaring in his ears was deafening... He tried hard to stay calm, keeping his eyes wide open to observe the green flames swirling around him.
He was certain that he had clearly spoken the name of the destination. That meant he should be able to arrive at Leaky Cauldron smoothly.
In the endless spinning, he occasionally bumped into something, but whenever he looked closely, he couldn't see it clearly.
He didn't know how long it had been, but a shimmering hearth door gradually became clear.
Soren quickly observed his surroundings, and after confirming there were no other options, he gathered all his strength and leaped in that direction.
His body suddenly felt light, and he stumbled out of the vortex of flames, breathing in fresh air, which was mixed with the smell of alcohol and food.
"Wow~wow, slow down, little one. Don't knock over my tray of drinks, you reckless little rascal~"
Soren looked up in confusion and saw an elderly man with almost no hair left and a withered, thin frame. He was wearing clothes suitable for a pub attendant and looked reasonably tidy.
The man winked at him playfully and introduced himself, "Welcome, little one, welcome to Leaky Cauldron. I am Tom, the owner here. According to the rules, the first drink is on me!"
He moved the tray holding four glasses of pale ale toward Soren, signaling him to take one himself.
Soren was dumbfounded, unsure for a moment whether he should accept his "kindness."
Just at this moment, a flash of fire appeared behind him, and another figure stepped out, reaching out to push aside Soren, who was blocking the front of the fireplace.
"Do not block the fireplace exit. It is a busy period recently, and many students come to Diagon Alley to shop every day." Snape let go of his shoulder and looked at Tom, "And you, proprietor Tom, inciting a first-year student to drink is a crime, do you know that?"
Tom clearly hadn't expected that Soren's "partner" would be the infamous Snape, and he pulled back his hand in fright, laughing dryly, "Just a joke, Professor. If he really dared to reach out, I would have mocked him mercilessly."
"It had better be."
Snape responded coldly and strode forward.
Soren hurriedly followed, not forgetting to introduce himself to Tom, "Nice to meet you, proprietor Tom. My name is Soren Reed, a first-year student. See you next time!"
Tom waved at him good-naturedly. With Snape around, he dared not say anything like "welcome back" anyway.
A while later, Soren caught up with Snape and arrived in the pub's main hall, discovering that the spot he had been in was likely a storage room for beer barrels and deli food.
Looking around, there were a few tables of guests in strange costumes sitting in the pub, but there were no acquaintances, just NPCs.
Snape had a cold temperament and clearly had no intention of staying here long, so he led him forward, arriving at a small courtyard enclosed by walls on all sides.
Then, naturally, it was the classic routine—starting from above the trash can, count up three bricks, then count across two, and tap the wall three times with his wand.
The wall bricks moved on their own, revealing a wide archway that allowed three people to walk abreast.
At the end of the archway was a winding, cobblestone path that led to the bustling street further ahead.
"Remember this process. Next time, you will have to come yourself."
Snape would never say something like "Welcome to Diagon Alley." He gave him a cold reminder and strode away.
Soren responded obediently, scurrying after him on his short legs, not daring to say a single unnecessary word.
As they approached the shopping street, the number of passersby clearly increased.
Just as Soren was excitedly looking left and right, wishing he could go into every shop for a look, Snape stopped without warning, pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket, opened it to take a look, and handed it to him casually.
"Your admission letter should have a shopping list. I was afraid you might forget, so I brought an extra copy. Buy according to what is on here, and don't forget what I told you earlier."
"Yes, Professor."
Soren actually had his own copy, but there was no need to refuse Snape's kindness, so he reached out and took it.
Snape continued, "Choosing a wand takes the most time, and buying a pet is the least necessary. Leave these two items for last and start with the other items first."
"Yes, Professor."
"As for the currency of the wizarding world, the gold coin is the Galleon. One Galleon is seventeen silver sickles, and one silver sickle is twenty-nine Knuts. You will get used to it after using it a few times."
"Yes, Professor."
Other than this, what else could Soren say...
Next, he went through a rather boring shopping experience.
With the "infamous" Snape by his side, all the young wizards they encountered spontaneously switched to "walking against the wall" mode. Except for a few parents and Slytherin students, students from other houses wished they could just vanish on the spot.
Even the shopkeepers were very reserved when talking to Snape, and the interactions were as boring as they could be.
Soren could also tell: Snape really did not like this job of escorting a new student, and he was always observing him intentionally or unintentionally, which felt like a bad sign.
Therefore, he had to restrain his emotions and shop according to the plan.
First was the school uniform.
As the saying goes, "clothes make the man." On this item, Soren did not intend to be frugal and chose to buy new ones.
His background was already prone to criticism, and if he wore ragged clothes, it was hard to guarantee that some snobs wouldn't want to step on him, even if there was no grudge between them.
Next were the textbooks.
Snape had just said not long ago that he should buy second-hand books, and Soren naturally obeyed.
He quickly picked out a set of books from the pile of old books that were complete and well-preserved, finishing the shopping trip at the bookstore.
If he had spare money, there really were many magic books in there that he was interested in, but there were no "ifs" in this world, so he had to leave with regret.
After that were the tools and ingredients needed for Potion Class.
In this item, Soren finally received some benefits from Snape.
When he was struggling with how to choose second-hand tools, Snape impatiently reached out and selected the best quality second-hand cauldron and other tools for him. Afterward, the apothecary owner even voluntarily gave Soren a discount, helping him save a small amount of money.
Having a Potions Master accompany him meant he could benefit from related fields.
Another item was crossed off the shopping list, and soon only the two items that had been deliberately delayed remained.
"Go buy a wand first." Snape decreed.
"Yes, Professor." Soren received the decree.
The two, one after the other, arrived at the most popular tourist attraction in Diagon Alley—Ollivanders Wand Shop.
The golden sign on the door read: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.
Soren's gaze lingered for a moment on the lonely wand in the display cabinet before following Snape into the shop.
This was a compact and crowded shop. The interior space was not small, but it was piled high with things, almost like a small Library.
The shop area at the entrance was particularly crowded. Aside from the wand boxes that were stacked almost to the ceiling, there was only room for one bench and nothing else.
Perhaps because the previous customer had just left, the shopkeeper Ollivander was tidying up the wands that had been taken out.
Hearing someone enter, the silver-haired old man turned his head and revealed a kind smile, "Welcome. Another young wizard is about to set off from here to write their own legend. I am Ollivander, very pleased to serve you."
"You are too kind, Shopkeeper Ollivander... sir." Soren changed to a more appropriate title and introduced himself again.
Mr. Ollivander listened with a chuckle and walked over with steady steps.
When his line of sight was no longer blocked by the storage shelves, he finally saw Snape, who had accompanied Soren. A flash of surprise crossed his large, pale eyes, "Severus, it's actually you escorting a new student. What's this? Now that you're getting older, do you finally have some patience for children?"
He certainly had the confidence to speak to Snape this way; after all, even Snape's own wand was sold to him by his own hands!
Snape smiled for once and said, seemingly casually, "I am also a staff member at Hogwarts, and it is inevitable that I must carry out tasks. Master Ollivander, please help this new student check thoroughly. He is the kind of... very special, very promising young wizard."
A flash of realization crossed Mr. Ollivander's eyes, like two shining moons. He understood Snape's implication and tried to glance at Soren as unobtrusively as possible.
The problem was—Soren was not a real child, and Snape's words had hidden meaning, which he could also understand!
Is this... suspecting him? Trying to test him?
Damn that "Tom." It's really a case of "those who came before planted the trees, and those who came after are left to be scorched by the sun," right!
Soren Reed and the Magic Library: Chapter 6 - The Difficult Wand Selection Journey
Being treated with such special attention, Soren was so angry he wanted to bite someone, but on the surface, he could only pretend to be completely unaware and cooperate with their performance.
Mr. Ollivander was still in that chuckling manner, pulling a tape measure printed with silver markings from his pocket, and began the routine inquiry, "Little one, which arm do you use for your wand?"
"My dominant hand is my right hand." Soren answered truthfully.
"Raise your arm and keep it level.—Good." While measuring, he neatly cleared the counter.
Chapter 6
The start of the school year for new students was always the happiest time of his year. Selecting the very first wand for those little tots, and choosing the most suitable owners for the wands that had waited so long—the combination of the two was practically like officiating a wedding!
Considering that Soren's situation seemed a bit special, he adjusted his opening remarks slightly: "My polite young man, let me tell you that every single wand is unique. The properties of the wood, the nature of the magical creature that provided the core, and the character of the owner themselves—only when these three elements align perfectly can a wand truly unleash its proper power.
So, you see, this is a two-way choice. You are choosing the wand, but the wand is also choosing you. Only when both of you are satisfied with each other does an adventure that could very well last a lifetime officially begin.
Every time I witness such a beginning, my heart swells with excitement. It feels just like opening a novel book, about to embark on a splendid journey. Oh—perhaps I am being a bit too long-winded. Don't mind me; this is just what happens when people grow old. We all get this way, haha!"
Mr. Ollivander smiled and walked toward the shelves not far away, taking down long boxes one by one.
A magical measuring tape operated on its own, even measuring Soren's head circumference and the distance between his nostrils, though it was hard to say what use such data could possibly have.
Soon, Mr. Ollivander returned carrying over a dozen boxes, stacking them on the long, narrow wooden counter. He was light on his feet, showing no signs of his advanced age.
"Alright, let us begin in earnest. We shall start with—" He opened the topmost box, revealing a beautiful white wand that, at first glance, looked like a silver spear, "—an aspen wand!"
"Our family motto is: 'If you seek integrity, look first among the owners of aspen.' Come, try it. Although I prefer those picky young wizards, wouldn't it be a wonderful surprise if it worked on the very first try?"
Under his encouraging gaze, Soren reached out and took the wand.
The magic power, which previously only obeyed him when he concentrated deeply, spontaneously gathered into the wand, giving him the exhilarating sensation of upgrading from a two-wheeler to a four-wheel drive.
The very first wand felt so natural in his hand. Could it be?
Just as he was about to wave the wand for a practical test, Mr. Ollivander shook his head and snatched the wand from his hand. "Hmm... not quite right. It accepts your control, but it doesn't truly recognize you. This means that quality is not your most prominent trait; you have merely dominated it with your powerful potential and magic. Well, this is interesting..."
He put the wand back, opened another box, and gestured for Soren to continue.
Keeping Snape's "special care" in mind, Soren asked hesitantly, "What kind of wand is it this time? What are its traits? Could you tell me more about it, Mr. Ollivander? This is truly fascinating!"
This question hit right on Mr. Ollivander's sweet spot, making him laugh heartily. "Of course, of course! A strong curiosity is an excellent quality. Perhaps you will be sorted into Ravenclaw and become my junior by many generations!"
With that, he looked at the wand in his hand and explained in a cheerful tone, "Cypress with a dragon heartstring core. Its soulmate is someone brave, steadfast, and self-sacrificing."
Soren took the wand. It felt equally natural to hold, but the outcome remained the same.
"No, this one isn't right either. It's the same—you are merely dominating it..."
Despite his words of rejection, Mr. Ollivander's expression was joyful, even somewhat excited.
"Try this one next. An applewood wand, very powerful, and especially suited for those with noble goals and grand ambitions. Its wielders usually possess immense personal charm—just like you."
As he spoke, he took another couple of looks at Soren's face and nodded once more.
Soren reached out and took it. This time it felt even better; the wand vibrated in his palm as if responding to him.
Mr. Ollivander grinned and snatched the wand back. "Well, well, what a picky customer! The applewood wand chose you, but your talent goes far beyond this. We must keep filtering."
"This one—" He paused for a moment before opening a box on the very edge, "—a blackthorn wand. Powerful and extremely rare. It is said that it can only truly bond with its owner after they have faced dangers and hardships together. Furthermore, there are generally only two kinds of people who use this wand: Aurors, and those pursued by Aurors."
Soren understood—it was a wand exclusive to the police academy; after graduation, half of them would be responsible for catching the other half.
He gave it a try, and to be honest, it worked quite well...
Fortunately, Mr. Ollivander took the wand away shortly after; otherwise, there was no telling how much longer Snape's death glare would last.
"Not this one either. Truly a picky customer," Mr. Ollivandersaid, looking delighted.
"Red oak wand... not quite there."
"Walnut wand... nice, nice. Perhaps you will become a spell inventor, but still no."
"Fir wand... very good, but only good. Far from perfect."
"Willow wand... Severus was right, you are indeed a young wizard of immense potential, but unfortunately, this is still not the one."
"Ash... hornbeam... redwood... laurel... No, none of them are right! Ah, this is too fascinating!"
Mr. Ollivander paced back and forth between the counter and the shelves, and the wands Soren had tried began to pile up like a small mountain.
Most of them were rejected the moment they touched his hand, and only a few were actually waved, though none achieved the ideal result in Mr. Ollivander's mind.
Snape glanced at the growing queue outside the shop and opened his mouth to speak several times, but Mr. Ollivander did not spare him a single glance, completely lost in the world of wandcraft, oblivious to everything else.
After trying countless rounds, Mr. Ollivander finally made up his mind and went to the deepest shelves to retrieve a few special wands.
"Well, well, perhaps you should try these. Here—a yew wand. It grants its wielder the power over life and death, and possesses a particularly dark and fearsome reputation in the fields of dueling and... curses."
Soren did not need to look back to know that Snape was staring at him.
But he was also curious about what kind of wand he would ultimately get, so he reached out and took the brownish-black wand.
It felt superb in his hand, and his magic power became exceptionally active.
Seeing that Mr. Ollivander did not object, he gave it a casual wave, and a deep red magical beam shot from the tip, blasting a black scorch mark onto the floor.
Behind him, Snape's gaze grew sharp.
Mr. Ollivander sighed helplessly. "You could choose it, but this is by no means the most suitable one for you."
Soren quickly returned the wand. He didn't want a wand with such a bad reputation either.
Mr. Ollivander fell silent for a long time, visibly conflicted. Then, he opened a box that looked ancient. "In my youth, I was passionate about finding the ideal wand combinations and experimented with every material that could be found in the wizarding world. This included elder. I once tried to replicate another legendary wand, but I could never find a wizard suited for it.
Come, try this one. Elder, with a Thestral tail hair core, thirteen inches long—an extremely extraordinary combination.
It is far more difficult to master than any other wand, and only an exceptionally unusual person can perfectly match with an Elder Wand. But once such a rare event occurs, that wizard is destined for a magnificent and tumultuous fate."
Soren's breath caught in his throat as he nervously took this replica of the 'Elder Wand'.
Magic surged at his fingertips and cheered in his ears. His magic was so perfectly aligned with this wand that it gave him a powerful illusion of omnipotence.
He raised the wand, gave it a gentle flick, and with a light tap of the tip, caused the mountain of wooden boxes piled on the counter to fly up, hovering in mid-air.
Listening closely, one could even hear the faint sound of the wands trembling continuously inside their containers, as if they were shivering.
Snape's eyes flickered, but he remained silent.
Mr. Ollivander applauded him, yet his expression seemed somewhat hesitant. "It is a very close fit; perhaps you should choose it. But how should I put it? By my standards, it is still not perfect."
"..."
Life was not easy, and Soren sighed.
AI Model: gemini-3.1-flash-lite
Mr. Ollivander seemed to be numb as well: "You are the pickiest young wizard I have ever met. If you were this picky about your food, you would definitely suffer from long-term malnutrition. Come on, try the last few. If they don't work, we'll have to settle for an Elder Wand."
The last few really didn't... Wait!
The last one was unexpectedly comfortable to use.
When Soren waved the wand, the entire shop trembled slightly, as if experiencing a miniature earthquake. At the same time, a faint phoenix cry echoed in his mind, the lingering sound refusing to dissipate.
This was undoubtedly a sign of extreme compatibility, making it even more suitable for him than the Elder Wand.
Mr. Ollivander looked at the wand, then at Snape, his expression as strange as it could possibly be: "This one... really?"
"Tell me in detail." Snape demanded. He would have to report the relevant situation to Dumbledore later, so he naturally needed to get to the bottom of it.
"Very well..." A look of reminiscence flashed in Mr. Ollivander's silvery eyes. "Holly, phoenix feather, eleven inches long, nice and supple—a very special combination. I still remember that I used two tail feathers from the same phoenix to make two wands. One is here, and the other one... is in the hands of the one who must not be named."
Soren Reed and the Magic Library: Chapter 7 Harry Potter? May he live long!
Oh, wow—
Soren widened his eyes, examining the wand in his hand with an incredulous expression.
Upon hearing these descriptions, even if he were slow-witted, he should have realized by now—isn't this Harry Potter's signature wand!
It seems he arrived earlier and snatched Harry's opportunity.
Umm...
Lord Voldemort narrowed his own path, and now he has narrowed Harry's path. Could the underlying logic of the wizarding world be one of mutual harm?
When the Triwizard Tournament begins in four years, if Harry faces Lord Voldemort with a relatively ordinary wand, he's absolutely doomed...
But if Soren were to give up this wand and sacrifice himself for others, that would be absolutely impossible—the good things in this world are always won by snatching them; there is no logic in handing over one's opportunities to others!
"Mr. Ollivander, I think this wand is the most comfortable one so far."
Soren pretended not to know anything, excitedly fiddling with the wand like a child who had just received a new toy.
Mr. Ollivander didn't think much of it; after all, the young guest was only eleven years old. When the Dark Lord's cruel reign ended, he might have just been born.
By comparison, Snape's concerns were much heavier.
Not to mention how similar Soren's situation was to Lord Voldemort's childhood, the mere fact that he had obtained Lord Voldemort's "brother wand" was unsettling. Not to mention that this year was the critical time for the Boy Who Lived to enroll—that was... Lily's child.
Lily... Lily... Lily...
Thoughts churned in his mind, and past memories tried their best to squeeze out from every crack.
Snape's pride in his calmness and rationality was struggling to suppress his loss of control, so he could only silently practice Occlumency, forcibly shifting his attention: "I remember... that holly wands are a type of wand that leans towards defense."
"You remember correctly, Severus. But I must tell you, that is an inaccurate stereotype."
Mr. Ollivander picked up the conversation with great interest: "Traditional belief holds that holly wands possess defensive properties and are suitable for those who may need help overcoming anger and emotional impulsiveness."
Having said this, he suddenly looked at Snape, his eyes conveying a hidden meaning.
Snape twitched the corner of his mouth, responding with a poker face.
Mr. Ollivander smiled slightly and continued: "At the same time, holly wands usually choose people who may experience danger or those with spiritual pursuits. I must say, this concept is correct. However—it is not accurate enough!
The truth is, holly is a versatile wood, and its performance depends more on the core material. Paired with different cores, it creates wands with vastly different characteristics.
Generally speaking, unicorn hair is the best match, as it can further enhance stability and protect the user from Dark Arts. Dragon heartstring is also good, as it can amplify the power of spells. Among the three core materials I usually use, phoenix feather is the least compatible with holly, and it might even be the least suitable of all core materials.
Holly seeks stability and defense; it is a very gentle wood that is willing to protect its user. But a phoenix feather is like a capricious and picky little girlfriend, extremely difficult to please, let alone tame..."
Having said so much in one breath, Mr. Ollivander paused to catch his breath.
Soren found an opportunity and quickly took a breath; he always felt that Mr. Ollivander was probably so obsessed with wand-making that he had become a bit crazed. In his words, these woods and core materials were almost like living things, and very anthropomorphic at that.
After a moment, Mr. Ollivander suddenly leaned close to Soren, his nose almost poking his face. He maintained this distance, observing him carefully.
Soren couldn't help but swallow, and he saw his own reflection in his silvery eyes.
"Similar, truly similar..."
"Black hair, black eyes, handsome features, quiet and decent, likable, and also particularly picky, with infinite potential. I have seen a young wizard like you before, and you are very much like him—"
"Master Ollivander!" Snape suddenly raised his voice, interrupting him.
Mr. Ollivander seemed to wake from a dream and stepped back sharply: "Ah... um... perhaps I shouldn't have told you these things, or even mentioned the other wand. Sometimes, knowing too much only adds to one's troubles..."
Feeling the sharp gaze of Snape behind him again, Soren wanted to cry.
Stab first, then apologize—this old man really knows how to play games...
But since he had already finished speaking, he couldn't just pretend he hadn't heard, as that would appear too fake. In such a situation, he could only force a change of topic: "Mr. Ollivander, I didn't understand what you meant. It's just... this is my wand after all, and I want to know all the information. You haven't mentioned what is special about the combination of phoenix feather and holly yet."
As he said this, he put on a curious expression, waiting for the other party to answer.
This wasn't a performance; it was his true emotion.
Mr. Ollivander nodded understandingly: "Are you sure you want to choose this wand?"
Soren nodded firmly.
"Very well then. I said this to that person once as well."
Mr. Ollivander ignored Snape's sour face and stared intently into Soren's eyes: "When holly and phoenix feather, these two conflicting materials, are successfully combined, it can completely change the characteristics of the holly wand. It is difficult to control and possesses an overly strong initiative, but when the user truly wins its heart, no one and nothing can block its path!"
Soren's breathing quickened; such characteristics were exactly what he desired most in his heart.
Reliving a lifetime in a magical world, there was too much he desired to obtain, and he would absolutely not allow anyone to block his path!
There was no need for more words; he would choose this wand, and he pulled out his wallet directly!
Seeing that the matter was settled, Snape asked in a complicated tone: "Is this the wand that is most suitable for him?"
Mr. Ollivander nodded slowly: "At least among the wands in my shop, this should be the most suitable one. Hmm—that will be seven Galleons."
He took the money and was about to put the wand into a box and wrap it in brown paper when he saw Soren pull his hand back, turn the wand around, and hide it directly into the sleeve of his trench coat.
Soren smiled obediently at him: "I'll hold it myself. Isn't it said that one needs to deepen the bond between the user and the wand? By the way, Mr. Ollivander, are the wands you produce waterproof? Can I carry it with me at all times?"
Hearing so many questions, Mr. Ollivander paused before answering with a smile: "Of course, the wands are waterproof; we have treated them. I have indeed heard that quite a few wizards sleep with their wands in their arms, hoping to deepen their bond in this way. I must say, this method... hehe, it might just work~"
Soren breathed a sigh of relief with satisfaction and added bonding with his wand to his daily to-do list.
Later, Mr. Ollivander saw them all the way out of the shop.