Dumbledore?
Wait, what???
What in the world?
Where am I? Who am I? What am I doing?
Wasn't this supposed to be a rebirth 39 years in the past, get a golden finger, use my foresight to marry a beautiful heiress, and reach the pinnacle of life? How did Dumbledore suddenly pop into the picture?
...I should have known. Isn't Wool's Orphanage the place where Voldemort stayed as a child? No wonder the name sounded vaguely familiar.
In that instant, countless thoughts raced through Felix's mind, but ultimately, he buried all his bewilderment deep down, his expression betraying nothing.
"Hello, Mr. Dumbledore, and Mrs. Gary," he said, stepping aside. "Please, come in and sit down."
"Oh, no need, little Felix," Mrs. Gary said, waving her hand with a beaming smile. "Mr. Dumbledore is the headmaster of a school, and he'd like to chat with you alone. This old woman won't disturb you."
With that, she closed the door.
Soon, the creaking sounds of her footsteps descending the stairs could be heard from outside.
"Well then, my boy, hello," Dumbledore said, gazing warmly at Felix. He introduced himself, "I am the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
"Hello, Mr. Dumbledore," Felix greeted him calmly, though a hint of excitement glinted in his eyes. It was excitement from having transmigrated to another world, but Dumbledore misinterpreted it.
"You don't seem surprised by the term 'magic.' It appears you've already realized there's something different about you," Dumbledore said, raising an eyebrow playfully. With a snap of his fingers, the teacup on Felix's desk automatically filled with hot tea.
"Oh! Cool!" Seeing this, Felix felt a twinge of envy. However, he also showed Dumbledore a little trick of his own. The spoon on the tea tray trembled, then shakily flew up and "dropped" into the cup.
This surprised Dumbledore. He had never seen such a young child possess such potent magical power before even mastering the basics. Typically, young wizards had insufficient magical capacity and lacked control. Even adult wizards often found it difficult to cast spells without the aid of a wand.
Although this trick showed a somewhat crude application of magic, that was relative to an adult wizard. It was enough to prove that Felix was an undeniable genius in magic as well.
"I figured it out when I first noticed these… abilities," Felix said, putting on an act. "I thought I couldn't be the only one with magic—or superpowers. But everyone around me believed magic or superpowers didn't exist. I suspected there must be some organization covering it all up. Maybe they were like me, maybe they would come find me."
"You are a remarkably clever child. Well then, are you willing to join Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and learn more about magic alongside other young witches and wizards your age?" Dumbledore asked kindly.
"Of course, Mr. Dumbledore. I'm very much looking forward to life at the school," Felix said with a smile, his expression showing a childlike eagerness. Though, counting both his lives, he was a good thirty-one years old, he was still incredibly thrilled to have transmigrated into this childhood fairytale world. He was especially full of anticipation to become a student at Hogwarts—particularly for "magic," this novel, never-before-encountered knowledge that had only existed in fantasy.
The internet? World's richest man? A beautiful heiress? None of that mattered anymore.
What wealth could compare to the power of magic? What beauty could surpass heroines and supporting characters like "Miss Know-It-All" Hermione, or the Veela-blooded Delacour sisters?
Although the wizarding world had its share of villains like Death Eaters and Voldemort stirring up trouble, and the seven years at school were often fraught with peril, the overall danger level wasn't excessively high. In reality, the forces of good had always held the upper hand, and the final crisis was largely a situation orchestrated by Dumbledore himself to ensure Voldemort's permanent demise.
Besides, opportunity and danger coexisted. Felix's "golden finger" wasn't like a system-type ability with clear beginner guides and cultivation paths. Therefore, to further develop his own abilities—especially his time-space talents—learning magic as a reference was currently the best idea. He even dreamed of one day going further, traversing different worlds, and experiencing a multitude of diverse lives.
Following this, Felix and Dumbledore chatted for quite a while. Although he already knew a lot from the books and movies, Felix, like any curious child, asked numerous questions about the wizarding world, and Dumbledore patiently answered each one.
Finally, Dumbledore stood up and said, "It's getting late. We should be on our way to Diagon Alley. There, we can purchase some necessities for your enrollment at Hogwarts. Do you have enough pounds sterling?"
"Certainly, Mr. Dumbledore," Felix said, pulling his wallet from a drawer and taking out a wad of pounds. "Actually, I've been submitting articles to children's magazines and have saved up a fair bit from the fees. I think it should be enough."
"Excellent," Dumbledore nodded with satisfaction. "Then let's be off."
"Himari, let's go." Before leaving, Felix opened his schoolbag towards Himari on the windowsill. The small white cat leaped in lightly and skillfully, leaving only her head poking out.
After bidding farewell to Mrs. Gary and the other children who had come out to see what was happening, the two of them left Wool's Orphanage. Under Dumbledore's guidance, they walked into a deserted alleyway.