When Bilbo retreated back into the kitchen, Daniel let out a sigh and turned his attention to the glowing prompt before him.
"Hogwarts Sign-in System? But what does this have to do with Middle-earth? If it's a Hogwarts Sign-in System, shouldn't I have ended up in the Harry Potter world? How did I wind up in Middle-earth instead?"
"Could it be that I transmigrated to the wrong place?" he wondered, filled with confusion.
Daniel tried asking the System about its function, but there was no response. The prompt simply floated brightly before his eyes, awaiting his decision.
With no response forthcoming, Daniel tentatively said, "Sign in?"
The entry flickered, the previous text vanished, and a new line appeared:
**[Sign-in successful! Magic talent unlocked. Congratulations on becoming a Wizard!]**
Suddenly, Daniel felt as if some secret realm within him had been unlocked; a surge of potent magic gushed through him, spreading to every limb and bone.
"Poof!"
He faintly heard an invisible barrier within his body breaking. In the next moment, the magic rushed out, making him feel weightless, and he floated up. Along with him, all the tables, chairs, sofas, teapots, and other items in the room floated into the air!
"Oh, my goodness!"
A shocked voice came from the kitchen doorway. Bilbo Baggins stood there, eyes wide with disbelief, and the plate in his hand dropped to the floor.
Startled by Bilbo's movement, the floating objects paused, then, as if losing power, they all crashed to the floor, leaving the room in a mess.
Coming back to his senses, Daniel looked at the chaos he'd caused, his face full of apologies. "I'm very sorry, Mr. Baggins, I didn't mean for this to happen. It's all my fault!"
Bilbo, still recovering from the shock, looked at Daniel with awe and excitement. "Mr. Daniel, you're a Wizard! This is amazing!"
"I didn't even expect it myself," Daniel thought to himself.
The rest of the time was spent cleaning up the mess. Although Daniel wished he could use magic to restore everything, he was currently a novice Wizard with magic but no idea how to wield it. So, they cleaned up by hand.
Afterward, Bilbo prepared two more servings of food. At the dining table, he said with some embarrassment, "I'm sorry, Mr. Daniel, I wasn't prepared today, so this is all we have for now. Tomorrow morning, I'll go to Hobbiton to buy groceries and prepare a lavish Hobbit dinner for you."
Noticing Bilbo's somewhat cautious attitude, Daniel smiled, shaking his head gently. "Bilbo, if I may call you that, you don't have to be so formal. You can also just call me Daniel. I should be thanking you for taking me in. Why can't we be friends?"
Feeling Daniel's sincerity, Bilbo relaxed completely, a smile spreading across his face. The kind Hobbit, without ulterior motives, happily accepted Daniel's friendship.
He extended his hand warmly, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Daniel, my friend!"
Daniel's smile was bright as he clasped Bilbo's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you too, Bilbo, my friend!"
The atmosphere inside Bag End became friendly and warm. Daniel inquired about the Shire and the lands beyond, and Bilbo answered with everything he knew. Although Bilbo had never left the Shire and knew little about the outside world, his love for reading adventure travelogues provided Daniel with plenty of useful information.
For instance, from the Shire, heading east, there was a main East-West Road passing through Brandywine Bridge, the Old Forest, the Barrow-downs, and reaching the human town of Bree. Further east lay the endless wilderness leading to the Misty Mountains.
It was said that from Bree, heading south, there was a main North-South Road bypassing the Misty Mountains and eventually reaching the southern human kingdom of Gondor.
Also, the current year was Shire Reckoning 1340, Middle-earth's Third Age 2940. This was the year before Bilbo joined Thorin's Company, meaning soon, this Hobbit would embark on his thrilling adventure.
Before becoming a Wizard, Daniel's plan was to survive by staying low-key. But with the Sign-in System, he began contemplating whether to join Thorin's Company. After all, the Company would travel through various places, even those inhabited by Elves. If he wanted to sign in at different locations, joining Thorin's Company seemed like a good option.
Late at night, after bidding Bilbo goodnight, Daniel lay on the bed, which was a bit small for him, with the bedspread barely covering his lower half. However, it was midsummer, so there was no need to worry about catching a cold.
Moonlight streamed through the round window, mingling with the dim yellow candlelight. Listening to the chirping of crickets and croaking of frogs outside, Daniel's restless heart gradually calmed.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Finding himself unexpectedly in this strange yet familiar world, he had no choice but to become stronger and live well. Clearing his mind, Daniel slowly drifted into a deep sleep.
The next day, Daniel awoke early. Listening to the faint snoring from next door, he bent down and tiptoed into the cylindrical living room, opened the round door, and stepped into the garden.
Facing the breeze and the scent of flowers, he took a deep breath. Hobbit houses were too short; constantly bending over, even if it didn't cause back pain, might lead to cervical issues.
Bilbo's Bag End was situated on a hill in Hobbiton, offering a clear view of the entire landscape. Hobbiton's scenery was beautiful, like a fairy-tale town, with lush green grass and abundant flowers. Even the trees and bushes were short, as if to accommodate its inhabitants.
Daniel was so entranced by the beauty that he even felt an urge to live there permanently. After admiring the scenery, he began planning his tasks for the coming period. Although now a Wizard, he had no wand—a Wizard's essential tool—and hadn't learned a single magic spell. Compared to ordinary people, he wasn't much stronger at all.
Despite being a former "Potterhead" who could recite spells like "Wingardium Leviosa," "Expelliarmus," "Petrificus Totalus," and even "Avada Kedavra," magic wasn't simply about chanting a spell. It required understanding magic theory, combining it with a wand and casting gestures, and mastering the spell to unleash its power.
So, even though Daniel recited spells until his lips were almost raw, nothing happened. However, he didn't give up. Daniel was convinced that even without a wand or formal training, a strong will could still produce magical effects. Hadn't Harry Potter, before starting school, made the glass at the zoo disappear, letting the python escape, and then trapping Dudley inside?
Even Neville, once considered a Squib by his family, had bounced like a ball and flown a long distance when in danger. Though these weren't conscious acts of spellcasting, Daniel believed that if he tried hard enough, he might also be able to cast magic.
Focusing on a stone in the garden, Daniel concentrated his will, hoping to make it fly. But after trying for a long time, even turning red with effort, the stone didn't budge. Giving up on the heavier stone, Daniel chose a leaf as his practice object.
Initially, the leaf showed no reaction. But as time passed, it began to move gently, swaying under an invisible force, slowly rising into the air.