Wu Orphanage.
In the corridor.
Dumbledore looked around.
His gaze was filled with complex memories, and over the years, the decor here seemed unchanged.
"Lady Yelena, I am here for Ian Prince."
Dumbledore was ushered into the office by the orphanage director, and his arrival seemed to dispel any lingering chill in the room.
"He needed to complete a course of study."
Sunlight streamed through the stained glass windows, casting a gentle and mysterious glow on Dumbledore's long silver hair and beard, adding a layer of warmth to the already elderly wizard.
"Oh! This is really a good thing!"
The headmistress, Yelena, a woman in her fifties with gray hair and a kind smile, warmly entertained Dumbledore, offering him a cup of tea—an inexpensive blend, with a somewhat stale taste.
"Ian Prince, he was a good child, and a very mature one. He didn't mingle much with the other children at the orphanage, always off doing his own thing."
Faced with Yelena's introduction,
Dumbledore appeared thoughtful as he set down the tea Yelena had poured for him.
"Lady Yelena, are you saying that Ian Prince was a rather reclusive child?"
Dumbledore's gaze
caused the orphanage director, Yelena, to pause momentarily.
Then,
she quickly shook her head and explained.
"No, no, you misunderstood me. Perhaps I should say that Ian was just very mature for his age. The other children want to play with him, but Ian simply doesn't enjoy playing with them."
Yelena paused for a moment, then added, "Ian once said that the children playing house was really quite boring and too childish. He'd rather go play with birds than waste time on such things."
"Playing with birds? That's a nice hobby. It seems Mr. Ian Prince was a child fond of animals."
Dumbledore appeared relieved,
joking with a smile.
"Looks like he'll have an owl in the future."
Upon hearing this,
Yelena paused,
but she still kept a smile on her face, speaking well of Ian.
"Ian, though he found other children childish, still took good care of his younger siblings."
"At only eleven, he'd already sneak out to earn money, buying flour and vegetables to stock the kitchen... He remembered every child's birthday."
"He'd even buy candy for his brothers and sisters."
Yelena spoke with quite some gratification, suddenly appearing somewhat saddened, sighing in self-reproach.
"It's the current societal environment that's tough; the orphanage finds it hard to get donations. Of course, it's also that I haven't done enough, relying on a young child to earn money outside..."
Yelena seemed quite despondent.
"There's no need for self-blame. You've already done well enough. There's been significant change here, and I can feel it." Dumbledore even used a term of respect for Yelena, who was likely several decades his junior.
He sincerely comforted her.
"Have you been here before?"
Yelena expressed some surprise.
"This wasn't my first visit."
Dumbledore smiled faintly.
Yelena didn't pursue the matter further.
She was more concerned about the adoption issue.
"Sir, if you're planning to take Ian from the orphanage, please believe me, he surely is a wonderful child." Yelena sincerely hoped that such a sensible child would find a good home.
"Then, may I meet him?"
Dumbledore asked with a smile.
Under the influence of the Confundus Charm,
some of Yelena's perceptions would differ from reality.
There was no need to correct this.
"Of course! Of course, sir!" Lady Yelena was overjoyed. She stood up and said to Dumbledore, "Please wait a moment."
As Yelena walked out, she saw Ian, who had just returned to the courtyard.
A look of eager happiness appeared on her face, as she waved and called out to him.
"Ian, come here for a moment!"
Ian was pushing a small cart.
A child suddenly ran up to him and hugged him, "Ian, it looks like your big moment has arrived! Go ahead, don't keep Lady Yelena waiting."
At the orphanage, everyone referred to being adopted as the big thing.
After all, for these homeless children, nothing was more important than being adopted.
But, of course,
Ian was different.
He knew it wasn't about adoption.
With a sense of nervousness,
Ian was led to the office.
"So, it is him!"
He had a glimpse before, and now it was confirmed—the person in the office was Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts, the greatest wizard of this century.
"Don't be nervous."
Before Ian could open his mouth,
he saw Dumbledore observing him.
"Child, I need to tell you something. You are a wizard."
Under Ian's pretend look of surprise,
Dumbledore's eyes were deep.
"I assume you noticed early on that there were differences between you and others." His eyes didn't seem cloudy at all; instead, they were as clear as a child's.
"Uh."
Ian didn't answer immediately. He first looked up at Lady Yelena and saw that her expression hadn't changed, as if she hadn't heard what the old man was saying.
Was this... the Confundus Charm?
He forced himself to remain calm.
He avoided meeting Dumbledore's gaze.
"It is indeed so. I noticed this very early on. Sometimes, when I stare at a glass of water, I can make the water inside shake a little. So, this is the power of a wizard."
Ian didn't dare to feign ignorance.
His response made Dumbledore nod with a smile.
"Yes, this is your own internal magic at work. Sometimes, when you get angry with someone, the fluctuations in this magic become more intense."
Dumbledore spoke in a gentle tone.
But to Ian, these words seemed too much like bait. What did he mean by the fluctuations becoming more intense when angry? It's not like he was that Tom Riddle!
"Sir, I rarely get angry with others because being driven by emotions doesn't solve problems." Ian responded in a calm and gentle tone on the surface.
His response seemed to please Dumbledore greatly.
Dumbledore laughed.
As he nodded, his beard trembled.
"You're a very smart child. Lady Yelena wasn't wrong; you truly are mature for your age," Dumbledore said, his ancient eyes gazing slowly at Ian as he spoke.
"Hogwarts is a magical academy that wizards all over the world want to join, where you can learn every kind of witchcraft and encounter all sorts of magic creatures."
"Don't be nervous, Mr. Ian Prince, as the headmaster of Hogwarts, I formally invite you to study there."
It came!
Finally, it came!
Ian Prince was very nervous, although in a previous life he had only watched a few Hogwarts movies and some Hermione fanfics, he had heard of Professor X from Hogwarts.
Ian was genuinely worried that Dumbledore would behave without honor like those conspirators in fanfictions.
"Is there something troubling you?"
Dumbledore noticed Ian's emotions and softly reassured, "In Hogwarts, there's a flying Hippogriff, a Whomping Willow, and most importantly, lots of children your age. You'll be learning magic together."
"Don't worry about learning magic... Ian, actually, this orphanage once produced an extraordinary wizard."
Dumbledore suddenly seemed lost in memory, speaking with a sense of nostalgia.
Upon hearing this,
Ian became more tense.
Why was he tense?
Wasn't it because he knew exactly how "extraordinary" the man who left this orphanage was!
"Is that wizard still at Hogwarts?"
Ian braced himself and feigned curiosity.
Interrupted by Ian's voice, Dumbledore snapped back from his reminiscences and shook his head.
"In fact, he left Hogwarts a long, long time ago and lost his way."
Dumbledore finished with a compassionate tone.
Ian thought Dumbledore would continue with some critical words, but unexpectedly, the old man simply changed his tone, speaking slowly with regret and a hint of remorse, "However, it doesn't take away from his extraordinary achievements, only that he could have gone further."
Ian looked seemingly confused at Dumbledore but had various speculations in his heart.
Dumbledore's words seemed both a lament.
Was it a warning?
Or a test?
Darn it! This damned persecution complex, all because of those Harry Potter fanfics—Ian restrained his imagination, trying not to overthink.
"Child, have you made your decision?"
Dumbledore's voice echoed near Ian's ear.
"Uh... then, shall I give it a try?"
Ian had been waiting for this day, of course he wouldn't refuse.
"A wise decision. In half a month, Hogwarts will send you a notice, then someone will take you to purchase what you need for enrollment."
Dumbledore smiled at Ian.
And Ian shrugged, politely refusing, "Sorry, old sir, even if I want to enroll, it's useless since I have no money; I can't afford the tuition."
Dumbledore had already stood up and retrieved his hat from the hat rack.
At this moment, Yelena suddenly stood up and said to Dumbledore, "Thank you, in half a month, Ian will definitely go."
Ian was stunned, and then he realized.
This was the power of the Confundus Charm. Who knows what scene Yelena saw, but clearly, she couldn't see the real conversation between Ian and Dumbledore.
Dumbledore didn't speak to Yelena but smiled at Ian and said,
"You don't need to worry about money. Firstly, the school has a scholarship fund. Secondly, the person who comes to fetch you won't let you pay; he... feels he owes you a great deal."
As he spoke.
Dumbledore began to walk.
Ian was again stunned and couldn't help but stand up, watching Dumbledore walk toward the door.
"Who? My parents?"
Was he still pureblood?
This surprised Ian.
"This isn't my answer to reveal." Dumbledore merely blinked and gestured goodbye to Ian with a deeply meaningful tone.
"Child, you'll know in due time."
And with that.
He left without looking back.
Yelena joyfully saw him out.
Ian opened his mouth but said nothing. He turned and also left, heading back to his room.
It was night.
Ian lay on his bed, pondering why Dumbledore came ahead of schedule, whether it was because of Wu Orphanage or because his original last name should have been Ian Riddle.
Or perhaps.
Was it simply because he was a Prince?
Did this pureblood surname exist in the original?
Pondering this,
Ian felt his eyelids growing heavy.
The next moment,
he slowly transitioned from sleep to wakefulness, as if crossing some boundary—the sky, a band of twilight as beautiful as silk entwined around the gradually changing blue canvas, the distant woods seeming like a fairyland, the trees lush and vibrant, a little bird fluttered over the treetops, its song clear and melodious.
Under such a picturesque sky, everything was rendered in a dreamlike color, making one feel as if nestled in a magnificent painting, one's soul received unprecedented tranquility and purification.
Ian opened his eyes, taking in the breathtaking scenery before him.
"You came again."
A gentle voice spoke by his ear.
"Almost forgot, today's Saturday."
Ian turned his head towards a girl emerging from the woods.
She wore a blue dress, her golden hair flowing over her shoulders, and she looked at Ian with pure eyes.
"Ariana, I met a terrifying old man today; I forgot to bring you candy."
He said to the girl.