World Gate

At midnight, the manor's lights were refracted by runes into soft white halos. Unsealed letters lay scattered across the desk, their ink still wet, their handwriting neat and composed.

Over the past several hours, Lin An had replied to dozens of letters—the recipients were all among the most influential names in the modern Wizarding World: Potions masters, alchemical scholars, presidents of runic societies, and even representatives of the International Confederation of Wizards.

The correspondence covered a wide range of subjects, from Ancient Runes to spatial spells, from alchemical formulas to theories of dark magic.

Five years of seclusion had not caused him to be forgotten.

The Daily Prophet had reported the "return of genius wizard Lin An Alvin," and within days, letters from every faction had poured in like snowflakes.

Every letter represented an interest group, a desire, and a future contest of power.

After replying to the final letter, Lin An rose and headed for the deepest part of the manor.

Not even the house-elves were allowed near that chamber.

More than a dozen defensive spells had been layered together, and barriers upon barriers made even the air feel taut. If an outsider trespassed, they would be torn to pieces by a thousand curses in an instant.

The door slowly opened, and a pulse of unsettling energy spread outward.

At the center of the room stood a massive metal door. Its surface was carved with ancient runes, its metal gleaming with a dark blue sheen. The surrounding space seemed to tremble faintly, while even time twisted slightly.

It was his greatest alchemical achievement—the World Gate.

The name sounded grand, but it was not yet complete.

The space beyond the door did not lead to another world, but to an unstable, turbulent dimensional rift.

Even so, this creation still embodied ambition—the key to countless worlds.

Since the day he had crossed over into the Wizarding World, Lin An had wondered: why had he arrived here? Were there other beings like him, who had come from beyond the boundaries of "fiction"?

If those novels, films, and legends were all projections of real worlds, then how could one cross over to the other side?

Thus, the research had begun.

From Apparition, the Floo Network, and the principles of Portkeys to the runic structures of spacetime magic, he had spent years organizing every layer of logic within the spatial system.

The World Gate was the culmination of all that research.

The metal door trembled faintly. As the runes flickered, energy flowed like the tides.

The boundary of the world stood before him, yet remained unreachable.

The spatial coordinate system inside the gate could breach the Anti-Apparition Barriers of Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic. It could even transport someone to any corner of the Solar System, so long as the coordinates were calculated precisely.

But it still had not achieved his true goal—crossing dimensions.

The laboratory air was thick with the mingled scent of metal and magic.

A circle of light ignited, and numerical symbols drifted like stardust. Lin An reached out and touched the runes on the door's surface, murmuring, "Space is controllable. Time is still unstable."

To solve the problem, he began studying the Time-Turner.

Back at Hogwarts, he had once tried to take every course available just to obtain an official Time-Turner, but Dumbledore had rejected his application.

In the end, he had used the Bones family's connections within the Ministry of Magic to acquire one privately.

Unfortunately, the results had not been ideal.

The energies of time and space could not coexist—the World Gate could either cross space or rewind time, but not do both at once.

Even so, he had successfully given the portal a brief Time Rewind function—three hours.

Though it was inferior even to a genuine Time-Turner, it was enough to prove that the theory was viable.

"One step away."

His fingertips brushed the center of the door, and energy danced in his palm.

"Just one step away, and I'll be able to see another sky of stars."

The circle of light gradually dimmed.

Lin An shut off the flow of energy and disabled all the defenses. By the time he had finished recording his research notes, dusk was near.

The Bones family's dinner was being held that night.

He washed away the remaining magical powder from his hands and changed into a dark gray robe, returning to the composed and elegant image of a scholar.

The dinner was held at the ancient Bones Manor. The long table was draped in deep crimson velvet, silver candlesticks gleamed, and the air was filled with the scent of spices and roasted meat.

Across from him sat Amelia Bones—once the Ministry of Magic's harshest law enforcer, and in the current situation, almost one of the few people who could still remain clear-headed.

The severity in her features was like a blade, yet her eyes held a warmth buried by the passage of years.

"Now that you're an adult, do you really think you can do whatever you want?" Her tone was calm, but every word carried a chilling weight.

"Amelia, don't be so angry. I told you before I left that I would be gone for several years."

"Telling me doesn't mean you can disappear." Her fork lightly tapped the edge of her plate. "Five whole years, and all you let me receive were letters."

"One every week." Lin An smiled.

"Should I be grateful? Grateful that my nephew—the one I raised as a son—was willing to let me know he was still alive?"

The atmosphere froze for a moment. Lin An coughed lightly and changed the subject. "How has the Ministry of Magic been lately?"

"Still chaotic. Fudge's stupidity makes me wonder whether human evolution is moving backward."

"I told you long ago to run for Minister."

"At the time, Dumbledore supported him. My chances of winning were too low."

"If you had used the methods I suggested, your chances would have been more than fifty percent." The corner of his lips rose slightly. "You'll regret it sooner or later."

"Making predictions again?" Amelia set down her cutlery, her expression turning grave.

"Yes." He answered calmly. "In four or five years, Voldemort will return, and the Second Wizarding War will follow."

The candle flames flickered, and the air suddenly turned cold.

Amelia was silent for a moment before speaking in a low voice. "I'll prepare. But if that truly happens, what do you plan to do?"

"The Ministry of Magic needs strength." Lin An's tone was firm. "You need to establish your own faction within the system. Use the potions I gave you to recruit trustworthy people and strengthen their magic. Loyalty must be tested by time, not bound by oaths."

"I understand politics better than you do." A smile touched her lips, but she did not refuse.

"Don't get too close to the Order of the Phoenix," he warned. "You can cooperate with them, but don't bring them into the core."

"They are loyal only to Dumbledore."

"Exactly."

After several minutes of silence, Amelia brought up another matter. "Susan is starting Hogwarts this year. If you really return to teach there, keep a closer eye on her for me."

"Of course."

The candlelight swayed, and the conversation gradually turned lighter. By the end of dinner, the night wind stirred the curtains, and a bright moon hung high overhead.

Amelia stood at the door, watching that figure depart.

Flames swallowed him, leaving behind only a faint glow.

On the way back, Lin An thought of that door—

The World Gate emitted a faint hum in his mind.

"Time and space will eventually be unified."

"Once I return to Hogwarts, this door will truly open."

Moonlight reflected in his eyes, casting a sharp glint.

At that moment, the boundary between reason and fanaticism nearly overlapped.

—At the other end of the world, perhaps something was waiting to welcome the birth of a new god.