Special admission? Could someone have discovered my superpowers? Was this a British intelligence agency, or some mysterious league of superhumans? Surely this school wasn't admitting me just because I was an orphan? It wasn't like special admission to some "Qidian Orphanage"
, where having both parents dead was a prerequisite. Oh, right, I was already in an orphanage, so I wouldn't even need to transfer. Herman was full of questions, all sorts of bizarre thoughts running wild through his mind like unbridled horses.
Aside from these far-fetched guesses, he really couldn't think of anything special about himself that would prompt someone to come and offer him admission.
Driven by intense curiosity, Herman quietly slowed his steps like a little mouse creeping along and pricked up his ears, intent on hearing more.
But the moment the next sentence reached his ears, he froze as though struck by a Full Body-Bind Curse, his mind going completely blank.
"Yes, both Herman's academic performance and his conduct fully meet Hogwarts' standards for special admission."
"But why Herman in particular? The boy is certainly bright, but surely not enough to make a prestigious, centuries-old school come all this way specifically to recruit him?"
Director Margery's voice was full of confusion. She stared intently at the kindly old man before her, the suspicion in her eyes lingering like a gloomy cloud.
She had already carefully read the documents he had brought introducing Hogwarts, which even bore a seal from the British education authorities. Not only that, she had specifically asked a friend who worked in education and confirmed that such a highly reputable school did indeed exist.
Even so, her doubts had not faded. Something about this still struck her as inexplicably odd.
Dumbledore keenly picked up on Director Margery's suspicious gaze and couldn't help inwardly lamenting his predicament.
Ah, it had been so long since I last came to recruit a student. Were orphanage directors all this conscientious, responsible, cautious, and suspicious now? Back then, I only had to mention that the school offered a scholarship, and the orphanage couldn't wait to hand the child over, as though getting rid of a plague.
Yet today, even after I specifically brought Muggle documents painstakingly prepared by the Ministry of Magic, she still questioned me over and over as though interrogating a criminal. What a headache.
Mrs. Margery was clearly doubtful of Dumbledore's explanation. After all, according to the information she had gathered, Hogwarts was a renowned, centuries-old school. How could it possibly condescend to recruit from an utterly unremarkable little orphanage in Cokeworth? It was as unbelievable as a noble white swan suddenly descending upon a tiny pond.
Dumbledore couldn't help feeling a little regretful. Had he known, he would have let Professor McGonagall handle this thorny business. The crucial point was that the orphanage director was not the student's relative. Under these circumstances, it would be inappropriate to use magic to gain her trust. All he could do was remain patient and continue making things up:
"Besides the reasons I mentioned, there is one other point: Herman's parents once studied at Hogwarts. Our choice of Herman was partly out of concern for the orphaned child of former pupils. Combined with the fact that Herman himself meets our admission requirements, this ultimately led the school to offer him special admission."
As he spoke, Dumbledore produced a photograph from inside his coat like a conjuror and handed it to Director Margery. She took it and saw a young couple holding a child, their faces full of love. The child was still in swaddling clothes and looked very young. Yet, for some reason, Director Margery instinctively decided that the child in the photograph was Herman.
With this photograph as compelling evidence, Director Margery's wariness gradually melted away like snow in spring, and she lowered her guard.
"All right, but whether Herman attends Hogwarts will still depend on his own wishes."
"Naturally. I imagine he should be here by now." Seeing that his little ploy had worked, Dumbledore silently breathed a sigh of relief. Ah, to think I still had to resort to a little magic in the end to resolve this difficulty.
Outside the door, Herman finally accepted reality and realized that Dumbledore had already noticed his presence. It was time to go in.
So he hadn't been reborn into the past to embark on an exciting story of starting a business or living in a city with supernatural powers. Instead, through a twist of fate, he had transmigrated into the wondrous fictional world of Harry Potter and begun a journey through fanfiction.
And it was now 1991. It looked as though he had arrived just in time for the beginning of the story. In that case, the golden finger he had been so proud of didn't seem quite so unique or extraordinary after all. It was merely an unusual outburst of a young wizard's magic, except that he could skillfully control it.
Ah, I'll have to revise my life plans again. First, I'll go to Hogwarts and focus on learning magic, then return to my home country once I'm an adult. I wonder whether knowing magic would count as a special skill over there. Could I qualify for a talent recruitment program and get permanent residency?
Herman pondered this silently, filled with helplessness and uncertainty. He casually tapped on the open office door and said politely, "Director, Liz said you wanted to see me."
Director Margery smiled and nodded. "Come in, Herman. This is Mr. Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts."
Although hearing the name Hogwarts and learning that the visitor was an old man had already given Herman some suspicions, actually seeing the old man with half-moon spectacles, gemstone-blue eyes, and a long white beard still made his heart suddenly clench, as though an invisible hand had seized it hard. This time, he was seeing the real thing.
I've really, truly come to the world of Harry Potter! he couldn't help exclaiming inwardly. Today, Dumbledore wore a long trench coat, its style somewhat dated and showing traces of age. On him, however, it somehow added the distinctive charm of an old-fashioned gentleman.
Unfortunately, he wasn't wearing wizard's robes, which left Herman feeling that something was off, like a small flaw in an otherwise perfect painting.
"Hello, Herman. I suspect you heard some of our conversation." The corners of Dumbledore's mouth lifted in a faint, mysterious smile, and he gave Herman a playful wink as he spoke.
Herman showed no awkwardness and said frankly, "I heard you say that my parents were students at Hogwarts?"
Herman had already been seven when his memories awakened. According to the orphanage's records, however, he had been brought here at the age of one, so he had no memory of his parents.
Could my parents have been wizards? Was life for wizards so difficult and troubled these days? How could things have come to the point of leaving me an orphan? Full of questions, he furrowed his brow and sank deep into thought.
Hearing this, Director Margery quickly handed Herman the photograph. "Oh, right, this photograph should belong to you. I imagine you've never seen your parents before."
Herman hurriedly took it. In the photograph, a couple affectionately held a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes.
Although Herman had never seen his parents, he was certain that this was not a photograph of him. The child was very young, with hair too sparse to distinguish its color, but the color of his eyes was clear. Herman's eyes were black, while the child in the photograph had emerald-green eyes.
Of course, the most important point was that Herman had seen this photograph in a film in his previous life. It was a photograph of Harry Potter and his parents! Moreover, the people in it were slowly moving, as though they had been given life.
Herman's eyes widened in shock. He stared fixedly at Dumbledore, utterly baffled and unable to understand what he was up to.
Dumbledore gave Herman a sly wink, and Herman immediately understood. Dumbledore had cleverly used magic to deceive Director Margery.
"Director, if it is convenient, could I speak with Mr. Herman alone? After all, as you just said, his enrollment requires Mr. Herman's consent."
"Of course. I'll step outside, then. I can check on the children while I'm at it. So many of them like to sleep in during the holidays." As she spoke, Director Margery stood up, preparing to leave the room to Dumbledore and Herman.
Dumbledore hurriedly said, "There's no need to go to that trouble. Herman can simply show me around the grounds." He turned to Herman and asked gently:
"Would that be all right, Mr. Herman?"
Herman quickly nodded. "Of course, Headmaster Dumbledore."
In the backyard of St. Chris's Children's Home, Dumbledore gazed at the clean, tidy playground, so full of life, and couldn't help remarking, "This really is a lovely place. Compared with the orphanage I visited before, it is a world apart. Both the facilities and the staff are so much better."
"You've visited other orphanages, Headmaster?" Herman's face was full of curiosity, his eyes shining with a thirst for knowledge.
Dumbledore nodded. "Yes. I wasn't the headmaster back then."
Herman had also watched Harry Potter in his previous life. Although his memories of many specific plot details had grown hazy, he knew that the orphanage Dumbledore mentioned was connected to Tom Riddle, otherwise known as Voldemort.
"Were you recruiting a student that time too? I imagine that older schoolmate must have been outstanding, truly exceptional."
"In a certain sense, yes." Clearly, Herman's question left Dumbledore somewhat at a loss for words, unsure how to answer. He quickly changed the subject. "You don't seem surprised by what happened just now."
Herman waved the photograph in his hand. "Do you mean this photograph? I seem to have similar abilities. Is this a superpower, or magic?"
"It is magic. Hogwarts is a school devoted to teaching magic. It admits all children with magical talent and teaches you how to use magic correctly."
Unfortunately, Herman had no intention of letting the subject change and steered it back again. "Then that older schoolmate of mine must have used his magic extremely correctly too?"