Today, the son who was usually calm, steady, and incredibly resourceful wore a look of bewilderment mixed with distress, which forced a hint of amusement onto the face of Kemore, a man who had taken great pride in his son for years.
Having finally managed to get a rare few days of vacation, Kemore had been hoping for some relaxation. However, if Lindy needed him, he was more than happy to fulfill his duties as a father.
"What happened? Is it that letter?" Kemore pointed to the envelope in Lindy’s hand. Certain that this was the cause, he reached out and gestured for him to show it.
If he truly were to go to Hogwarts, a guardian’s consent would certainly be required. Lindy handed the letter over quite readily, then walked over to Kemore’s side and sat on his lap with a gesture that was rather "impolite."
A son acting spoiled with his own father wasn't considered a loss of decorum; in fact, such moments occasionally helped bridge the distance between them.
Of course, that depended on one’s age.
Indulgently patting his son's head, Kemore opened the envelope with ease.
There were two sheets of paper inside the thick envelope. As he unfolded them, the content on the first page appeared deceptively simple.
*Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.* Upon seeing this name, Kemore noticeably paused. He spelled it out repeatedly, unsure of himself, before finally confirming that his eyes were not playing tricks on him.
*Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore (President of the International Confederation of Wizards, Order of Merlin, First Class, Supreme Mugwump of the Wizengamot).* Looking at the long string of titles following the name, Kemore’s expression became even more dazed. As a member of a traditional aristocratic family, he certainly understood what these meant, but why was it that he recognized every single letter, yet the combination of them made no sense?
He turned his head to look at his son, who was also looking at him. Kemore lowered his head and began to read patiently once more.
*Dear Mr. Lindy: We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find an enclosed list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31. Yours sincerely, Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress.*
Kemore blinked twice before uncertainly scratching his meticulously groomed hair. He even checked the back of the letter to ensure there were no prank messages he had missed, before finally examining the second page, which contained the book list.
Sitting on his lap, Lindy carefully read the contents of the letter as well.
Dumbledore’s various titles were not something he had much impression of; he only remembered him as the greatest White Wizard in the wizarding world, and for Harry Potter, a figure akin to a surrogate father.
Throughout the entire Harry Potter story, Dumbledore had been a man who gave his all until his final breath, step-by-step orchestrating events to eventually allow a young boy to defeat the Dark Lord.
Right, there was also someone else—Snape, with his greasy hair—though that man's image was a bit poor, and Lindy didn't much care for him.
Apart from Dumbledore, the letter also bore the name of Professor McGonagall: the elderly cat-lady, Head of Gryffindor, and the hardest worker at Hogwarts. It seemed she was the one who had written Harry Potter’s acceptance letter as well.
So, although there were four houses, she was the only one doing any work?
The contents of the letter were somewhat primitive, failing completely to explain to a Muggle what magic actually meant. If one hadn't been exposed to it, ninety-nine percent of people would have dismissed it as a prank.
What surprised Lindy was that his "cheap" father didn't sneer at the letter. Instead, he frowned and read it carefully twice over. Just as Lindy suspected he might read it a third time, he patted his son on the back and stood up.
"Mr. Kemore! You’re back," Ms. Parcy, who had just come downstairs, greeted him with some surprise. She was the family’s housekeeper and had likely just finished cleaning the upstairs.
Large houses could be tiring to maintain. In the past, Kemore would have politely returned the greeting and exchanged a few pleasantries with the unmarried lady of nearly thirty. Today, however, that usual politeness was replaced by a simple wave of the hand, and Kemore walked out of the hall without stopping.
Lindy followed along and saw his father crane his neck to look around the manor entrance. Following his gaze, Lindy saw a grey-white owl napping on a nearby tree.
Without a word, Kemore turned and went back inside.
Lindy had the feeling that his father knew something—perhaps the wizarding world wasn't as hidden as all that? In any case, Lindy followed him all the way to the study.
*Dear Headmistress McGonagall: Lindy has received this letter. He will soon, accompanied by his family, travel to the designated location to purchase the items required by the school and participate in the upcoming enrollment ceremony. Thank you for your letter. Wishing you a pleasant life. Kemore Misrandi Grenefy.*
Well, he had to admit, his father’s move had left Lindy speechless. He had expected his father to treat it as a joke, so what exactly was going on now?
Afterward, his father began the process of "enlightening" Lindy.
Simply put...
"My grandfather was also a wizard..." Lindy nodded. He felt this explanation was perfectly logical; because his grandfather was a wizard, his father understood these things.
He hadn't expected his family to have such a history.
"So I am going to this..." Lindy pointed to the name on the paper, "Hogwarts?"
Needless to say, it was a certainty. Toward wizards, Kemore seemed to harbor a subconscious yearning, to the point that he even forgot how exceptional his son already was.
"We will go to London tomorrow; this paper lists the places you need to visit before enrollment," Kemore said, pointing to the second page of the letter with a look of longing on his face. "It's wonderful. Although you won't be able to continue the family's glory in our world, magic..."
Merlin was to King Arthur what a deity was to British mythology. As an old-school aristocratic family spanning over ten generations, a gentleman who admired the Knights of the Round Table considered that the ultimate honor.
The way he said it was just a bit strange. Lindy narrowed his eyes at his father. Good heavens, why did he sound as if he were dying?
Looking at the man still lost in his own self-intoxication, Lindy was speechless. He hadn't expected his usually shrewd and capable father to have such a "chuunibyou" side.
But Hogwarts... a world of magic and mystery?
At that moment, the corners of Lindy’s mouth curled upward. It seemed... this might not be so bad after all.
...
There was no rush to get to Hogwarts. Since it was not yet the end of July and school didn't start until September, there was plenty of time.
That evening, Kemore pulled his wife—who had returned home quite late—aside to talk. It was likely to explain the situation; Lindy didn't pay it much mind. After eating the spicy chicken cubes he had prepared himself, he returned to his bedroom.
When he first learned that he had come to a world with magic, Lindy had been a bit excited. Now, looking at the massive stacks of books in his room, he felt a sense of regret.
In order to outperform the prodigies of the past in this new cycle of life, he had spent these years neglecting sleep and food. Even with the foundation from his previous life, he had begun delving into fields—both familiar and unfamiliar—at such a young age. Even though he felt his mind had become much sharper and his memory had improved in this life, it couldn't erase the tangible effort he had put in.
And if he were to go to the wizarding world, how should he develop?
"Hmm... first, I must solve the financial issue."
Although the wizarding world seemed to use an independent magical currency, there appeared to be channels to exchange it for cash. If he wanted to live well and accelerate his integration into that world, it would be best to prepare a bit more.
Unfortunately, Britain did not have the custom of giving "lucky money" for the New Year, and his savings over the years were limited, totaling only around 270 pounds.
It wasn't much; enough for pocket money, but useless for helping him gain an advantage.
"Besides money, what else?" Biting the end of his pen and looking at his notebook, Lindy tried to recall everything he could.
Since he knew this was the Harry Potter wizarding world, he should be able to find something useful in his memories.