Hogwarts: Lacus doesn't want to be a witch who destroys nations.

Mrs. Cole led Dumbledore to the door. Dumbledore politely opened the wooden door first, gesturing for Mrs. Cole to go ahead. However, the sight that met his eyes made him pause slightly.

A blonde girl, about eleven years old, exuded a vibrant energy that didn't belong in the gloomy orphanage. She was standing on tiptoe, trying to press herself against the wall, her ears almost squeezing into the crack in the door. Her brilliant blonde hair shone brightly even in the dim light of the corridor, like a little sun.

Dumbledore seemed to understand why it was called the Light of the Orphanage.

"Ah! Lux!" Mrs. Cole seemed relieved to see her, her tone softening. "You're here just in time. This is Mr. Dumbledore, he..."

Before Mrs. Cole could finish speaking, Lux had already strode up to Dumbledore like a gust of wind, tilting her little face up and looking him over with complete frankness and without any reservations.

Is this Dumbledore? The legendary greatest wizard of modern times.

Lux couldn't hide her excitement, not because she saw Dumbledore, but because five years had passed since she arrived, and that damned system had finally released the main quest.

[Node character detected; main quest initiated]

Main Quest: Join Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

[Task Rewards: Unlocks the basic system, unlocks the level system, unlocks side quests, and increases level by one]

Automatically uninstall the system if the task fails.

Lux was almost in tears. She was happily playing 101 at home, but her teammates picked a lineup like Tots, Baron, and Tahm Kench, forcing her to pick her main Lux to go to the bot lane.

After being captured for the 10086th time, she was so enraged that she punched the computer screen and shattered it, transforming into Lux and transmigrating to this world.

After being transported to another world, Lux initially thought it was an Oliver Twist story and was planning to become a great writer in London. However, after being taken to an orphanage and meeting Tom, she heard the system's voice in her head.

[Who is Voldemort? I will end his life. Lux's bright and easy system is already equipped.]

Lux then saw a minimap, shop, skill bar, experience points, health bar, mana bar, and equipment bar.

Lux's thoughts moved like a mouse, clicking through the various screens and finding it similar to the game interface. After looking around, she noticed that everyone's level was 0, but she seemed to have a passive skill and a basic attack effect.

[Radiant Light: Lux's damaging abilities briefly mark the target. Lux's attacks consume this mark to deal bonus magic damage. Final Flash consumes the mark upon hitting an enemy and then refreshes it.]

Dumbledore is terrifyingly powerful.

After Dumbledore and Lux ​​chatted in the room for a while, Lux became quite certain that she was in the Harry Potter universe.

Unfortunately, she wasn't a seasoned Harry Potter fan; she only had a general understanding of the story, and was completely clueless about the details.

"So you're saying that Tom and I are... wizards? Is that right?"

"Indeed, Mrs. Cole's description has convinced me that you two possess extraordinary magical talent. If you were to study at Hogwarts, you would certainly achieve great things. What's even more remarkable is that you have already discovered how to control this power and have begun to guide it with your will."

"Thank you for your kind words," Lux complimented. "Should I inform Tom? He's in another room downstairs. I'll have him get ready."

Dumbledore nodded, while Lux quickly went downstairs and knocked on Tom's door.

"Tom, Tom, open the door quickly, I have something important to tell you!"

Tom, inside the door, felt a pang of anxiety upon hearing the urgent knocking. Years of experience told him that this crazy woman was up to no good. He tiptoed to the door and opened it a crack.

Then we saw Lux take a running start and kick the door with a powerful kick, sending poor Tom flying along with the door.

"You'd better give me a reasonable explanation!" Tom struggled to his feet, rubbing his shoulder that hurt from hitting the door, and glared at Lux.

Lux was about to tell him that Dumbledore was coming to take him to Hogwarts, but coincidentally, the system missions were updated.

[Special tasks are adjusted based on light and darkness values. Current light value: 0, darkness value: 8]

[Special Mission: Have Tom Riddle launch an attack on Albus Dumbledore]

[Task Rewards: Darkness Value +1, Unlock "Master of Mischief" title (Beginner), Add 100 Gold Coins]

[Failure Penalty: Deduct one Dark Value and randomly seal one skill slot. The skill will be unusable for 240 hours.]

Lux's mind raced, her gaze sweeping over Tom's tense little face, which was contorted with anger, and then seemingly penetrating the wall to see the wizard upstairs in his elegant purple-red velvet suit.

Lux's joy melted away instantly, replaced by a mixture of anxiety that "something terrible has happened" and trust that "only you can save me." She grabbed Tom's arm with such force that Tom stumbled.

"Tom! Listen to me! There's no time to explain!" Lux whispered, speaking rapidly, "That gaudily dressed old man upstairs, Dumbledore! He's a child trafficker! He specializes in kidnapping children with special abilities! Mrs. Cole has already been brainwashed by him using an evil method! He's coming down to arrest us soon!"

Tom's pupils contracted sharply. Human traffickers? Brainwashing? The information was terrifying, but combined with Lux's unprecedentedly "sincere" anxiety and Mrs. Cole's respectful attitude towards the stranger at the door... a sliver of doubt took root in his mind. He instinctively looked towards the doorway, as if the broken door would be kicked open at any moment.

"He...he's very strong?" Tom's voice trembled slightly. He also possessed those inexplicable abilities and knew that supernatural powers did exist in the world.

"Very strong! Very evil!" Lux nodded vigorously, her blonde hair swaying. "But he has a weakness: he's afraid of snakes! Terrified! Where's your little snake? Quick! Have it lie in ambush in the shadows behind the door. When he comes in, attack him. Remember, it has to be a surprise attack!"

Lux's tone was resolute, carrying an undeniable urgency: "This is the only chance. Once he's entangled by the snake, I'll ambush him with a flashbang! Then we'll run together! Understand?"

Tom looked at the "determination" and "trust" that shone in Lux's eyes, and then thought of the human trafficker who might threaten his freedom or even his life. The doubts in his heart were quickly overwhelmed by his survival instinct and vigilance against the unknown forces.

How could Lux ​​possibly harm me?

He nodded vigorously, a ruthless glint in his eyes that seemed beyond his years. He turned swiftly and pulled a small box from an inconspicuous corner under the bed. Inside, coiled, was a thin snake whose scales gleamed eerily in the dim light. He hissed softly, and the snake obediently slid down, silently disappearing into the shadows behind the door, perfectly concealed.

"What did you say to that little snake?"

"I sent it to kill that Dumbledore."

"Okay, I'm optimistic about it." Lux encouraged the snake by looking at its level 1 icon.

"Okay! I'm ready!" Tom pressed himself against the wall, his heart pounding in his chest, his eyes fixed on the door.

Lux retreated to a corner on the other side of the room, her expression of shared hatred vanishing instantly, replaced by a stiff smile like that of Hercules.

She made a "shh" gesture at Tom, and then assumed a posture ready to launch a sneak attack, but the posture looked more like she was watching a good show.

Dumbledore felt that he had been waiting for a while, so he walked down the stairs to the corridor where Tom's room was located and opened the slightly old wooden door.

"Tom Lux?" Dumbledore called out as he prepared to enter the room.

However, just as the door was fully opened—

"hiss--!"

A slender black shadow shot out like an arrow, carrying a chilling killing intent, from the shadows behind the door, heading straight for Dumbledore's face! Its speed was so great that an ordinary person wouldn't have time to react!

Tom's eyes flickered with tension and a hint of anticipation.

Just as the snake's fangs were about to touch Dumbledore's nose—

Without chanting a spell or even seeing the wand wave, Dumbledore simply raised his ringed finger slightly.

"Bang!"

A soft thud. The venomous snake, which had shot towards them, seemed to have hit an invisible, elastic wall. It was bounced back even faster and landed softly at Tom's feet, dazed and confused. It was clearly uninjured, but its attack had been completely neutralized.

Time seemed to stand still.

Tom's fierce and expectant expression froze instantly, replaced by utter shock! His pride and joy—his ability to understand snake language and control snakes—his meticulously prepared sneak attack… had been blocked so casually?

Lux is right, this person is terrifyingly powerful! But something's not right...

The shock overwhelmed Tom like a cold tide, and he seemed to realize something.

He suddenly raised his head, his gaze no longer fixed on the unfathomable Dumbledore, but on Lux in the corner of the room.

The blonde girl's face had lost all trace of anxiety. Now, she was covering her mouth, her shoulders heaving, her beautiful eyes curving into crescents, filled with an undisguised, pure, mischievous grin—a smile so bright it was almost blinding to Tom, as if silently proclaiming, "You fell for it again, little buddy!"

Tom felt a surge of heat rush to his head, and anger, shame, and the humiliation of being fooled almost made him scream uncontrollably. He stared intently at Lux, his fists clenched tightly.

How could Lux ​​be so mean!

Just then, a gentle laugh, tinged with understanding and a hint of suppressed amusement, broke the atmosphere in the room.

"Hehehe..." Dumbledore laughed, his azure eyes gleaming with wisdom. He first glanced at Lux, who had a wicked grin on her face and showed no remorse, and then gently turned to Tom, who was stiff with shock and anger.

"It seems," Dumbledore's voice remained calm, carrying a reassuring quality, "that there has been a slight misunderstanding between us, Mr. Tom Riddle."

"I overheard some of your conversation, and first, I must clarify something," Dumbledore said, looking at Tom with an honest gaze. "I am not a human trafficker, and Mrs. Cole has not been 'brainwashed' by me. We were just upstairs when we had a very... interesting conversation with this Miss Lux."

He emphasized the word "interesting," and his gaze swept over Lux again, who responded with an even more irritating smile.

"The purpose of my visit," Dumbledore continued, his voice clearly reaching Tom's ears, "is to invite you and Miss Lux to study at Hogwarts."

"Magic?" Tom finally found his voice and asked hoarsely, his gaze sweeping back and forth between Dumbledore and Lux, filled with doubt and uncertainty.

"Yes, magic." Dumbledore nodded affirmatively. "Like the little snake you just commanded, like the unique radiance on Miss Lux, these are all manifestations of your innate magical talents. You are wizards, Tom, and Hogwarts is the place that teaches young people like you how to properly understand, control, and use your own magical powers."

He paused, looking at the complex emotions churning in Tom's eyes—shock, doubt, anger, and a hint of bewilderment at the sudden opening of a new world.

"As for that little 'welcome ceremony' just now," Dumbledore's lips curled into a meaningful smile, "I think it was probably Miss Lux who, in her unique way, showed us... especially me, that 'particularly rare' part of your talents. You have begun to consciously try to use and control this power, although in a way... well, quite creative."

Dumbledore looked at Lux, who finally lowered her hand from her mouth and revealed an innocent smile, as if she wasn't the one who had just encouraged others to release snakes to bite the professor.

“Of course,” Dumbledore’s tone shifted, still gentle but with an undeniable air of authority, “At Hogwarts, we will teach you safer and more disciplined ways to use magic. For example, how to calm a snake down instead of making it attack someone.”

He waved his hand gently, and the dizzy little snake immediately coiled back to Tom's feet, no longer restless.