Unaware of the Minister for Magic's misunderstanding, Roger made his way to Hogsmeade to meet Luna after Fudge and his companion left. He was accompanied by Hagrid, while Luna was with her father—naturally, her parents would never allow a 10-year-old to go alone.
Once they met, Roger quickly and succinctly explained the situation to Luna, instructing her on the necessary precautions and confidentiality. Luna listened intently, offering no objections to his instructions. Children, especially those as perceptive as Luna, are often more attuned to the world around them than adults realize. She could sense that Roger's advice was rooted in kindness.
"Is something wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?" Roger asked, noticing Luna's odd gaze as he prepared to leave.
"You're very strange," Luna replied without hesitation, her voice as direct as ever. "You're surrounded by a lot of Nargles, but they don't dare get close to you. I've never seen that before."
Roger raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
Luna nodded seriously, her expression thoughtful. "It's like the rain-repelling charm my mother developed. The heavy raindrops pour down, but they always veer away from her by about three meters."
Roger was surprised but didn't dwell on it. He was in the midst of refining his magical theories and didn't have the mental energy to delve into the mysteries of the Nargles at the moment. Besides, he thought, by the time he entered his second year and his path to immortality was nearly complete, Luna would be old enough for Hogwarts, and they could discuss this further then. There was no rush.
With that, he bid Luna farewell, her curious gaze following him as he left.
On the way back to Hogwarts, Hagrid glanced over at Roger. "Roger, what about my experiment? Should we still go ahead with it?"
The experiment had been agreed upon earlier, but with the recent developments, Hagrid was uncertain about the next steps.
Roger thought for a moment before replying, "Let's continue, but we need to adjust the direction of the experiment."
"The goal of miniaturizing magical creatures remains unchanged, but we won't focus on linking them to a wizard's mind anymore."
Roger's tone grew more serious. "In this magical world, the mind is not something to meddle with lightly. I'll figure out how to use nerve-related technology to make the connection instead."
Hagrid nodded in agreement, though he looked somewhat relieved by the clarity of the new direction.
Roger continued, "We won't be dealing with magical creatures with mind-affecting abilities. That's too dangerous."
This shift in focus changed both the research direction and its potential applications. In the past, Roger had worried about whether his pursuit of immortality could be completed before his time ran out. Now, with the recent breakthroughs, that concern had been alleviated. It was time to consider other applications for the knowledge he was gaining.
"For now, let's proceed as planned. But remember to keep me updated weekly," Roger added.
The rest of the journey back to Hogwarts was uneventful. When they arrived, Roger quickly separated from Hagrid and made his way to the Great Hall just in time for lunch. He'd missed the morning classes and was a little late—most students had already finished eating.
Before Roger could settle down with his plate, Harry, who had been waiting for him, rushed over, eager to speak.
"Have you thought about it?" Roger asked, spearing a fried sausage with his fork.
"Yeah," Harry replied, his voice steady but laced with anticipation. He didn't think there was much to hesitate about.
"To fulfill your wish, you'll need to become very powerful," Roger continued. "I'll help you choose books and training methods suited to the type of magic you're most attuned to."
The way Hogwarts handled student development was fairly laissez-faire. Only those with initiative or exceptional talent had the opportunity to access the best resources—this was normal. Magic was deeply tied to one's mind, and if a student lacked the desire to truly connect with it, no amount of outside help could change that. It made sense to let students self-select, so the most gifted could benefit from concentrated resources.
Roger, however, wasn't about to make Harry go through the usual testing. He intended to tailor a personalized growth plan for him instead.
"But before we begin," Roger said, raising a finger, "I need to tell you three things."
Harry's nervousness flared. Despite the praise he'd received as the 'savior' of the wizarding world, Harry's childhood had left him sensitive to any serious tone. When someone as important as Roger looked at him this way, it made him tense up, especially given that Roger was the one who could help him bring his parents back.
Roger noticed the nervousness but continued with a calm voice. "First, I have my own reasons for helping you."
Harry looked at him, puzzled.
Roger's gaze didn't waver. "I need a talented individual to help me research space-time magic. All of this help comes at a cost."
Roger was always direct. He didn't see any point in pretending to be selfless. It was better to be open about his motivations.
Harry took a deep breath and nodded. He had learned long ago that nothing in life was free. In fact, he was relieved that Roger was upfront with him. After all, Roger had already done so much for him, and now Harry had a chance to give something back.
In Roger's view, nerve modification surgery and using Harry's connections to approach Hagrid were similar—both were merely means to an end. But in Harry's eyes, he had simply been shown the way and received such an immense benefit, which made him feel a little uneasy.
There was also the matter with Ron. Harry's best friend had become much more cheerful after the incident with Hermione, complaining less about their classmates. Harry had noticed the change and appreciated it.
"Second, space-time research is extremely dangerous, not just for you. If an accident were to occur, it could affect many people. So, for safety's sake, I'll need to use methods that might slightly infringe on your privacy. I hope you understand."
Roger had been considering using a technique similar to the Ministry of Magic's "Trace" to monitor magical activity within a certain range around Harry, along with other safeguards to prevent any accidents.
"Of course, I can," Harry agreed without hesitation. Although his desire to bring back his parents was strong, he didn't want anyone else to suffer for it. He wasn't that selfish.
"The last point," Roger continued, standing up after finishing his lunch. "Your current motivation comes from the illusion of love created by the Mirror of Erised. But just that alone won't be enough to sustain you on the path of space-time magic."
Harry's brow furrowed, unsure of where Roger was going with this.
"So," Roger continued with a smile, "I want you to meet your parents, to understand them better, to turn that illusory love into something real, and then decide whether you still want to proceed down this path."
Harry's heart raced with both anticipation and trepidation. He had no idea how Roger would allow him to meet his parents and learn about them, but he trusted him and followed.
"Let's go," Roger said, leading Harry down the hallway.
When they reached Professor Snape's office, Roger knocked and entered, causing Harry to pause in confusion.
"Professor Snape! Harry wants to know more about his mother, Lily Evans, when she was at school. Could you do me a favor?" Roger asked, pulling out the portable Pensieve he'd created.
Harry stared at Roger, a mix of confusion and reluctance in his eyes. Why ask Snape about my mother? That annoying guy?
Seemingly sensing Harry's gaze, Roger turned and offered an explanation. "Because Snape and your mother were very good friends when they were at school."
He glanced back at Snape. "Right, Professor Snape?"
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