Considering he was a werewolf, his presence in Knockturn Alley was explainable.
Werewolves are truly pitiful creatures.
Confused about their own identity, they are caught in a limbo, neither human nor monster.
When the full moon rises and their wolfish nature awakens, there is nothing they can do.
They can only passively hope that they don't harm someone under the sway of their beastly instincts, and that their identity is not discovered by others.
…At least, that was how it was until the 19th century, when I lived.
It seems a hundred years was long enough to alleviate at least a fraction of the werewolves' long-held sorrow.
A potion called 'Wolfsbane' had been developed, which, while not preventing the transformation itself, allowed them to maintain their sanity in that state.
However, Wolfsbane was still classified as a rare potion that was extremely difficult to brew, making it very expensive. More importantly, the very act of purchasing it was enough to draw suspicious glances.
After all, common sense dictates that no one but a werewolf would ever need that potion.
That left a werewolf with few options, and unfortunately, most of those options bordered on the illegal.
That was likely why Lupin was in Knockturn Alley, the wizarding world's black market.
As I walked along with Lupin, lost in these thoughts, we soon arrived at Diagon Alley.
Lupin smiled and said to me, "Well then, student. I suppose we'll next meet in a classroom at Hogwarts. Since this is fate, won't you tell me your name?"
I suddenly wondered what this good-natured werewolf professor's reaction would be upon hearing the surname I was using.
And when a thought like that occurs, one must act on it. With a mischievous smile, I said, "My name is Aisen Potter, Professor Remus Lupin. Thank you for guiding me."
His eyes widened at my words.
His face, which had maintained a friendly smile without a flicker of change, was now twisted in a look of disbelief as he asked, "W-wait a moment. Potter? Did I hear you correctly? No, more importantly, how do you know my name…?"
But I had already given a polite bow and was turning to walk away.
He didn't grab me, perhaps thinking it would be rude to hold back a student to question them again, but I could feel the confusion and bewilderment written all over his face without even having to look.
The perfect prank would have been to Apparate behind him at this point and startle him once more, but I hadn't come to Diagon Alley to play around, so I refrained.
And besides, my condition wasn't stable enough to be using magic carelessly.
With a smirk, I unfolded the parchment I had tucked away and checked my list of school supplies. "Let's see… I have to buy a monster book?"
*As I recall, that book is a monster itself. They still use books like that these days. What a strange thing to have to buy.*
A short while later, I accidentally ripped the monster book in half while trying to tame it, forcing me to buy another one, but that wasn't a particularly important event.
***
Meanwhile, Lupin stood staring blankly at the spot where the boy had disappeared.
He muttered to himself, "Potter…? No, that can't be… there should only be one Potter left."
No. There wasn't a wizard alive who didn't know Harry Potter, and there were more than enough people trying to impersonate the Potter name, so he could dismiss it as a lie.
More than that, the fact that the boy knew his name was also baffling.
*Was he someone who approached me intentionally?*
But that couldn't be right; he had found the boy, not the other way around.
As Lupin racked his brain, trying to figure out what had just happened, he remembered the boy had introduced himself as a Hogwarts student.
…Yes. If he asked Professor Dumbledore whether a student named 'Aisen Potter' really attended Hogwarts, he might be able to get a clue as to what was going on.
With Bellatrix Lestrange's recent escape from Azkaban already causing unrest, meeting someone who claimed the Potter name gave Lupin a headache.
Lupin, who couldn't have imagined that it was all just Aisen's prank, was set to worry his head off for some time.
***
"What a catch!"
Out on the sea.
To be precise, not the Mediterranean, but the Atlantic Ocean.
In the middle of a certain sea, invisible to Muggle eyes, where Atlantis might be sleeping.
Two wizards were leisurely fishing atop the hard carapace of a white dragon flapping its wings.
The sight itself was peculiar, but what was even more peculiar was the large fish trap, filled with giant creatures that were either octopuses or squids, clutched in the dragon's talons.
It was, of course, Harry and Dumbledore.
As for why they had crossed from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic to fish, the reason was simple.
"The Kraken are biting much better here! I guess it's because the Atlantic is deeper than the Mediterranean!"
What is fishing? Fishing is the act of dangling bait to hook one's prey. It is the culmination of human wisdom. It is the very technique that allows an old man to win in a contest against a shark, a battle that should not even be possible.
Naturally, for Dumbledore, a seasoned trickster who enjoyed "fishing" in his daily life, such an activity was perfectly suited to his taste.
Harry was not much different, as he also enjoyed finding ways to face opponents who were clearly stronger than him.
And for skilled fishermen, a good spot is a place one must go, even if it's a graveyard.
Dumbledore, with his vast network of contacts, was quickly able to find a prime spot for Kraken. This hidden gem in the Atlantic was a place where the fish were practically jumping out of the water.
Though Harry had been the one to suggest the fishing trip, it was Dumbledore who seemed to be having the most fun.
"Professor, we've already caught three Kraken. Shouldn't we be heading back soon?"
Dumbledore thought for a moment before answering. "Harry, didn't you just acquire a Basilisk? When you have more mouths to feed, you must naturally catch more fish."
But as Harry saw it, the twitch in Dumbledore's eyelid was the clear expression of someone with a guilty conscience.
Of course, that was no reason for Harry to press Dumbledore.
What would he gain by going back now anyway? It would just mean more days with the Nightmare Hat.
In that case, Harry had only one option.
"Professor. If we use the Basilisk's petrification ability, couldn't we catch a massive amount of Kraken?"
It was a suggestion that would have made all the creatures living peacefully at the bottom of the sea faint in horror.
In the end, when they returned to Britain, Hedwig was carrying a total of eight Kraken in her talons.
***
No matter what happens in the world, what is meant to happen will happen.
For example, the Ministry of Magic exerting external pressure on Hogwarts.
From the Ministry's perspective, they might feel it's unfair.
No matter how much education and politics are supposed to be separate, considering that the vast majority of people who enter the British Ministry of Magic are Hogwarts graduates, true separation is impossible in wizarding society.
Considering that Hogwarts receives financial support from the Ministry and that most of its board of governors are Ministry officials, being told not to interfere at all seemed excessively unreasonable.
Of course, that was the Ministry's point of view.
From Hogwarts' perspective, it was an outrage, a matter of roaring, "How dare the dirty affairs of adults interfere with the sacred halls of learning!"
Moreover, when the headmaster of Hogwarts was the greatest wizard of the age, Albus Dumbledore, the Ministry naturally had to be cautious.
So what would the Ministry do if it still wanted to interfere in Hogwarts' affairs?
The answer was simple.
Do it while the headmaster is away.
And that was exactly the sight that greeted Dumbledore when he returned from his delightful Kraken hunt.
A festival of reapers cloaked in black smoke, surrounding the school so densely that one couldn't tell if it was Hogwarts or Azkaban.
In a word, it had become a den of Dementors.
*Thud.*
Caught completely off guard by the situation, Dumbledore dropped the bundle of jerky made from his three-Kraken share.
Seeing his state, the Deputy Headmistress, Professor Minerva McGonagall, rushed over with a frustrated expression. "I'm sorry, Headmaster. I was in no position to refuse the Ministry's actions."
In truth, the Dementors themselves weren't the biggest problem. As long as he was careful, the harm to the students would be minimal.
The problem lay elsewhere.
He had sent a letter to his sunbae telling him he had successfully prevented the Dementors from coming to the school.
In other words.
The fact that his sunbae would now see the Dementors at the school, despite his bold declaration, meant that Dumbledore's "training" during the next vacation was now guaranteed.
A cold sweat ran down Dumbledore's back.
***
September 1st.
The Hogwarts Express pulled into King's Cross Station, showing off its usual bizarre antique charm.
"Child, do not tarnish the name of the House of Longbottom!"
"I hope this year will be a year without any problems."
"Mom! I'm off!"
"This year will be different."
"Do you really have to go?"
As always, the train platform for the new term echoed with all sorts of resolutions and farewells.
Heat, excitement, melancholy, annoyance.
The turbulence of all these conflicting emotions swirling together was clearly visible to my eyes. It was a beautiful sight.
"Master, I will see you when I return!"
"Yes, go on ahead and wait for me."
Waving enthusiastically, Deek saw me off and then vanished with Apparition.
Harry had gone fishing with Albus and then straight to Hogwarts, so I was taking the train alone.
With Ardeura, transformed into a parrot, on one shoulder, and a backpack-style bag on my back, I boarded the express train. A voice called out to me from a distance.
"Aisen!"
I turned my head to see the red-headed siblings coming toward me. No, I should say siblings.
As Ron greeted me, saying it had been a while, his younger sister timidly approached me. Her name was Ginny, if I remember correctly.
I gave her a look as if to ask if she had something to say, and Ginny carefully opened her mouth.
"Um… is Harry-oppa not with you?"
Her neck muscles were tense with nervousness, and a faint blush colored her cheeks.
Grasping the situation immediately, I raised one corner of my mouth in a smirk.
*Oho. Harry. You've been having quite a fulfilling school life, haven't you?*
I made a mental note that I had a new topic of conversation for when I saw Harry in the dormitory. "Unfortunately, if you're looking for Harry, he's already at Hogwarts. Sorry about that."
"Oh, n-no, it's okay!"
As if she had used up all her courage with that one question, Ginny's face turned bright red, and she hid behind her other brothers. As I watched her with a grin, Ron grumbled, "She's so clueless, isn't she?"
It was the typical bickering of a brother and his younger sister, but I could feel the clear affection in his words.
It made me feel a bit nostalgic, and I found myself chuckling as I replied, "I think you're the one who's truly clueless here."
"What do you mean?"
"Aisen! It's been a while!"
Just as Ron was about to retort, Hermione arrived.
She did turn a little pale at the sight of the white hat on my bag, but it was no big deal.
To find a compartment, we made our way through the train and settled in.
"Mmm. Hogwarts."
A professor gazing at the half-full moon with melancholic eyes.
"This time, I'll definitely…!"
A teenage girl suffering from a feverish passion.
"Hmph. Neville. You can do this."
A student, sitting alone in a compartment, glaring with intense eyes at an escaped prisoner in the newspaper.
As always, a new year at Hogwarts, a place where all sorts of people gather, was about to begin.
***