Dinner ended with the usual chaos.
Children laughing.
Forks clinking.
Someone discovering pudding could, in fact, be stacked.
I was halfway through mentally rating Hogwarts desserts when I felt it.
That look.
I glanced up.
Dumbledore was watching me over his half-moon glasses.
McGonagall stood beside him, lips thin.
Flitwick waved cheerfully.
"…Ah," I muttered. "The people I kidnapped."
Alice's voice echoed faintly in my head through the TV function.
"You say that like it's a hobby."
I stood as McGonagall approached.
"Mr. Universe," she said flatly. "With us."
"Of course," I replied. "Round two."
Dumbledore's Office: No Introductions Needed
The office door closed behind us.
Portraits went very quiet.
Dumbledore turned.
Looked at me.
Then looked at me again.
Then sighed.
"…You are smaller."
That was it.
No accusations.
No shock.
Just disappointment.
"Yes," I agreed. "That happens when you get nerfed."
Flitwick hopped closer, circling me like a curious professor-shaped hummingbird.
"Fascinating! You were at least physically mature before!"
"Tragic, I know," I said. "Puberty revoked."
McGonagall crossed her arms.
"You abducted three senior staff members," she said, "manipulated time, space, and causality—"
"Yes, yes."
"—and now you are an eleven-year-old first-year."
"Correct."
"…Why?"
Fair question.
Why I'm Small (And Why I'm Here)
I leaned back in the chair.
"System intervention," I said. "Main quest activation."
Dumbledore's eyes sharpened.
"The war," he said quietly.
"Muggle versus wizard," I confirmed. "Large-scale. Ugly. Everyone loses."
Flitwick swallowed.
McGonagall's jaw tightened.
"And you?" Dumbledore asked. "Why Hogwarts?"
"Because," I replied calmly, "I was nerfed."
Silence.
"…Explain," McGonagall said.
I shrugged.
"Authority locked. Shadow Monarch powers sealed. Physical age reset. I'm operating under restrictions until certain narrative checkpoints are met."
Flitwick blinked.
"…You were punished."
"Balanced," I corrected. "Apparently I was 'too disruptive.'"
Dumbledore hummed.
"And enrolling here?"
"Optimal," I said. "Access to key players. Controlled environment. Canon preservation."
McGonagall pinched the bridge of her nose.
"You planned this."
"Yes."
"You planned being a child."
"…Less planned, more endured."
They trusted me.
And that was worse.
First year unfolded.
Just like the movies.
Classes proceeded.
Snape glared at me once, then decided I was dangerous paperwork and ignored me.
Harry learned.
Hermione dominated.
Ron survived by vibes alone.
I stayed in the background.
Observed.
Corrected only when things threatened to spiral.
The Unicorn (Yes, I Changed That)
The Forbidden Forest incident still happened.
Quirrell still lurked.
The unicorn still fell.
Canon said: let it die.
I said: absolutely not.
I intervened quietly.
With system shop items I stabilized its life force without draining it.
The unicorn lived.
Voldemort did not appreciate this.
I relocated the unicorn to my personal dimension.
Because if you save something magical and leave it unattended, that's just negligence.
The Accidental Zoo (I Swear This Wasn't Planned)
Somehow—
Somehow—
I ended up with:
One unicorn
One dragon (don't ask Charlie)
One troll (he's chill now)
One three-headed dog (borrowed, technically)
All housed comfortably inside my personal dimension.
When Dumbledore eventually noticed—
He closed his eyes.
"…You are aware," he said carefully, "that this is not standard student behavior."
"I'm an exchange program," I replied. "From reality."
He did not laugh.
The Stone (Handled, Cleanly)
Yes.
The Philosopher's Stone incident happened.
Yes.
Harry, Ron, Hermione.
Yes.
Trials.
Yes.
Voldemort fled again.
No extra drama.
No deaths.
Minimal deviation.
Dumbledore later stared at me over tea.
"You could have stopped it earlier," he said.
"Yes," I agreed.
"But you didn't."
"No."
"…Why?"
I met his gaze.
"Because canon matters."
He nodded slowly.
"…Unfortunately," he said, "I understand."
End of First Year
The House Cup went to Gryffindor.
Dumbledore absolutely rigged it.
I packed my things.
Harry waved goodbye.
Life felt… stable.
For once.
I leaned against the train window and glanced inward.
Shadows calm.
Animals safe.
Quest ongoing.
I looked at you.
"…See?" I said. "Nothing exploded."
The universe cracked its knuckles.
[Chapter Nineteen Complete.]