-An orphanage in London, 1988-

It is said that Hogwarts used a set of powerful artifacts created by the four founders called the Quill of Acceptance and the Book of Admittance.

The Quill of Acceptance detects the birth of all magical children in Britain and write their name. I don't know how it works, however, I never received a name after my birth. I already told Creek to conceal my magic when we're at my parents' house. That was before I created my own name. I don't think the Quill detected Isaac Balthasar's name at that time.

The Book of Admittance is also a powerful artifact itself. It is where the quill will write the children's names. It will, however, refuse the children's names to be written unless they have shown sufficient magical capability. This prevents squibs, a magical people incapable of wielding their magic, to be accepted.

The quill is capable of detecting the births of witches and wizards, while the book is capable to detect the magical activities in Britain. However, I had doubts about this. There is a way to become a magical, even if a person was born as a muggle. Magical rituals, lycanthropy, and vampirism among others. In this case, the artifacts won't be able to detect.

I already replaced Creek's concealment years ago with my own. If the quill and the book work as intended, my name is only recorded after I leaked small parts of my mana from my concealment spell.

Hopefully, it is the name Isaac Balthasar that is recorded in the book. I don't even know what name my parents here gave me.

So long story short, I've been anticipating this visit years ago. And with my eleventh birthday not long ago. I already expected the Hogwarts staff to come to my orphanage sooner or later around this year.

So the moment my wide area legilimency informed me of thoughts about a magic school from my matron, I immediately ordered Creek to not return to the orphanage for a while.

The school staff is here and Creek is to remain secret. For now at least.

I immediately excused myself from my martial arts club and returned to the orphanage. When I arrived, I was told by the staff that there is someone who is looking for me, waiting in the guest room with our matron.

'NOTICE-ME-NOT CHARM DETECTED'

The ever-present, machine part of my mind warned me. It's not that I can't detect the subtle magical construct like this notice-me-not charm myself. However, to be always in constant vigilance, to always analyze every piece of information around you, would be a hassle. Thankfully I could delegate that task to MULTIVAC. It constantly processes the information input I gathered in my surrounding from my senses, and analyzes every subtle clue and sign to detect whether something is off.

With this charm here, I'm now sure that the Hogwarts staff has surely brought up the information about magic and the wizarding world to my matron. Because they wouldn't let others hear it, so they need some concealment spell.

I could wait outside the room now but I'm too anxious about leaving my matron alone with a powerful wizard. I know someone from Hogwarts should be good-aligned, at least most of them. But I might be wrong, accidents may still happen, and people make mistakes.

My matron is too important for me so with that, I invoke the power I 'hate' the most. I consult MULTIVAC to look at the divination lines.

I'm trying to escape the shackles of fate, and here I am relying on the power of fate, again. Maybe I'm too anxious and thinking too much, the divination result shows that I could just go straight in and there won't be a problem.

When I entered the room, I saw the person in question. The guest wore a dark green robe. There are some differences in her appearance compared to the actor in the movies. Though I can guess that this is McGonagall.

The divination is really a boon. I don't know with the other staff but McGonagall won't be too suspicious of my capability of breaching her concealment, or so I hope. But again, I reminded myself, this should be the last time I rely on those divination lines. Lest I become dependent on it.

I don't want to be Dumbledore 2.0. Too afraid to defy fate so he wouldn't seek to defeat Tom himself. Always grooming Harry for the task as foretold by the prophecy.

"Matron, I heard that someone is looking for me?" I got out of my musing and asked my orphanage's matron.

"Yes you've been accepted by a school for your secondary education" the matron replied

"I see..."

"A school of witchcraft and wizardry" the matron continued

I should know this already, but hearing it myself... I can't believe it, McGonagall really went and explained to my matron basically everything.

"You have some explaining to do, Isaac"

"Witchcraft and wizardry? What is this about?" I questioned back.

Of course, I know. But McGonagall doesn't know that I know, and someone like her wouldn't use legilimency on children.

Even if she did, it's not like her legilimency will prevail against me. I've prepared my mental defense to go against the sorting hat. A thousand years old artifact, created by the four founders, with legilimency as its one and only job.

"Mr Balthasar, have you encountered a peculiar situation? Especially when you are angry or happy, did you notice that your surrounding followed your wish?" she asked.

"No, there was no such thing" I denied

"It is not good to lie, Mr Balthasar" the deputy headmistress doesn't believe my statement. Of course, she won't be here if the quill and the book didn't inform her. It is more likely that the child is lying.

"Isaac, did you have a special ability that you never told me?" the matron asks me. She understood me better. I read "comic books". The facade that I've displayed, Isaac Balthasar would rather say superpower than something like magic.

"Are you sure we can trust her?" I asked.

"Isaac..."

"Our intention is to guide young witches and wizards to be able to control their ability. It can be dangerous if it is left as is." the professor explained

"Prove it then! You said something about witches and wizards. Swear with your magic that you aren't here to harm." I demanded. My matron knows that Isaac Balthasar is a smart kid. A superhero will not easily reveal their secret identity.

"Isaac! I'm sorry madam. Isaac is a good child. He's just..."

"Very well. I, Minerva McGonagal, swear upon my magic that I will not harm Isaac Balthasar" She said while holding her wand upward. There is a light at the tip of her wand. Her mana reacted from the oath. I can't believe she really did that. Though it's not like she loses anything from this.

Alright, I think it's enough to show that the introvert Isaac Balthasar, is a skeptical person.

"Fine. I have the ability to heal others. That's my superpower" I revealed. The magic that I didn't fully conceal and can be tracked is when I healed the bullied students.

"Is that true Isaac?" my matron asked

"It's true. I used it to heal those bullied students. Maybe I can show you" I cast my magic and healed both my matron and the professor from minor ailments.

"That is most wonderful. Matron, Isaac is gifted. Usually, witches and wizards who just started their magical study can only perform accidental magic. A result of their emotional outburst. The magic that Isaac used just now is controlled with precision. It is almost impossible for a beginner to do it without using a wand." McGonagall said with excitement.

"So you're saying that was magic?" I asked

"It is."

The professor then demonstrates several standard spells to convince me. Levitation charm, shrinking charm, and some others.

Of course, I go with the act and put on a shocked expression like in those youtube reaction thumbnails.

"Wait you're saying there's a whole school of people capable of doing this!?" I exclaimed with an incredulous tone and expression

"Not just one school. We are spread in hidden communities all over the world."

"And here I thought that I was special"

"What you've done is special. I don't think I've seen something like that before."

"Matron, can I go to this school? I want to learn more about magic" I looked at my matron with hopeful eyes

"Of course Isaac"

I guess it is a good thing that McGonagall already explained everything to my matron, because she readily agreed to my request.

"So maybe we can go together now to get Isaac's school supplies"

.

.

-Charing Cross Road, London, 1988-

"Ughhh, my head"

To cut the travel time short, we traveled by apparition. Bad thing is that I haven't stored the sensation of heavy migraine and nausea in MULTIVAC's database so I can't fake it accurately. My matron experiencing her first apparition looked more natural. Well, of course, that's because she didn't fake it.

I just put one hand on a nearby wall for support and the other massaging my temple to cover my face and expression. Maybe I'm thinking too much but hopefully, the deputy headmistress bought my act.

A moment later, after my matron get her bearing, I also stopped my act and saw that we have arrived in front of a broken-down old shop. This must be Leaky Cauldron.

"It's here?" I asked with some skepticism in my tone.

"It's one of the entrances, yes" she replied

The three of us entered the pub and go straight to its backyard.

The first impression is the most important. It is also heavily affected by people's expectations. Going through Leaky Cauldron's broken-down exterior, its dark and shabby interior, and then its empty backyard is intended to lower our expectations.

McGonagall tapped several bricks on the wall. The bricks moved and separated from the middle, creating an entrance.

The low expectation, then the magical showing by separating the wall, added with the unique and magical atmosphere of the famed alley makes this series of experiences a great first impression.

It's like they are saying "Welcome to the wizarding world!". I think the Leaky Cauldron entrance is mostly used for muggle-born witches and wizards that come here for the first time.

"This, Mr Balthasar, is Diagon Alley"

'Yo, play Diagon Alley OST' I said to the supercomputer part of my mind. This experience won't be complete without that nostalgic music.