"Mr. Mike Tully, it seems you've already read the letter we sent you."
Dumbledore stood outside the door, the soft sunlight illuminating him in such a way that he seemed to glow, especially his pristine white beard.
Mike stared at Dumbledore, dumbfounded, glancing back and forth between him and the letter in his hand, unsure of how to react.
Seeing Mike's bewildered look, Dumbledore continued:
"Please forgive my lack of introduction. I am Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am here to assist a young wizard with special circumstances like yourself."
"Headmaster... Mr. Headmaster?" Mike appeared to still be coming to terms with the unfolding events.
"Mr. Tully, is it not customary to invite a guest inside?" Dumbledore's eyes sparkled with mischief, his face breaking into a playful grin.
Spurred into motion, Mike quickly welcomed Dumbledore inside, gesturing towards the sole unblemished sofa in his modest abode.
"Mr. Headmaster, is all that's written in the letter factual? Have I... truly been admitted to a magic school?"
Unfazed by his surroundings, Dumbledore settled onto the sofa, casting an appreciative glance at the neatness and tidiness of the garbage house.
"Absolutely, Hogwarts boasts a venerable tradition as a school of magic. And I must remark, your home is remarkably tidy, exceeding my anticipations."
Mike was besieged by a tumult of thoughts; Dumbledore's unexpected visit was startling, yet, thankfully, Mike's experiences from his previous life had equipped him with swift adaptiveness.
"Er... Mr. Headmaster, but why would the headmaster personally make this visit? Couldn't the task have been delegated? It's not that I suspect any deceit on your part; it's merely... all so sudden."
Mike, fraught with nerves, voiced that which worried him the most.
"Mr. Mike, please, relax. Your magical abilities have been verified, fulfilling our requirements for admission. I'm sure you've observed the unusual occurrences surrounding you," Dumbledore said, pausing briefly with an eyebrow arched.
"As for why I came personally, it's because the Ministry of Magic noticed you seem to be intentionally triggering magical outbursts, which is very dangerous. I thought it necessary to visit you in person due to your special situation. Oh, and by magical outbursts, I mean those abnormal events happening around you."
After saying this, Dumbledore glanced at a large piece of meat hanging from the steel structure of the shack.
By this point, Mike had managed to regain his composure, the fruits of his efforts to master his emotional responses becoming evident. The moment he caught Dumbledore's glance at the remnants of last night's meal and linked it to his earlier remarks, Mike understood he had been under surveillance. The "abnormal events" Dumbledore mentioned were not limited to the magical surges but also encompassed Mike's deeds from the previous evening.
"Mr. Headmaster, it's been ages since I last had meat. That wasn't deliberate. I simply couldn't resist."
Mike adopted a look of distress.
Dumbledore was visibly surprised by the boy's keen observation skills, which made sense given his background as a wandering orphan, where reading situations and people is essential to avoid hardship.
"Mike, my intention wasn't to scold you. Actually, I've met several children who share your circumstances, including one particularly reminiscent of you, endowed with remarkable talent and a comparably sorrowful start in life," Dumbledore said, offering a gentle smile.
"You possess a good heart, and I have every confidence that Hogwarts will live up to your expectations. And please, refer to me simply as Dumbledore; there's no need for such formality."
After hearing Dumbledore's words, Mike couldn't help but feel a shiver down his spine, sensing that the child Dumbledore mentioned, who was a lot like him, could very well be Voldemort.
"Thank you, Dumbledore. What's the tuition for Hogwarts? I'm eager to attend, but... I'm not sure if my finances will cover it," Mike said, his face betraying a forced smile as he managed to keep his composure.
"Oh, it appears there's been a slight misunderstanding. Hogwarts offers financial assistance for students in unique situations like yours. All you need to do is wait for further instructions from our staff; there's no cost to you," Dumbledore clarified, his expression one of mild surprise.
Feigning a sigh of relief, Mike's eyes welled up as he stammered, "Thank you so much! I've always wanted to study, but... thank you!" Emotion overtook him, and tears began to stream down his face as he spoke.
"Poor child," Dumbledore said, his large hand patting Mike's blond hair. "Don't worry, just as I said, Hogwarts won't disappoint you."
Their conversation extended for a bit longer until Dumbledore indicated it was time for him to depart. Mike, his eyes brimming with fake tears, walked Dumbledore to the door.
"Until we meet at Hogwarts, Mike," Dumbledore gave Mike a nod and vanished in an instant.
Mike remained at his garbage house's doorway, lost for words for quite some time.
The idea of Dumbledore personally visiting him was beyond his expectations, just as the revelation that his so-called superpowers were bursts of magic.
Throughout their dialogue, Mike came to understand that his magical abilities could be exceptionally potent. Indeed, a wizard not even eleven years old who could manage his magical outbursts harmlessly showcased a remarkable aptitude for magic performed without a wand or spoken spells.
Historically, before wands were introduced, only those capable of such feats were acknowledged for their magical prowess. The advent of wands in contemporary times has enabled individuals, who might have been deemed non-magical or squibs in the past, to practice magic effectively.
With these thoughts, Mike's excitement surged. The wizarding realm stood in stark contrast to the ordinary world, characterized by the immense power of individuals. Icons like Dumbledore and Voldemort, who could single-handedly take on armies, highlighted the immense significance of having substantial magical prowess in such a universe. The advantages of such talent were clear and undeniable.
For a Muggle-born wizard like him to stand out in the wizarding world? That was nearly impossible.
Despite Dumbledore and his peers advocating for harmony between wizards and Muggles, the wizarding society largely favored pure-bloods, relegating Muggle-borns to a lower status within its discriminatory hierarchy. In many cases, these individuals found themselves worse off than squibs born into well-known magical families.
This was evident in the Weasley family.
Arthur Weasley, father to Ron, held a position at the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office and was the author behind the "Muggle Protection Act." Yet, his grasp on Muggle life was somewhat superficial, as suggested by the source material.
This raises the question: wasn't there any wizard born to Muggle families better suited for Arthur's role?
Indeed, there were. However, the Ministry of Magic showed a preference for a pure-blood wizard, albeit less qualified, to fill the role rather than appointing a Muggle-born wizard.
Therefore, for Mike to distinguish himself, he was left with two stark choices: either challenge the supremacy of pure-blood wizards in the wizarding world or amass such extraordinary magical power that even pure-blood wizards would have to acknowledge him, much like Voldemort and Dumbledore.
Dismissing these reflections, Mike refocused on a pressing issue.
Dumbledore had informed him that each Muggle-born wizard was entitled to exchange their Hogwarts acceptance letter for up to 100 Galleons annually at Gringotts, at a conversion rate of 5 pounds per Galleon.
With a little over 400 pounds to his name, saved up over the past half year, Mike truly embodied his moniker of "Lucky Mike." Considering the pound's robust value at the time, this sum was notably substantial.
Selling some items from the garbage house could likely round up to over 500 pounds.
With this in mind, Mike quickly packed up some potentially valuable items from the garbage house and left with a large bundle.