Marvel: Trading with Worlds

After all the students arrived at Hogwarts via the Hogwarts Express, they gathered early in the auditorium. This year's freshman enrollment was completed ahead of schedule.

Kain wasn't particularly interested in the freshmen, but his attention was drawn to the Sorting Hat. 

According to Nicolas Flamel's alchemy notes, it was possible to integrate thoughts and consciousness into alchemical creations, though this was advanced alchemy far beyond Kain's current capabilities.

At present, Kain lacked the mastery of memory magic needed for such feats. When he could perfectly replicate personality, emotions, and habits using memory magic, he would attempt this level of alchemy. 

Strictly speaking, the Sorting Hat was akin to an artifact, containing the thoughts and will of the four founders of Hogwarts.

Once the sorting was complete, Dumbledore stepped forward to make announcements. This year was a particularly special one for Hogwarts.

Standing at the podium, Dumbledore began, "First, let us welcome back Professor pent, who is already well-known to students from third year and above. He will once again be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts this year."

Applause broke out across the hall as students expressed their approval.

Kain Pent's teaching methods were distinctly different from others. His approach was free-spirited and innovative, leaving a lasting impression on many. 

Moreover, Kain's generosity was memorable. For instance, Hermione's Firebolt, a gift from him, was on the verge of becoming the exclusive broom for the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

However, not all students shared this enthusiasm. Most Slytherins were less pleased, largely because Kain had recently sent twenty-one pure-blood wizards to the Ministry of Magic after the Quidditch World Cup.

The trial of those wizards had concluded just days ago, and they were likely on their way to Azkaban by now.

Dumbledore then turned to the first-years, delivering his customary warnings about the dangers of Hogwarts. 

As he spoke, Filch hurried into the Great Hall, tiptoeing up to Dumbledore and whispering something in his ear.

After Filch left, Dumbledore announced loudly, "This year, Hogwarts has been selected to host a legendary event, and the school will soon welcome some very special guests."

While Dumbledore continued addressing the students, Professor McGonagall moved to remove the Sorting Hat and return it to the headmaster's office.

Noticing this, Kain's eyes lit up. "Professor McGonagall, would you mind placing the Sorting Hat on me?"

McGonagall looked puzzled. "Place it on you? Professor pent, the Sorting Hat will be returned to the headmaster's office after the banquet."

Kain smiled. "Leave that to me, Professor. I have a small question I'd like to ask the Sorting Hat."

McGonagall hesitated but ultimately relented, setting the hat beside Kain. It was a minor request, and the Sorting Hat wasn't likely to get lost or damaged—though it was, admittedly, a bit dirty.

Meanwhile, Dumbledore welcomed the students from Beauxbatons, and Kain used the opportunity to study the Sorting Hat. 

He wondered if he could later convince Dumbledore to allow the hat to remain in the Defense Against the Dark Arts office for further examination.

"What are you planning to do? I carry the vision and critical thinking of the four founders. Your eyes reveal dangerous thoughts—it reminds me of Witch-Hunting Prison. Perhaps you should go there!"

The Sorting Hat suddenly spoke in a panicked tone after being placed beside Kain. 

However, Kain's curiosity only deepened. He sighed lightly before using detection magic, an alchemical spell, to analyze the Sorting Hat's composition.

The results fascinated him. The hat was inscribed with ancient runes—complex and intricate. Among them, Kain noticed certain runes that were different yet strikingly similar to others he had encountered. 

He couldn't tell if these runes were of elven origin or something else entirely, but one thing was clear: the Sorting Hat had immense research value.

Kain's expression grew increasingly intrigued, but he suddenly became aware of many eyes on him. Hagrid, Hermione, and others from below the dais were watching him intently.

One particular gaze caught Kain's attention. It belonged to a Beauxbatons student—a girl with hair like a silver waterfall and piercing blue eyes filled with complex emotions. 

One of those emotions, unmistakably, was hatred. Kain recognized it immediately, having seen the same look in Lucius Malfoy's eyes many times.

If he recalled correctly, the girl was Fleur Delacour from Beauxbatons. The hostility might be due to family reasons, but Kain didn't dwell on it. 

Risks had consequences, and anyone who decided to take them had to be prepared—it wasn't child's play.

With this in mind, Kain tempered his actions toward the Sorting Hat and continued his study after Dumbledore had finished recounting the story of the Triwizard Tournament.

By then, the students and staff from Beauxbatons had already taken their seats, and Dumbledore was welcoming the delegation from Durmstrang. 

Once the Durmstrang group entered the Great Hall and found their seats, Dumbledore announced the start of the feast.

The Triwizard Tournament itself wouldn't be officially announced until after the meal. Otherwise, some students might be too distracted—or too excited—to eat.

Tonight's dinner featured far more variety than the traditional British fare, likely a thoughtful gesture by Dumbledore to accommodate the guests from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang.

After everyone had eaten, Dumbledore waved his hand, and the tables were cleared of food. He then revealed the enchanted object at the heart of the tournament: the Goblet of Fire.

While Barty Crouch explained the rules of the Triwizard Tournament, Mad-Eye Moody entered the hall through a side door. Dumbledore had invited Moody specifically to prevent potential incidents during the competition.

Kain observed the man closely. He couldn't be sure if this was the real Mad-Eye or an imposter. During the chaos of the Quidditch World Cup, Kain wasn't certain if he had managed to kill Barty Crouch Jr. or not. 

This left the door open to doubt, but Kain resolved to investigate further when an opportunity presented itself.

As for Voldemort, Dumbledore already knew the locations of the Horcruxes, rendering the Dark Lord's resurrection almost impossible. 

With the Death Eaters' power greatly diminished, Pettigrew already sent to Azkaban, and Voldemort's resurrection reduced to a near-impossible feat, the idea of his return was nothing more than a far-fetched dream.

After the banquet, Kain asked Dumbledore if he could borrow the Sorting Hat. Dumbledore, without much thought, agreed but reminded Kain to "return it to the headmaster's office once you're done."

Kain took the Sorting Hat and ignored its constant, meaningless accusations. While alchemical items with independent thinking were indeed remarkable, they could also be annoyingly talkative.

Before heading back to his office, Kain stopped by the library and the Restricted Section to borrow all the books on ancient runes he could find before Madam Pince left. 

The Sorting Hat contained many unfamiliar runes in its composition, and tonight Kain planned to study and cross-reference these with the borrowed texts.

At the door of his Defense Against the Dark Arts office, he encountered a strange black cat.

"Whose pet is this?" Kain mused, levitating a magic book in the air while approaching the black cat to observe it. Surprisingly, the cat showed no fear. 

Instead, it let out a delicate and sweet meow, its voice charmingly soft.

"What a sweet meow—wait, it's a male cat? Oh, guess I was wrong," Kain remarked, lifting the black cat for a closer look. However, the cat began to struggle, likely displeased with being picked up.

At Hogwarts, it wasn't uncommon for students to bring pets. While most opted for owls, some had more unconventional choices.

 For instance, Hermione's cat, Crookshanks, was particularly intelligent, likely due to its part-kneazle heritage.

After setting the cat back down, Kain assumed it would return to its owner by morning. However, as Kain opened the door to his office, the black cat darted inside ahead of him. 

It leapt onto his desk, gracefully climbed onto a stool, and then perched itself neatly on the desk, gazing at Kain with vivid, intelligent eyes.

Kain paused, reconsidering his initial plan to shoo the animal away with magic. Its behavior and appearance were oddly captivating. "If it were a mouse sitting there, it would already be in pieces," he muttered.

"You can stay," Kain said, "but behave yourself. No noise or mess."

With a wave of his hand, Kain conjured a soft cushion and a small litter box for the cat. 

He even retrieved a piece of fish to tempt the creature, but the black cat turned its head away, clearly uninterested. It cast him a dull glance, as though unimpressed.

"Quite proud of yourself, aren't you?" Kain murmured.

The cat's sleek fur was smooth to the touch, and when Kain reached out to pet it, the animal didn't resist.

 In fact, it seemed to enjoy his touch, purring softly as he stroked its back. After a short while, it settled onto the cushion, curling up as if ready to sleep.

Satisfied, Kain left the cat to rest. He then turned his attention to the books he had borrowed, flipping through volumes on ancient runes. 

Meanwhile, he continued using detection magic to document the unique runes that made up the Sorting Hat. His shorthand quill moved across parchment, recording each detail with precision.

In the quiet room that night, the only sound was the soft scratching of the quill as it wrote. The black cat lay curled on the cushion, occasionally opening her eyes before yawning and drifting back to sleep. 

The cushion was soft and comfortable, and with the warmth of the fire filling the room, there was no fear of catching a chill, even through the night.

Midway through a dream, the black cat suddenly felt two taps on her head. Startled awake, she let out an irritated meow, only to find Kain holding her.

"I'm going to class," he said. "To avoid locking you in the office, you'd better go back and find your owner."

Class? The black cat's pupils narrowed into vertical slits as she processed his words. How long had she been asleep?

As Kain carried her out of the office, the cat wriggled free from his arms and darted away. Watching her flee, Kain shook his head with a faint smile. "Doesn't even say goodbye. Doesn't remember anything, either."

Teaching students had become more of a task than a passion for Kain. His interest was now fully consumed by alchemy. 

To balance both responsibilities, he sent a Shadow Clone to conduct his classes. This ensured the students would still be taught effectively, while allowing Kain to focus on his personal studies. 

If an emergency arose in the classroom, the Shadow Clone could simply be dispelled.

….

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