Knockturn Alley, "Ivan's Magic Workshop" VIP Lounge.
Ivan lounged in a massage chair made of dragon skin, reading a freshly printed copy of the Daily Prophet.
The headline was no longer "You-Know-Who Returns," but—
"SHOCKING! Former Black Family Heir Becomes 'Haunted House' NPC Just to Make Senior Potter Smile!"
"Master," Bellatrix sashayed in, holding a plate of Fizzing Whizzbees. "That 'beggar' is making a scene at the door again. He says he's donated a hundred thousand Galleons and demands to see you. Shall I release the hounds?"
"A hundred thousand Galleons?" Ivan raised an eyebrow. "That's 'Top Donor' status. Let him in."
The door was pushed open.
A man wearing tattered black robes, with hair matted like a bird's nest and a face so dirty his features were obscured, stumbled in.
The moment he saw Ivan, his sunken eyes lit up like searchlights.
"Ivan! My idol! My god!"
The man dropped to his knees at Ivan's feet with a thud, ignoring the dirt on the floor, hugged Ivan's boots, and began rubbing his face against them. "That 'Mechanical Fluffy' design of yours was absolute genius! And the idea of using a Dementor as an A/C! It's pure art! I'm your loyal fan, 'Scarred Heart'!"
Ivan looked down at the man, retracting his foot with disdain.
"Sirius Black," Ivan said flatly. "You broke out of prison just to come here and send me rockets... oh no, send me Galleons?"
Sirius ("Scarred Heart") jerked his head up, revealing a mouthful of white teeth. "Of course! Azkaban is too boring; all day long I just listen to Dementors sing. Nowhere near as fun as your place! I heard you're hiring NPCs? How about me? I have extensive experience being incarcerated! I can portray 'despair' with profound depth!"
> [System Alert: Sirius Black (Successful Fan Meet + Fanaticism upon seeing Idol + Thirst for Freedom): Emotion Value +600!]
Ivan looked at this spineless godfather and suddenly found it a bit funny.
The tragic hero from the original story who broke out of prison for Harry was now offering himself up as labor just for fun.
"Want to be an NPC?" Ivan stroked his chin. "Sure. But we don't keep idlers here. What are your special skills?"
"I can turn into a dog!" Sirius raised his hand immediately. "I'm an Animagus! I can turn into a big black dog! I can jump through fire rings! I can catch frisbees!"
"Too ordinary." Ivan shook his head. "Today's audience likes something 'stimulating'. How about this: since you just got out of Azkaban, go back to your old trade."
Ivan snapped his fingers.
A hidden door in the wall opened, revealing the famous "Dementor Experience Room."
"Your role is: 'Unlucky Guy B who gets his soul sucked by a Dementor'." Ivan pointed to a dummy inside being surrounded by three Dementors blowing cold air. "What you have to do is get sucked eight hundred times a day, and you have to show that twisted expression of 'it feels good but it hurts'. The pay... ten Galleons a day."
Sirius's eyes instantly turned into Galleon symbols.
"Ten Galleons?! And I get sucked by Dementors every day?!"
To others, this was hell. To him, it was paradise! In Azkaban, the sucking was passive; here, it was active, and he got paid!
"I'll do it! I'll do it!" Sirius was so excited he changed languages, barking like a dog. "Woof woof! Thank you, Boss! Boss is generous!"
Just then, the lounge door was slammed open.
Harry Potter rushed in, panting heavily, clutching his wand tight, his face written with anxiety and determination.
"Ivan! I heard Sirius Black is here! Is he here to kill me? Hide me quickly! Or... or let's fight him together!"
Harry immediately spotted the "beggar" kneeling on the floor.
Although the man was as dirty as if he'd crawled out of a chimney, the familiar silhouette made Harry's heart skip a beat.
"God... Godfather?" Harry called out tentatively.
Sirius stiffened.
He slowly turned his head to look at Harry.
In that moment, the air seemed to freeze.
This was the reunion of godfather and godson, a longing spanning twelve years, this was...
"Shoo, shoo! Where did this wild kid come from!"
Sirius suddenly waved his hand impatiently, shooing Harry like a fly. "Can't you see I'm talking business with the Boss? What godfather? I'm the Chief Experience Officer here, 'Big Black'! If you want an autograph, go queue outside! Five Galleons per signature!"
Harry: ???
Ivan: Pfft.
Harry was petrified.
He had imagined their reunion countless times: crying in each other's arms, pouring their hearts out, or Sirius sacrificing himself to protect him.
He never imagined his godfather, in order to perform well in front of Ivan, would pretend not to know him and charge for autographs?!
"But... I'm Harry!" Harry was frantic. "You're Sirius Black! You're my godfather!"
"Nonsense!" Sirius jumped up, activating drama queen mode, pointing at Harry and saying to Ivan, "Boss! There's a crazy fan trying to sneak into the VIP room! Let me throw him out! To prove my loyalty, I'll do it myself!"
With that, Sirius rushed over, covered Harry's mouth, and dragged him into a corner.
Ivan watched this scene with interest, not stopping it.
In the corner, Sirius turned his back to Ivan and whispered rapidly so only Harry could hear:
"Listen, Harry. Don't blow my cover! Ivan Potter is a... er, very unique boss. I'm undercover here... no, I mean experiencing life! Once I save enough money, I can buy this shop, and then you'll be the young master!"
Harry's eyes went wide, making muffled "Mmph mmph" noises.
"Also," Sirius pulled a handful of Chocolate Frogs from his robes and stuffed them into Harry's hand, "eat these. Don't say I gave them to you; say you found them. Now go, don't make me late for clocking in!"
With that, Sirius kicked Harry out the door, then instantly switched to a servile smile, turning back to Ivan:
"Boss! Done! I chased that lunatic away! See, aren't I dedicated? Can I get an advance on tomorrow's wages? I want to buy a new collar, the kind with diamonds."
Ivan looked at Sirius's invisible tail wagging back and forth (an Animagus trait) and suppressed a laugh.
"Granted. I'll add a chicken leg to your meal. Go on, 'Big Black', remember to practice that 'soul-sucked' expression. Make it sleazy enough."
"You got it!" Sirius ran out happily, muttering as he went, "Diamond collar... with my fur coat, I'll definitely charm that bitch next door..."
Bellatrix watched, dumbfounded:
"Master... is that the legendary Sirius Black who kills without blinking? Why does he look... more obedient than a house-elf?"
Ivan took a sip of pumpkin juice, his eyes deep:
"Because he found something more important than 'freedom'."
"A sense of belonging."
"And... the joy of not having to use his brain."
Just then, the System alert suddenly became urgent.
> [Warning! High-Dimensional Energy Reaction Detected!]
> [Location: Hogwarts · Deep Forbidden Forest]
> [Target: Aragog's Funeral (False)... Actually: Hagrid is attempting to resurrect an Ancient Creature!]
Ivan put down his cup, a playful smirk curling his lips.
"It seems Hagrid hasn't been idle either."
"Bella, go call Sirius back. Tell him an 'S-Rank Dungeon' is opening, and we need a dog dumb enough to scout the path."