It was 1991 in London, Britain.
Living up to its name as the 'Foggy City,' the entire city was shrouded in mist, and the gray sky offered no sunlight.
Professor Filius Flitwick knocked on the door. As a Hogwarts Professor, guiding children from Muggle families into the school was one of his annual duties.
This job was always a mixed bag: some Muggle families were very cooperative, while others were incredibly stubborn, only reacting when the most astonishing magic was performed right before their eyes, realizing it wasn't a Magic show.
"Will Berens; hmm, I hope this family is more reasonable," Professor Flitwick thought. The door opened, revealing a somewhat peculiar child. The child had pale skin, a cold expression, and eyes of a cold, silvery-gray hue. His entire demeanor exuded a sense of detached aloofness.
At this moment, Professor Flitwick didn't know that he would remember this child forever.
The boy spoke first: "Hello, Professor Flitwick."
Professor Flitwick was momentarily stunned. He was a well-known figure in the Wizarding World, so being recognized was normal, but that was in the Wizarding World. The records stated that this child was born into a Muggle family.
"Mr. Berens, how do you know me?" Professor Flitwick asked, curious.
"You are very famous, Professor Flitwick, Dean of Ravenclaw, and Professor of Charms Class at Hogwarts. Professor, I've wanted to consult you for a long time," Will said in a casual tone, as if he were talking about having fish and chips for lunch. Then he gestured, "Please come in, Professor Flitwick."
Flitwick entered the house with Will. The house wasn't large, but it was remarkably tidy, with everything in its place and spotlessly clean. Photos hung on the living room wall, appearing to be of a mother and son.
Will invited Professor Flitwick to sit down and then turned to make tea.
Professor Flitwick saw an open book on the table, next to a stack of somewhat old books that appeared to have been read repeatedly over a long period.
Ah, a young Wizard who loves to read, very likely to be sorted into Ravenclaw; especially since this child is reading "The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts" and "Studies on the Development of Modern magic." Hmm, both are excellent books, he used to enjoy reading them too.
"A Guide to Magical Cooking," hmm, a good lifestyle book. "Some Potent Potions," not bad, this child has broad interests, he also likes Potion.
Wait, Professor Flitwick realized, something still seemed off. This boy came from a Muggle family!
"Mr. Berens, do you have any Wizard relatives?" Flitwick asked, a little serious. If this child truly came from a Muggle family, then it was possible a Wizard had violated the Statute of Secrecy!
"No, Professor, everyone related to me by blood should be Muggles," Will replied calmly. Flitwick felt his tone was cold, and that this child might have encountered an unlawful Wizard.
Moreover, the child seemed to be home alone; his parents were not present.
"Are your parents not home?" Flitwick felt he might have come at an inconvenient time and might need to wait for the child's parents to return to have a proper talk with them.
"Professor, my mother passed away two years ago," Will said as he poured black tea for Flitwick. "I am my father's illegitimate son; I rarely see him, but thankfully he sends money. He doesn't know about my mother."
"Child, I am very sorry," Professor Flitwick said, looking a little sad, and his way of addressing Will had changed.
Flitwick hadn't expected such a situation. "But where did you get your books? If someone gave them to you, then that person might be a dangerous individual."
Flitwick felt he needed to ensure the child's safety; a solitary orphan could easily be targeted by certain Wizards.
"It's like this, Professor; a year and a half ago, I passed by the Leaky Cauldron. It made me very curious. At the time, besides me, the people around seemed unable to see it. So I walked in, then followed a few red-haired people into Diagon Alley. That's how I entered the world of magic," Will said calmly, with a maturity unbefitting his age.
Flitwick never imagined such an unconventional entry.
In his limited teaching career, he had visited many families, but this was the first time he encountered such a student: Muggle-born, from a broken home, and most importantly, having entered the world of magic on his own without guidance. This was an almost reckless act; he almost already foresaw this child entering Gryffindor.
"Child, a thirst for knowledge is a good thing, but you must know that it is very dangerous. One must be vigilant when facing the unknown, especially in the Wizarding World," Professor Flitwick hoped Will would be a little more careful, as the dangers in the Wizarding World were countless.
"Thank you for the reminder, Professor, I will definitely pay attention," Will said obediently, like a well-behaved child.
But Flitwick felt he probably hadn't taken his words to heart, though you can't expect a child to change his nature with just a few sentences.
Flitwick believed that once this child entered Hogwarts, he would have enough time at school to educate him.
"Alright, child, you can pack up. We'll go to Diagon Alley shortly to buy your school supplies."
"Professor, I actually finished buying everything the day before yesterday."
Professor Flitwick felt nothing but astonishment. He thought this child he met today was truly the most "effortless" child he had encountered in his career, and for a moment, he didn't know what to say.
"Professor, why don't you have lunch here before you go?" Will Berens seemed to notice Flitwick's surprise and took the initiative to break the brief awkward silence.
"Oh? That would be a bother for you then," Flitwick didn't want to disappoint the child. After all, the child's childhood seemed exceptionally pitiable. He decided that no matter how bad the food the child made tasted, he couldn't hurt the child's feelings.
However, the truth was that Will surprised Professor Flitwick from the moment he started cooking.
Especially when Flitwick saw Will use the "Peeleus Separatus" Spell to peel tomatoes, he was already astonished. In the middle, Will skillfully stir-fried tomatoes and cooked meat sauce; finally, he used a cleaning Spell to clean the stove. Professor Flitwick felt that this child was more likely to go to Ravenclaw.
When two steaming plates of spaghetti were brought to the table, Professor Flitwick was already thoroughly shocked by this un-enrolled young Wizard. And after he tasted the spaghetti Will made, another thought popped into his head: "This child might even go to Hufflepuff."
The spaghetti tasted surprisingly good. Professor Flitwick thought the child must have endured a lot of hardship living alone for the past year and a half.
"Child, where did you learn your magic?"
"I learned it from books," Will responded to Professor Flitwick's question, chewing slowly.
The two talked a lot, from Will's daily life to the books he read. Finally, Will posed his own question: "Professor, I actually have many questions about Spells. Why do books only mention the hand gestures and incantations of a Spell? I want to know what their basic logic is, and what is the core of the gestures and incantations?"
For the first time in all his years, Professor Flitwick lectured an un-enrolled young Wizard outside of school for an entire afternoon, speaking voluminously.
Will learned very seriously, and he seemed to get happier the more he learned. Professor Flitwick was surprised by Will's reaction, as he didn't know about Will's gains.
You gained new Charms knowledge, Charms experience +1.
You gained new Charms knowledge, Charms experience +1.
You gained new Charms knowledge, Charms experience +1.
..."Child, when I first started, I thought you would go to Gryffindor, I thought you would go to Ravenclaw, and I even considered you going to Hufflepuff, but now I am certain you will go to Ravenclaw," Professor Flitwick felt that the child's thirst for knowledge was incredibly strong, and he was quick-witted with broad interests.
Will had almost completely memorized the basic Charms Class theories, not just for first year, but even the second-year content, which he had mastered quite proficiently, and his practical application was also commendable.
Flitwick felt that this child's magical talent was also top-notch; at least, he hadn't reached Will's level at that age.
At the same time, he was also relieved that the child hadn't come into contact with the Dark Arts yet.
Children with such a thirst for knowledge, in his memory, all came from Ravenclaw, and most of them later became excellent Wizards.
He could see that Will was the same; he was destined to achieve great things.
Although he could tell Will still had some questions, he had to leave now. As Dean of Ravenclaw, he was quite busy: "Child, once you get to Hogwarts, you can always come to me with questions, and I will help you to the best of my ability."
"Alright, Professor Flitwick, then I'll see you at the start of term," Will seemed a bit reluctant to part, after all, the experience gain was very real.
Flitwick felt a pang of sympathy. Such a young child living alone was truly heartbreaking. It was normal to crave interaction; however, Flitwick knew he couldn't look after the child forever. Once Will arrived at Hogwarts, he would give Will extra care.
Flitwick secretly decided that no matter which house the child went to, he would make sure other Professors paid attention to him, and most importantly, prevent him from going astray.