Something felt wrong.
Every instinct in Edward screamed at him that this world wasn't right—and yet, before he could analyse it, a torrent of fragmented memories crashed into his mind.
According to those memories, he was a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Three years ago, Hogwarts' most brilliant student, Li Li, had joined forces with Albus Dumbledore to finally destroy Voldemort.
The wizarding world rejoiced, believing peace had come at last…
Until the day Li Li turned on Dumbledore.
She'd ambushed and killed him, then swiftly rallied Voldemort's remaining Death Eaters, crowning herself as the new Dark Lord.
The new Dark Lord wasted no time.
She seized control of the Ministry of Magic, consolidated her forces, and within a year conquered France, Britain, and Germany—declaring herself Supreme Minister of European Magic.
Then, she turned her armies against the united front of the three great wizarding schools.
Last month, Hogwarts itself had fallen.
The survivors scattered.
The rebels hid.
And he—Edward glanced at himself—no, Zhang San, one of the escapees, was supposedly among the core resistance against the Dark Lord Li Li.
"Zhang San again?"
Edward muttered in disbelief.
"What's with this name? That's the laziest alias I've ever seen!"
He froze.
"Wait—why did I say again?"
Something in his memory wavered.
"Amanises, where are we going?"
That name—it tugged at something deep in his thoughts, a faint familiarity that sent a chill down his spine.
The blonde girl ahead glanced back, wand in hand.
"We're going to meet up with the saviour—Harry Potter!"
Edward blinked.
"But…why are we running? Why not just Apparate?"
After all, as a supposed "core member of the resistance," he'd long since mastered the spell.
"Did you hit your head just now?" Amanises snapped. "This whole area's under Anti-Apparition Wards!"
"Oh. Right."
"Here!"
The girl stopped before a nondescript brick wall in a narrow alley.
She tapped the wall rhythmically with her wand—once, twice, three times—nothing happened.
"What are you doing?"
"Quiet!"
She pressed her hand against one of the bricks—
—and suddenly, the wall twisted like liquid glass.
A spiralling pull seized them both, sucking them into the wall.
After a dizzying rush of colour and vertigo, the world righted itself.
They stood in a large underground room—maybe several hundred square meters wide, dimly lit by floating magical lamps. The cracked brick walls were plastered with portraits from Hogwarts: the Fat Friar, Nearly Headless Nick, rows of past headmasters.
Voices filled the air.
"Our mission this time is to destroy the Dark Lord Li Li's final Horcrux…"
Edward turned toward the voice.
A young man of eighteen or nineteen stood at the centre, messy-haired, glasses slightly crooked, eyes bright with determination.
Harry Potter.
He was addressing the gathered crowd with resolute passion, outlining strategy, giving orders. Cheers erupted from the rebels with every few sentences. The room burned with tense, desperate energy.
"Amanises! Zhang San!"
"Here!"
The blonde girl immediately stepped forward. Edward hesitated, grimacing at how out of place his name sounded in such a fiery revolution scene, then reluctantly followed.
"Share with everyone what you've discovered about the Dark Lord's final Horcrux."
"Yes, sir!"
Amanises raised her voice so all could hear.
"The Dark Lord Li Li's last Horcrux is none other than the black cat that never leaves her side! She always keeps it close, under heavy protection. Killing that cat without confronting her directly is impossible!"
A murmur spread through the crowd.
Harry nodded gravely, his voice ringing out with conviction.
"Then we'll form a strike team—a suicide squad, if necessary! Someone must create a distraction strong enough to give us a chance to destroy the Horcrux!"
The room fell silent—until a deep, calm voice cut through the air.
"I'll go."
Everyone turned.
A tall, black-robed man with a sallow face stepped forward—Severus Snape.
"No, Professor Snape," Harry protested, shaking his head. "You still have—"
"There will only be one chance," Snape said firmly. "No one is more suited to this than I."
He looked straight into Harry's green eyes.
"Potter…you are far stronger than your father ever was. The future…is yours."
"Avada Kedavra!"
The sudden roar of a curse shattered the air.
The bright green flash of death erupted from behind.
Amanises stood with her wand raised, her face cold and emotionless.
There was no time for anyone to react.
The killing curse streaked across the room—aimed straight for Harry Potter.
But before it could hit, a figure stepped into its path.
Snape.
The curse struck him square in the chest.
His body went rigid—eyes widening, the light within them dimming fast.
"Potter…" he rasped, the last of his strength fading. "Live…on…"
He fell heavily to the floor, lifeless.
For a moment, the room was frozen in shock.
Then chaos erupted.
Dozens of wands whipped up—every one pointed at Amanises and the utterly bewildered Edward standing beside her.
"Expelliarmus!"
Edward's wand flew from his hand before he could even blink.
"???"
He stared down at his empty fingers, utterly lost.
"Wait—what the hell?!"
"Aren't I supposed to be part of the resistance?! Since when am I the villain?!"
"Amanises! Zhang San!"
Harry's grief-stricken face twisted with fury.
"Why?! Why would you do this?!"
Edward opened his mouth—
"Ah…uh…ababa—"
—completely speechless.
Amanises' expression was cold as stone.
"My parents are in the Dark Lord's hands," she said flatly. "I have no choice."
Her gaze swept across the room, hard and merciless.
"The Dark Lord's army has surrounded this base. If you value your lives, drop your wands and surrender."
Smack!
A sharp slap echoed through the hall.
A girl with pale-golden hair—dressed in odd, whimsical clothes—strode up and struck Amanises across the face.
"Traitor!" Luna Lovegood spat, trembling with rage.
"Harry," she said, turning to him, "we'll hold them off. You have to run!"
"No, Luna," Harry murmured, shaking his head slowly. "It's…too late."
"Hahahahahaha!"
A dark, chilling laugh rolled through the chamber.
The shadows behind the crowd twisted and parted—revealing a tall woman clad in flowing black robes, long hair spilling over her shoulders, a black cat perched upon them like a crown.
Her eyes gleamed with wicked light.
The Dark Lord Li Li.
Behind her, her loyal enforcers stepped forth, radiating power.
"Excellent work, Amanises. Zhang San," she purred. "Welcome to our great wizarding family."
Amaneesis lowered her head in silence and walked obediently to stand behind her.
Edward stood frozen between both sides—on one hand, the furious, desperate Resistance,
on the other, the victorious, menacing Dark Lord's army.
He hesitated for half a second—then made his choice.
He spun around and sprinted toward the Dark Lord's side, shouting loudly:
"Glorious Dark Lord! Zhang San pledges his loyalty to you!"
Everyone froze.
The Dark Lord raised an eyebrow, amused.
Then she turned back to Harry, her tone icy but oddly calm.
"Harry Potter…why must you fight me? I once thought you, of all people, would understand."
"Understand?" Harry spat. "How could I ever understand a murderer?"
"If none of you resisted me," Li Li snapped, "I'd have no need to kill anyone!"
"You want to shatter the boundaries between wizards and Muggles—to rule both worlds!" Harry's voice rose, trembling with fury.
"You're nothing but a tyrant!"
The Dark Lord's expression twisted with rage.
"I am doing this to save the wizarding world!"
"Between Muggles and wizards, the end is either one conquering the other, or the two becoming fully integrated until there's no distinction. And you lot—do you really think keeping us in two separate worlds will keep the peace?"
"Muggle technology advances by the day, while wizarding magic grows weaker. The moment Muggles choose to wage war on wizards will be the day the wizarding world is annihilated!"
"If you seek peace through battle, peace endures; if you seek peace through compromise, peace dies. Are your brains truly so—"
Listening to the Dark Lord's words, Edward found them inexplicably persuasive. He couldn't help but nod along, again and again.
The Dark Lord grew impatient. "I'll say it one last time. Surrender and join us, and you live. Continue resisting, and you die. I am not that useless Voldemort—I won't give you—"
"Avada Kedavra!"
A familiar voice. A familiar green. A familiar recipe.
It was Amanises again. No one knew where she had produced another wand from—but this time, her target was the cat on the Dark Lord's shoulder.
Crack!
The black cat merely tilted its head, easily slipping past the Killing Curse. Before Amanises could fire a second spell, the Dark Lord slapped the wand from her hand. She raised a single finger and tapped Amaneesis on the forehead, speaking mildly, "What a clownish attempt at sowing discord. I'm disappointed."
Puff.
A neat, bleeding hole opened in Amanises' pale brow. She collapsed, eyes full of unwillingness.
"And you, Zhang San," the Dark Lord turned and smiled pleasantly at Edward. "Are you going to resist me as well?"
"…"
No.
What kind of twisted game was this?
Back and forth—again?
I just finished steeling myself to defect decisively…
And now you tell me I'm the resistance's mole? What is even happening?
"I…I'm not like her. I truly, sincerely pledge my loyalty to the great Dark Lord," Edward said, spreading his arms as if for an execution. "Really. If you don't believe me, use Legilimency on me."
Li Li's lips curved faintly. "Oh? Then I shall—"
Edward's mind suddenly blurred. In his ears, a familiar incantation rang out—Avada Kedavra—in his own voice.
When his thoughts snapped back into focus, the black cat on Li Li's shoulder had already been struck by a beam of green light.
Li Li's smile vanished. As if wracked by unbearable pain, her long black hair lifted without wind, her features twisting with feral rage.
She raised both hands high. Blue-black flames swelled between her palms.
"Ah!! Die—all of you!"
"I—was just now controlled by the Imperius Curse…" Edward tried to say—
Boom!
The blue-black fire expanded violently, coalescing into a colossal dragon of flame that slammed down upon the crowd.
In the blink of an eye—everyone, including the saviour, turned to ash.
"…Damn. So that's all the saviour's got? And people thought he could defeat the Dark Lord?"
The difference in power was absurd.
I really was sincerely pledging loyalty to the Dark Lord!
That was Edward's final thought before his consciousness went dark.
———
He didn't know how much time passed.
From murk and confusion, Edward's awareness slowly resurfaced. With the first ray of light, his vision cleared bit by bit.
Before him stretched an opulent palace.
He was seated at a long table. Around it sat more than a dozen people, men and women alike, their faces solemn as they discussed something of grave importance. The air was heavy, oppressive.
At the head of the table sat a black-haired girl. She regarded everyone in silence, her expression unreadable.
"I disagree!"
The speaker was a red-haired man in black-red armour, arms folded, arrogance written across his face. "I absolutely disagree!"
Disagree with what?
A blue-haired man slammed the table. "Medici! This is the Lord's decision! It's not up to your agreement!"
"I don't care. You lot are definitely up to no good!" Medici jabbed a finger toward the blonde girl beside Edward. "And why is she allowed in a meeting of this level?"
The black-haired girl at the head spoke lightly. "Amanises is personally designated by the Lord. Naturally, she has the right to participate."
The blonde girl said, "Assassination—for the sake of redemption."
"Bullshit!" Medici snorted, then turned to Edward. "Zhang San, you're the Lord's most trusted. You can't possibly agree to this nonsense plan, right?"
In an instant, all the memories returned to Edward.
The Lord who created all things was experiencing the awakening of the Primordial One within His own body. Thus, He had His deputy, Li Li, gather the most trusted Kings of Angels and Subsidiary Gods to form "Rose Redemption," planning to assassinate the Lord—so that through resurrection, He could cast off the Primordial One's revival.
Edward himself had been chosen as one of the executors.
Only…
"Zhang San," as a name, felt wildly out of place for the gravity of this gathering.
Huh? Hadn't he thought something similar before?
"Uh…I also think it's unwise," Edward ventured—purely because he felt their odds of killing that Lord were abysmally low.
"You see? Even Zhang San is against it!"
Li Li's gaze slid to him, cool and distant. "This matter was decided from the beginning. If you're willing to help, stay. If not, I'll have to seal you temporarily and release you once it's done."
Medici rose, eyes cold. "You can try."
"Very well." Li Li nodded faintly. "The Lord says: your request will be granted."
The words had barely fallen when Medici's expression changed. Forced down by some immense pressure, he sat back. From his feet upward, stone spread rapidly. He tried to struggle, but his strength couldn't surface—
"You traitors!!" he roared at Li Li.
Within a dozen seconds, he had become a solid statue.
"Zhang San—what do you say?"
"…"
Edward lowered his gaze, schooling his expression. "I will follow your arrangements."
"This assassination, though tacitly allowed by the Lord, must be as unexpected as possible—to avoid the Primordial One's awakened consciousness lashing out at the moment of death."
Li Li turned to Amanises. "Therefore, Amaneesis will keep you hidden throughout the process."
The blonde girl nodded. "Understood."
"Leodero, Aucuses—you two will lead the first strike. Herabergen…"
One by one, Li Li assigned tasks. Finally, she looked to Edward.
"Zhang San."
"Here."
"You will go and wake the Lord."
"…Alright."
Edward answered promptly—then waited. When no further instructions came, he frowned. "And then?"
"There is no 'then.' Your task is to wake the Lord."
"…."
Uh. Fine.
At least he wasn't being asked to fight to the death like the others.
"Go."
"Huh?"
Edward blinked, glancing around. "Now?"
This was way too sudden.
It felt like he'd dozed off and, still groggy, was being sent to assassinate the strongest deity in existence—like Kakuzu tasked with killing Hashirama.
…Who was Hashirama again?
Amanises blinked at him. "Don't worry. After you wake the Lord, I'll hide you immediately. Leave the rest to us."
Sure…and what tier are you, compared to the Lord? Will your concealment actually work?
Still, the duck had already been shoved onto the rack—there was no other choice.
"…Alright. I'm going."
Edward took a single step and traversed space, arriving before a vast, majestic bronze gate. This was once the Giant King's Court. After defeating the Giant King, the Lord had made it His divine kingdom.
"My Lord."
He had just lifted his hand to knock when the massive doors opened silently. A shaft of golden light spilt out from within, bathing him like warm sunlight.
He walked slowly into the enormous palace, as though wading into a golden sea. The sights on either side shifted rapidly, like racing through a tunnel of time and space.
When he came back to himself, he stood within a chamber fashioned entirely of gold.
Upon a bed—once the Giant King's resting place, absurdly large even for titans—
a small, black shape lay curled up, breathing in soft, steady snores.
Edward took a few steps closer—and finally saw the Lord's true form.
A black cat.
"???"
The Lord who created all things, the omniscient and omnipotent God—GOD—was a cat.
Wonderful. As perfunctory as naming me "Zhang San."
Edward, of course, only dared to complain inwardly. According to the memories in his head, this black cat had led humanity to victory over nearly every Ancient God; countless deities had been torn apart by Her claws and fangs.
Her roar alone could frighten ten thousand dragons to death; a single stamp of Her paw could make the Ancient Gods quail. She was the mightiest, greatest of all divinities.
"My Lord, are You awake?"
"What is it?"
The black cat didn't open Her eyes; the words sounded like murmurs in a dream.
"Li Li sent me to wake You."
"How long have I slept?"
"Over a hundred years."
"And the world outside?"
"As You wished—humanity has overcome the wilderness and is slowly developing its own civilisation. Yet they pray without cease, hoping to bask once more in Your radiance."
Her eyes opened—golden, like living flames. Sitting up lazily, She said calmly,
"No. Humanity does not need a god. I have fulfilled My duty. It is time to withdraw from the stage and hand the world back to them."
"Uh…then will You continue sleeping?"
"Do you wish Me to sleep, Zhang San?"
"…"
Meeting those clear, spotless eyes, Edward felt a shock run through him.
"I think…You have laboured too long. You really should rest more…"
"Thank you."
She stood, sprang lightly onto Edward's shoulder, and said, "Do what you must. Don't overthink it."
"Come. It's time to see them."
Edward nodded, turned, and retraced his steps. Passing once more through the corridor like a tunnel of time and space, he returned to the great bronze gates.
One more step forward, and he would leave the Giant King's Court.
"Do not hesitate. Keep walking."
"Must it be this way?"
"Yes."
"Will it work?"
"Let us hope so."
At last, Edward stepped through the doors.
A flood of flames and a forest of thunderbolts crashed down. At the same time, he felt something terribly important being torn from his mind, bringing with it a searing pain.
Then a force shoved him hard aside. Behind him, a chain of explosions roared.
Crack.
Edward hit the ground, scrambled up, and looked back—just in time to see the glow of countless powers fade. In that same instant, Li Li, the Lord's deputy in heaven, drove a black blade straight through the black cat's body.
Golden blood dripped from the wound.
The world fell utterly silent, and only the sound of blood hitting the floor could be heard.
Drip—Drip—Drip
The dripping quickened, turning into the patter of rain.
For a fleeting moment, everything blurred.
When clarity returned, Edward found himself standing in a strange, dim street. Cold rain poured from the sky. The air was wet and chill, saturated with despair.
Who am I?
Where am I?
What am I doing?
It felt as though he had lost all memory—an empty shell.
He looked around blankly, then chose a distant patch of light and began walking toward it.
The rain intensified.
He grew colder and colder, hugging his arms to his chest as he trembled. No matter how far he walked, the light remained at the same distance—as if he would never reach it.
Forget it.
Then I won't walk.
He chose a tree with relatively dense leaves, curled up at its roots, and stared through the curtain of rain into the black sky, eyes vacant.
He tried to think, to analyse his situation—but his mind was blank.
"Mrrrow~"
A faint meow sounded from the side.
Startled, he glanced over.
"Mrrrow~ meow~ mrrrow~"
The voice grew more urgent, yet weaker. After a few seconds' hesitation, he stood, pushed aside a pile of dead leaves and twigs, and found a soaked black kitten within.
It couldn't have been more than two months old—thin, tiny, terribly weak. It looked like it wouldn't last much longer before freezing to death.
"Sigh…I'm not in much better shape than you, but since I've found you, I'll do what I can."
He crouched, reaching to pick it up.
Snap!
Perhaps out of instinctive fear, the kitten clamped its teeth onto his finger. A faint sting pricked him. He barely reacted—grabbing the scruff with his other hand to make it let go, then, after a moment's hesitation, tucking it into the part of his coat that the rain hadn't soaked yet.
Cold. Bitterly cold.
He shivered, flicked his bleeding finger, and let the rain wash away the blood.
"Well…since I've chosen to save you, I might as well try walking on a little farther."
Shaking his head helplessly, he set off again along that seemingly endless road.
This time, the distant light edged closer with every step.
After a dozen minutes, he reached an old stone cottage.
Smoke curled from the chimney; a warm, yellow glow spilt through the window, casting a soft halo at the door. It looked…comforting.
Edward quickened his pace. At the door, the faint scent of food reached him.
Knock, knock, knock.
He rapped on the wood.
"Is anyone home?"
"Who is it?"
"A passerby, looking to get out of the rain. May I?"
After a brief pause, the door creaked open.
A black-haired girl of about twenty stood inside. She looked him up and down, then stepped back.
"Come in."
"Mrrrow~"
The kitten in his coat let out a weak cry. The girl frowned.
"A cat? Where?"
He quickly took the little thing out.
"Found it on the road. If no one helps it, it'll freeze to death."
He glanced at the hearth, where flames crackled.
"May I—"
"Mm."
He hurried to the fireplace, setting the kitten close enough to feel the warmth.
"Here."
The girl handed him a dry towel.
"Thank you."
He gently dried the kitten and wrapped it snugly.
"The towel is for you," the girl said.
"Ah—sorry, I thought…"
"Forget it."
She sat on the sofa by the hearth.
"You're not from our town, are you? I've never seen you. Where are you from?"
"I'm…a traveller. Just passing through."
"And where are you headed?"
"I haven't decided."
She nodded slightly, asking nothing more.
"Mrrrow, mrrrow~"
Revived a little, the black kitten mewed in a series of small cries. The girl frowned.
"It's hungry."
"Ah? Then…what do we do?"
She studied him for a few seconds, then fetched a packet of milk powder from the table, mixed it with warm water in a bowl, and handed it to him.
"See if it'll drink."
"Thank you—thank you so much."
Edward set the bowl before the kitten, unwrapped its towel, and dabbed a little milk at the corner of its mouth with his finger. The little thing licked its lips immediately, then crawled to the bowl and began to drink in earnest.
Watching it bury its whole face in the bowl as if someone might steal it at any moment, Edward hesitated, then asked,
"Ma'am, as I said, I'm a traveller…I wander without purpose, take things as they come, and I can barely look after myself."
"So…could you possibly take care of this cat for me?"
———
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