Dumbledore first met Aisen Knightly when he was just eleven years old, having freshly enrolled at Hogwarts.
Brimming with pride in his own overflowing magical talents even before starting school, Dumbledore was confident that he would write a new chapter in Hogwarts' history.
When the Sorting Hat was placed on his head and declared him a Hatstall[1]—one who possessed the courage, wisdom, diligence, and ambition for all four houses—it seemed his conviction was becoming reality.
[Hmm... In that case, I believe this is where you belong.]
"GRYFFINDOR!!"
With the Hat's shout, the year's Hatstall was sorted into Gryffindor, and the students at the Gryffindor table tossed their hats in the air, welcoming him with roaring applause.
Yes, everything seemed destined for perfection.
At least, until that moment.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Aisen Knightly, the Gryffindor Prefect."
And there, the young Albus Dumbledore came face to face with a colossal, unbreachable wall.
His hair, tinged with a faint blue sheen, and his brilliant golden eyes, coupled with the authority of being Gryffindor's top student and Prefect, made him seem to radiate light.
But his excellence was not merely a matter of appearance and status.
His magical skill was flawless, easily rivaling that of any professor at Hogwarts, and his playful demeanor drew students to him like moths to a flame.
And then there were the secrets that shrouded him in an even deeper mystery.
He was more than enough to plant the first seeds of admiration in young Albus Dumbledore's heart. To the first-years, Aisen was the very picture of a perfect Gryffindor.
But who was it that said that?
The fact that being the most Gryffindor-like of all did not, by any means, equate to being the most perfect.
Aisen, a true idol to all Gryffindors past and future, was exceedingly—exceedingly—playful.
To put it bluntly, rules and regulations were no obstacle to him whatsoever.
Even if you combined all four of the Marauders—the most mischievous students Dumbledore would later encounter as Headmaster—their antics would fail to measure up to the sheer scale of the 'pranks' Aisen committed alone.
The Forbidden Forest was his front yard, and the restricted sections of Hogwarts were merely practice grounds for his Disillusionment Charms.
During Dumbledore's first year, he was a seventh-year on the verge of graduation, and perhaps for that reason, he took a particular interest in the new students that year.
Was it because he was sad to be leaving Hogwarts soon, or was it because all of his close friends had already graduated?
Aisen sought to strengthen his bond with the lower years.
For Dumbledore, who was already captivated by Aisen, this was a prospect filled with thrilling anticipation.
There was just one problem. The person from whom he sought advice on strengthening these bonds was none other than the Hogwarts caretaker of Korean descent, Gladwin Moon.
Was there some miscommunication between them, or did their hearts connect on a deeper level? In the end, he imparted a most 'splendid' piece of Korean culture.
Moon had apparently called it 'seon-hoo-bae munhwa.'
[T/N: Seon-hoo-bae Munhwa (선후배 문화): This literally translates to "Senior-Junior Culture." It refers to the deeply ingrained hierarchical relationship between upperclassmen (seonbae) and underclassmen (hoobae) in Korean society, especially in schools. While it can involve positive mentorship, this story leans into its stricter aspects, which often include a rigid power dynamic and expectations of deference from juniors.]
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"Oh? You know me? Quite sharp of you to recognize me, even in this state."
Dumbledore's reminiscence was forcibly dragged back to reality by the presence before him.
That all-seeing gaze, and that voice, playful yet dignified.
The 'gungi'—the discipline—engraved into his very being screamed at Dumbledore.
[T/N: Gungi (군기): This term translates to "military-style discipline." In the context of the seon-hoo-bae culture, 'gungi' refers to the act of seniors enforcing strict discipline and order upon juniors, sometimes through harsh methods. Dumbledore's ingrained 'gungi' implies he was subjected to this very disciplined, hierarchical system under Aisen.]
This young boy was, without a doubt, Aisen Knightly!
"But how did you get in here? I'm certain I placed layers of protective and concealment charms at the cave entrance."
His narrowing eyes signaled his displeasure.
"You'd best answer carefully. If you don't give me a straight answer..."
Though he had a mischievous side, Aisen was fundamentally a person who respected his elders.
But for him to speak so informally to someone as old as himself meant he saw him not as a figure of respect, but as a potential threat.
Even without his tone, his magical energy made that fact abundantly clear.
Overwhelmed by that immense power, Dumbledore instinctively straightened his aged body and cried out.
"S-Sir! Albus Percival Dumbledore, Class of 897, reporting!"
[T/N: lol I keep giggling seeing Dumbledore cover like this before MC.]
Aisen tilted his head, staring at Dumbledore, who had just shouted in a crisp, disciplined tone he hadn't used since he was a young man.
"...What was that? Albus Percival Dumbledore?"
"Yes, sir! As for the protective charms, I found no trace of them on my way in."
Aisen shook his head as if confused, and his next words stunned them both.
"The Albus I remember was at least ninety years younger than you."
What? What did he just say?
For minds as brilliant as Dumbledore's and Knightly's, that brief exchange was more than enough.
From Dumbledore's perspective: here was Aisen Knightly, who had vanished without a trace ninety years ago, suddenly reappearing in the form of a young boy.
From Aisen's perspective: he was in a cave that seemed inexplicably covered in dust, his concealment and protection spells gone, and standing before him was a white-haired old man claiming to be Dumbledore.
Realizing simultaneously what all these facts pointed to, the two men groaned.
"Oh, good heavens."
"Well, bloody hell."
"So, you're telling me it's the year 1987?"
"Yes, that is correct."
The ensuing conversation was a series of confirmations. The fearsome senior before Dumbledore's eyes had leaped ninety years across time to descend upon the present day.
This time, it was Dumbledore's turn to ask a question.
"Sir, what on earth happened to make you... like this?"
It was obvious his question was not just about the time leap.
After all, Aisen, who had been nearly thirty the last time he'd seen him, now looked to be no older than seven.
To Dumbledore's natural question, Aisen gave a short reply.
"An accident while researching ancient magic related to time."
Good heavens. Ancient magic related to time. Putting aside his fear of the man before him, Dumbledore was filled with pure admiration.
In the modern era, magic related to time was exceedingly rare.
The only magic that could truly manipulate time was likely the Time-Turner, stored away in a secret department of the Ministry of Magic.
And even that was an artifact whose creation method had been lost, making it impossible to produce more.
To think he had tried to wield such time-related magic through his own power. Though he had failed, the fact that he had produced any result at all was a tremendous achievement.
It was an unreal feat for a man not yet thirty years old.
So, in the past, he was that... No, no. Dumbledore forcefully shoved the suppressed memories of the past, which were slowly creeping out, back into a corner of his mind.
"Right... 1987... How absurd."
As Aisen muttered in a daze, a sliver of pity pierced through the fear in Dumbledore's heart.
When you thought about it, this senior of his had been dropped into the future without a single person he knew. How bewildered he must be.
"So, what's the wizarding world like these days?"
"Pardon?"
"You know, Dark Wizards, poachers, goblins... are those types still running rampant?"
Goblins? What an old story. Feeling the generation gap once again, Dumbledore explained the activities of the Death Eaters and Voldemort.
"Well now, all sorts of strange things have happened while I was away. Systematically ostracizing and killing Muggle-borns, you say? Hmph."
As a Muggle-born himself, it was the sort of thing that should have offended him, but Aisen showed no reaction.
He had transcended such distinctions long ago.
"So what happened to the Death Eaters after this Voldemort fellow disappeared?"
Setting that issue aside, he reacted as if he were listening to a thrilling story, which made Dumbledore answer with some reluctance.
"Some were acquitted, ruled to have been under Voldemort's Imperius Curse, and the rest are in Azkaban..."
"What? Azkaban? You didn't kill them all?"
How could you not let Dark Wizards live?
Dumbledore stared at Aisen, who seemed genuinely bewildered by this fact.
"I mean, don't you usually just 'accidentally' kill all of them during the arrest?"
Using Transfiguration, or Avada Kedavra, Aisen muttered. His casualness was what made it all the more terrifying.
"Well, field executions have become quite rare these days... And as for Avada Kedavra, using an Unforgivable Curse will get you sent straight to Azkaban."
Aisen, looking truly shocked, asked again.
"What? Just for using it?"
"Of course."
And wasn't that the case in your era as well? Dumbledore barely managed to swallow the retort.
Back then, private justice was so rampant that using curses on Dark Wizards was often tacitly overlooked.
So, Dumbledore simply explained.
"Sir, the world has changed."
"Damn it all." Seeing Aisen's muttered curse, Dumbledore's educator instincts began to stir.
Come to think of it, no matter how terrifying this senior was, hadn't he arrived here before even reaching the age of thirty?
Wasn't he younger than any of the other students Dumbledore had mentored?
If so, perhaps now was the time to instill the proper values in this wizard... no, in Aisen Knightly.
Yes, no matter how vivid the phantoms of the past, Dumbledore himself was an archmage over a hundred years old, and the Aisen Knightly before him was a fledgling not yet thirty!
If he could just guide Aisen onto the right path, then for his own Grand Plan...!
"Hmm, Albus. What are you thinking about right now?"
Aisen's voice was suddenly laced with a chill that hadn't been there a moment ago.
Dumbledore flinched and looked up to see a mischievous smile playing on Aisen's lips.
"Albus, Albus. You still haven't gotten rid of that very un-Gryffindor-like habit of yours."
The habit of seeing others as pawns on your board.
Whooosh!
"In that case, as your senior, I suppose I'll have to set you straight once more, won't I?"
At Aisen's smile and the gathering signs of powerful magic, Dumbledore had no time for thought; he drew his wand.
"
Flipendo."
"
Protego—!!"
It was a simple Knockback Jinx, meant for pranks, but magic from his senior's hand was no simple prank.
With no time to focus on non-verbal casting, Dumbledore shouted the incantation for
Protego.
He had blocked the jinx, befitting his title as an archmage, but his face had turned deathly pale.
The trauma buried deep within him felt as if it were about to resurface.
He saw the flicker of movement as Aisen's hand prepared to move again.
Dumbledore almost flinched, bracing for the next attack, but strangely, Aisen showed no sign of delivering any further punishment.
Dumbledore slowly turned his head to look at Aisen, and his heart leaped into his throat when he saw where Aisen's gleaming eyes were fixed.
Because, of all things.
"Well now, Albus. That's a very nice wand you have there."
His two golden eyes, blazing like embers.
"Could this old senior of yours have a look at it?"
Were fixed upon his beloved weapon, the Elder Wand.
[1] a Hogwarts term for a new student whose Sorting process takes longer than five minutes, indicating a personality that is equally suited to two or more different Houses