July 31st, Harry's birthday.
It was something he could never have imagined during his time with the Dursley family, but for the current Harry, being celebrated on his birthday every year was a familiar occurrence.
Every year on his birthday, the adults and family around him would always send him wonderful gifts.
His master, Deek, and Sirius, of course, and sometimes even the old man named Dumbledore would send him a birthday present.
At times, even Ardeura would bring him a gift.
Of course, the gifts Ardeura brought were often things that were a bit problematic for a human like Harry, but Harry would gratefully accept them, appreciating the sentiment.
In any case, the gifts Harry received clearly revealed the characteristics of the givers.
First, Sirius. Sirius always gave him expensive and rare gifts. This year's present was no exception.
A wide smile spread across Harry's face as he saw the gift Sirius took out.
"Wow! Sirius, this broom is fantastic!"
"I looked to see if there was a better broom, but no matter how much I searched, there was nothing that could beat this one released this year. If a better one comes out, I'll replace it for you anytime."
The gift Sirius had brought was none other than the Nimbus 2000. A high-quality broom with a stylish brown appearance.
For Harry, who had become interested in the sport of Quidditch—though he had never played it—after hearing Sirius's stories about James, the broom was a most welcome gift.
Unable to wait, Harry asked Sirius for permission and briefly rode the broom inside the house.
Although it was just a short ride indoors, Harry was able to confirm his unfiltered talent for the broom.
Seeing this, Sirius smiled wistfully and said.
"You're really, without a doubt, the spitting image of your father."
Next, Aisen.
The gifts Aisen brought were always exciting.
You need look no further than Hedwig, the first birthday present Harry ever received, to know that.
Ah, for the record, Hedwig was still playing on a beach somewhere in the Mediterranean.
She was quite large, and there was no need for her to follow them all the way to London for a short stay.
In any case, the present Aisen had prepared this time was none other than Felix Felicis.
[T/N: Felix Felicis (펠릭스 펠리시스): A canonical magical potion, also known as "Liquid Luck." As its name suggests, it makes the drinker lucky for a period of time, during which everything they attempt will be successful.]
Naturally, Harry, who hadn't seen many potions, tilted his head, but Sirius, seeing it, was even more surprised and shouted.
"No, isn't that Felix Felicis? Where on earth did you get that?"
Aisen handed him the small bottle and said.
"I made it myself, of course. This is hard for even me to make, so I'm giving it to you as a combined entrance and birthday gift. This is the first and last Felix Felicis, so don't even think of asking for more."
What in the world was that potion that he would say such a thing?
As Harry tilted his head, Sirius explained with even more excitement.
"Harry, that potion is 'Liquid Luck.' For the whole day after you drink it, whatever you do will be guaranteed to have a good outcome!"
Startled, Harry looked closely at the potion Aisen had handed him.
The potion, which shone with a brilliant golden color, had a magical power that drew people in.
Harry, who had been staring at the potion as if mesmerized, put it in his pocket.
"Thank you, Master."
"You're welcome. Make sure you use it when you really need it."
And then, Deek's present.
Deek usually gave Harry practical things that he really needed.
The item he brought today was also of that sort.
"Harry, Deek heard in advance from Master Sirius what present he was preparing! So Deek prepared a broomstick servicing kit for Harry."
Though it wasn't as flashy as the other two items, it was a necessary gift.
His heart filled with warmth, Harry thanked Deek.
Finally, Ardeura had brought Harry a beautiful flower from somewhere.
She had clearly noticed that Harry hadn't been very fond of the Kraken leg she had personally hunted and brought him last year.
Though he didn't know what kind of flower it was, Harry was delighted to receive the flower that shone with a brilliant, rainbow-colored light.
"Thank you, Ardeura. I'll take good care of this."
Harry lightly used his new wand—a Holly wand—to cast a preservation spell on the flower, then carefully placed it in his pocket.
This year, too, had been a very happy birthday.
"Well then, I guess that's it for the party..."
Aisen's words, which were about to signal the end of the dinner and Harry's birthday party, were cut off by a tapping sound on the window.
What was that? Harry turned his head towards the sound with a puzzled expression, and there, he saw a phoenix.
The phoenix, which had a shorter tail than Ardeura, was one Harry was sure he had seen before. That phoenix was Fawkes, the familiar of the man named Dumbledore.
As Harry approached the window to open it, he had a small question.
"Master, this place is hidden by the Fidelius Charm, so how could Fawkes have known its location?"
"Who knows. The magic of a phoenix is something that cannot be easily measured by human standards. They, unlike us, can see the truth without much effort."
I see. Feeling anew the mystery of the phoenix species, Harry opened the window.
Screee!
Kee-roo-rook! Keerook!
As soon as the window was opened, Fawkes flew in and went to Ardeura to perform his usual courtship dance.
The flapping sight was rather amusing, but who could stop a bird in love?
Ardeura, while taken aback by the sight, did not attack Fawkes this time, unlike before.
Sirius, who had been watching Fawkes with a dumbfounded expression, noticed something and said.
"Hmm? Come to think of it, Fawkes, it looks like you've brought something."
As he said, Fawkes was indeed carrying a parcel on his leg.
As if he had heard them, Fawkes finally turned his gaze from Ardeura to them and tossed a parcel.
Screee!
And with a wistful cry towards Ardeura, he flew back out the window and disappeared.
For a moment, Harry was dazed by Fawkes, who had come and gone like a storm.
Aisen, who used a levitation charm without a wand to lift the parcel that had fallen to the floor, read the note written on it.
"'This was your father's. I think it's time it was returned to you. Albus Dumbledore.' Harry, it seems Albus sent you a present."
Mr. Dumbledore sent him a present? And his father's possession, at that?
With anticipation, Harry unwrapped the parcel and couldn't hide his puzzlement at the object that was revealed.
It was, after all, just an old cloak with a slightly antique look.
But Sirius, seeing the object, let out a hearty laugh and said.
"Ah, I'll be! I was wondering where that thing went, and Dumbledore had it! Harry, try putting on that cloak."
As he was told, Harry put on the cloak, but he couldn't feel any particular difference.
And the moment he tried to lift the hem of the cloak to see if there was any change in its appearance.
"W-what! Sirius, I'm invisible!"
"That's right, Harry. That cloak is a family heirloom of the Potter family, an Invisibility Cloak."
An Invisibility Cloak!
Harry was so surprised that he quickly swept the cloak back on. The part covered by the cloak had truly become transparent, not even a trace of it could be seen.
Meanwhile, Aisen, who was watching this, was surprised in his own way.
The Invisibility Cloaks Aisen knew of were made by weaving Demiguise hair, and they were items that, for the most part, had a lifespan of a few years at most.
They were not the kind of thing that could be passed down as a family heirloom.
And yet, an Invisibility Cloak that did not lose its invisibility over several generations.
As far as Aisen knew, there was only one such object!
Aisen muttered, flabbergasted.
"I never thought two of the Deathly Hallows would suddenly be gathered in one place."
[T/N: The Deathly Hallows (죽음의 성물): The three legendary magical artifacts from "The Tale of the Three Brothers"—The Elder Wand (which Aisen possesses), the Resurrection Stone, and the Invisibility Cloak (which Harry has just received).]
"What? The Deathly Hallows?"
"The Deathly Hallows? Isn't that just a superstition?"
As Sirius and Harry expressed their confusion at Aisen's muttering, Aisen, who found it a hassle to explain, waved his hand and said.
"Ah, it's nothing."
In any case, Harry wrapped the Invisibility Cloak around himself and thought. Everyone was so kind, but it seems the best present of this birthday has been decided!
Meanwhile. After the party was over, Harry and I, at Kreacher's request, followed him without Sirius.
The room Kreacher took us to was his own room, a room he had strictly forbidden anyone from entering.
"Please wait a moment..."
And after rummaging through a closet for a long time, what Kreacher took out was a locket, ornately decorated with a green, snake-like 'S'.
I've seen it somewhere before.
A moment later, Kreacher held out the locket to me.
Not understanding the situation, I asked Kreacher.
"Kreacher, if this is a present, today is Harry's birthday, not mine."
"Oh, no, Master Aisen. Please allow Kreacher to give this to you."
And the locket that I received. As I held the locket up to my eye level and stared at it for a long time, I was able to realize the source of that feeling of deja vu.
That green 'S' was a mark that signified that the owner of that object was once a Slytherin.
And as is often the case with objects that were once Slytherin's, there was a high probability that that object had belonged to the Gaunt family, which was the family of my dear friend.
The Gaunt family.
A family that inherited the blood of Slytherin, and a family that showed the most insane obsession with pure blood. Even more so than the Blacks.
My friend, Ominis Gaunt, was one of the few sane people in that family.
[T/N: Ominis Gaunt (오미니스 곤트): A major character from the game Hogwarts Legacy. He was a blind Slytherin student descended directly from Salazar Slytherin. He detested his family's obsession with the Dark Arts and pure-blood supremacy.]
When I had looked for news of them in the 20th century, I found that the entire family had fallen into ruin due to genetic problems caused by inbreeding.
Ominis, too, was unable to overcome the genetic disease and did not live past sixty. I remembered this clearly because I had visited his grave to pay my respects for a moment when I found the news two years ago.
In any case, though it was a bitter end, there were no signs of dark magic being involved, so I had simply paid my respects to the Gaunt family.
But why was this necklace, which was in all likelihood the property of the Gaunt family, here?
Feeling a little anxious, I asked Kreacher in a calm voice.
"Kreacher, this necklace. Where did you get it? Could you explain in detail?"
And, Kreacher's ensuing explanation.
How a boy who had once almost become a Death Eater had come up with a delightful blow that could land a punch on Voldemort.
How foolish was the ignorance brought on by the arrogance of the Dark Lord, who prided himself on being the furthest from death.
And what was the end of the boy who showed that courage was not just the exclusive property of Gryffindor.
Only after hearing the story of how Regulus had defied Voldemort was I able to understand the situation.
[T/N: Regulus (레귤러스): Regulus Arcturus Black, Sirius's younger brother. In the books, he was a Death Eater who became disillusioned, discovered Voldemort's Horcrux secret, and died stealing the locket in an attempt to destroy it.]
It seems that Sirius was not the only anomaly to have come from this Black family.
I let out a sigh and looked down at the locket in my hand, thinking.
Without a doubt, this, too, must be a Horcrux.
Voldemort, who had obtained this artifact that had drifted somewhere after the fall of the Gaunt family, had clearly made the founder's relic his Horcrux, just like Hufflepuff's Cup.
Kreacher, who was now shedding tears, said.
"Oh, Master Aisen. Please destroy that locket so that Kreacher may uphold Master Regulus's last wish. Stupid Kreacher could not do it."
I stopped Kreacher, who looked like he was about to start banging his head again.
Harry, who was watching the scene from the side, said with a frown.
"Voldemort, that man, not only killed my parents, but he has destroyed too many people."
I nodded and said.
"Don't worry, Kreacher. I'll make sure to destroy this locket soon."
How much can a Horcrux withstand? Even if it is a Horcrux, can it really withstand a Tsar Bomba?
Aisen, who had found a fun sandbag after a long time, was in a good mood and grinned.