Aiden's eyes widened as he stared at the glowing text on the system panel.
[Specific personnel are present. Conditions for the first Q&A session fulfilled. Activate?]
His heart trembled.
It was impossible not to be excited.
After all, in this mysterious and dangerous magical world, only those with power could truly protect themselves — and those they cared about.
And now that the Chamber of Secrets had been opened, that power was needed more than ever.
Aiden hadn't forgotten that he was a Muggle-born wizard — not pure-blood, not even half-blood.
That meant he could be attacked by the Basilisk at any time.
Sure, in the original story, the victims were only petrified, not killed.
But this wasn't a story anymore.
This was a real world.
"Come on, Aiden, we should go," Cedric said, snapping him out of his thoughts.
Aiden blinked and looked up — the professors were preparing to leave.
If he missed this moment, who knew when the next chance would come?
"Right. Let's go."
Outwardly, he followed Cedric.
But inwardly—
"System, activate. Begin the first quiz."
No hesitation. No delay.
If not now, when?
The moment Aiden gave the command, Dumbledore suddenly lifted his head, a flash of surprise flickering across his eyes.
Before anyone could react, several students gasped — their beloved Headmaster was engulfed in white light and vanished on the spot.
Along with him, several professors, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, and a single Hufflepuff student — Aiden himself — disappeared from sight.
Panic erupted.
Students shouted, whispering wildly as the Great Hall descended into chaos.
Then, before anyone could restore order, a large shimmering image appeared on the wall — right over the bloody words.
In that image were Dumbledore, Snape, the other professors, and the missing students.
Aiden's mind was spinning.
In this strange white space, he felt like an omnipotent being — like a god hovering above creation itself.
But the illusion broke when a sound echoed through his head, pulling him back to reality.
He realized this sensation wasn't truly divine; it was merely the system's temporary projection of power.
His real body was still that of a young Hufflepuff wizard standing outside the hall.
Here, he was a luminous, humanoid figure made entirely of milky-white light.
And in front of him stood Albus Dumbledore — the greatest white wizard in the British wizarding world.
"Who are you?" Dumbledore asked calmly, though his blue eyes gleamed with sharp vigilance.
The Elder Wand was already in his hand.
The professors had instinctively moved closer, shielding Harry and his friends behind them.
Even Snape's expression had turned grave.
The situation had clearly escalated beyond Dumbledore's expectations.
Aiden took a deep breath — though he didn't really breathe in this form.
His glowing silhouette rippled faintly as he composed himself.
He raised his right hand and tapped his forehead with his middle finger.
"Think carefully," he said softly. "It should've already told you. The answer is in your minds."
His tone carried an inexplicable calm — warm, even — that unconsciously made people want to trust him.
That subtle charm was enough to make even Dumbledore momentarily lower his guard.
When the old wizard realized it, his wariness doubled.
For the first time in decades, someone had touched the edges of his mind — uninvited.
At that same moment, faint words began to form inside everyone's consciousness.
[Welcome to the Live Broadcast Q&A System.]
[Participants have been selected.]
[This is a quiz space — created by unknown means.]
No one knew whether it was the work of gods or devils.
Only one thing was certain: this was a game.
Those who answered correctly would receive unimaginable rewards — a longer life, great wealth, or even greater magical power.
And so, Dumbledore and the others became the first players of the Q&A Space.
"It seems you've all figured out where this is," Aiden said, spreading his hands.
"Then let's begin the game. Don't worry — there's no danger."
He clapped his hands lightly. The sound echoed in the space.
"I'd like to ask this... gentleman," Dumbledore began, stepping forward.
His deep blue eyes shimmered faintly, as though probing Aiden's soul. "How does this game begin?"
For a brief moment, Aiden's instincts screamed at him to close his eyes — and he did.
When he reopened them, Dumbledore was still watching, unreadable as ever.
"Just about to begin, Professor Dumbledore," Aiden said, forcing his tone to stay calm.
"But first... I think this place needs a little change."
As he spoke, the void around them shifted.
The blank white space transformed into a circular chamber decorated with stone arches and torchlight.
Seven platforms rose slowly from the ground, arranged in a ring.
Each platform was connected by pebble paths — and on each stood a single unlit bulb.
The wizards looked around in stunned silence.
"Notice anything, Dumbledore?" Snape asked, his voice tight, his expression darker than usual.
Dumbledore only shook his head, motioning for him not to act rashly.
"Everyone, please," Aiden said in his usual gentle voice.
The others turned toward him, still confused and wary.
"Before we begin," Aiden said, "let's start with a small question."
A card appeared in his glowing hand. He looked down, reading the text that appeared across it.
Question 1: What is the main reason Draco Malfoy repeatedly provokes Harry Potter?
A: Draco is jealous of Harry's fame and prestige.
B: Draco has a dark personality — it's innate.
C: Draco secretly loves Harry, but because of Ron, that love turned to hatred.
D: Draco is simply not right in the head.
Aiden paused, his expression twisting slightly.
"Just a friendly reminder," he said dryly, "this is a rather... improper question."