"A special little one," Dumbledore explained succinctly.
The subsequent fitting was nothing short of "torture" for Lia.
That self-flying tape measure seemed to have a life of its own, darting all over Lia's body.
It would occasionally 'accidentally' brush against the sensitive ears on top of her head or sweep past the base of her tail.
"Mmm..."
Lia squirmed from the ticklish sensation, her body trembling slightly, a faint blush coloring her cheeks as she looked to Dumbledore for help.
Dumbledore merely smiled gently, signaling for her to be patient.
Soon, Madam Malkin fetched clothes for her.
Dumbledore selected a set of soft, comfortable white casual wear and a brand-new set of Hogwarts school robes for her.
When Lia, in the fitting room, clumsily put on that lace-trimmed skirt and those soft little leather shoes for the first time, she felt utterly uncomfortable.
The fabric rubbing against her skin felt strange, and the shoes felt like shackles on her feet, which were accustomed to running freely.
She walked out of the fitting room, moving with extreme caution, like a little duckling learning to walk.
The biggest problem arose—her tail.
The black robes of the school uniform had no opening for a tail, forcing her fluffy, long tail to be uncomfortably stuffed under the robe, creating a strange bulge.
"It seems a small modification is needed."
Dumbledore smiled, drew his wand, and gave a gentle tap on the back hem of the robe.
A faint light shone from the tip of the wand, and a neat, smooth hole of just the right size instantly appeared on the robe.
Lia felt a release behind her; her fluffy tail immediately 'liberated' itself through the hole, wagging comfortably in the air.
With the clothing issue resolved, their next stop was "Ollivanders."
The shop was small, shabby, and covered in dust, but when Mr. Ollivander, whose eyes seemed to see right through everything, appeared, Lia felt nervous once again.
"Albus Dumbledore! I never expected to see you here."
Ollivander's gaze quickly settled on Lia, especially on her prominent cat ears.
"An interesting lineage... very interesting..." he murmured to himself, his eyes studying her as if she were a rare specimen. "Cat whiskers? No, no... this soul... half beast, half love?"
Lia felt intensely uncomfortable under his scrutiny and instinctively hid a little behind Dumbledore.
The following process was even more disheartening.
Ollivander brought out over a dozen different wands for Lia to try.
Holly, Oak, Willow... cores of Phoenix feather, Dragon Heartstring, Unicorn hair... but no matter which wand Lia picked up, they all remained inert, like ordinary sticks of wood.
Finally, stroking his silver spectacles, Mr. Ollivander came to a startling conclusion.
"This child does not need a wand."
He declared, "Her magic is perfectly integrated with her body and her soul. She is a natural Wandless Caster."
This conclusion caused a flash of astonishment to reappear in Dumbledore's eyes.
He looked at the somewhat bewildered cat-eared girl before him.
Merlin's magical creatures, this is truly marvelous.
The shopping continued.
Dumbledore took Lia to purchase all the necessary supplies for a new Hogwarts student.
A large Pewter Cauldron, a set of Brass Scales, a Telescope, and a huge pile of magic books as thick as bricks.
When Lia held that stack of books—"History of Magic," "The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1," and others—taller than herself, she swayed unsteadily.
She walked with great difficulty, her fluffy tail behind her having to swing vigorously from side to side, trying to maintain her balance.
"Ah, it seems we need a little help."
Dumbledore couldn't help but smile warmly, seeing her struggle.
He drew his wand and gave a gentle tap on Lia's brand-new schoolbag.
"Undetectable Extension Charm."
Lia felt the weight in her arms vanish; the heavy pile of books and the cauldron, as if weightless, were easily stuffed into the seemingly small bag.
By the time they finished all their purchases and returned to the Leaky Cauldron, night had already fallen.
The bustle of Diagon Alley gradually faded, and the lights in the pub felt exceptionally warm.
Dumbledore booked a clean, tidy room for Lia on the second floor of the Leaky Cauldron and ordered a hearty dinner for her.
Roast Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, pumpkin juice... the enticing aromas made Lia's stomach, exhausted from the day's travels, rumble audibly.
Her nose twitched. She carefully sat down at the table, full of anticipation for her first "human dinner."
However, when the pub owner, Tom, walked over with a tray, placing the food and a set of cold, gleaming silver cutlery before her, the anticipation on Lia's face instantly froze.
Her face turned deathly pale in an instant, her fingertips extending into sharp claws that tightly gripped the pierced tablecloth.
The nightmare, without warning, had returned.
She felt as if she were back in that dark, damp basement.
A Wizard in black robes, a face wearing a cruel and fanatical smile.
The cold scalpel and sharp blades in his hands, cutting deep, bone-exposing wounds into her body, one after another.
Excruciating pain, inescapable restraint, and the despair of being treated as experimental material... "No..."
Lia's lips lost all color. Her body began to tremble violently, uncontrollably, and her breathing became rapid and labored.
Intense fear gripped her heart like a vise, almost suffocating her.
"Child?"
Dumbledore was the first to notice Lia's distress.
His sharp blue eyes behind his spectacles caught the nearly overflowing fear and pain in Lia's gaze.
Following her line of sight, he looked at the ordinary metal cutlery.
A flicker of pity and deep thought passed quietly through his eyes.
The wise old man simply reached out and gently covered Lia's trembling hand with his own.
Then, he raised his own wand and gave a gentle wave towards the cutlery in front of Lia.
The cold, gleaming metal knife and sharp fork instantly transformed into a cute, round-headed little wooden spoon.
"I believe this will suit you better."
Dumbledore said gently, his voice carrying a soothing power.
"In the future, you can have a set of such special cutlery in the Hogwarts dining hall as well."
Lia stared blankly at the adorable round-headed utensil. The fear and panic in her eyes faded considerably.
She looked up at the white-bearded old man opposite her.
In those all-seeing eyes, there was no probing, no interrogation, only pure gentleness and care.
Lia's nose stung, and her eyes uncontrollably reddened.
Carefully, she reached out, grasped the round-headed little spoon, and clumsily scooped up a spoonful of sweet, soft Mashed Potatoes.
Under Dumbledore's encouraging gaze, for the first time, using "cutlery," she managed to bring the remaining food—half of it spilled—to her mouth.
The warmth of the food and the even warmer kindness together dispelled the chill in her heart.
Hogwarts.
It probably isn't as dangerous as the human world... right?