---
Fortunately, Darren rembered Harry quickly.
He urged Uncle Vernon to turn the car around, and only when he finally saw Harry again did he breathe a huge sigh of relief.
Thank rlin.
If he had forgotten Harry for real, the consequences would've been tragic.
They eventually returned to Privet Drive.
After so tidying up, Darren and Harry shared a room. Thanks to Darren's gifts and his heartfelt words earlier, Vernon and Petunia were noticeably kinder now.
They even began trying to accept Harry.
On Darren and Harry's shared birthday, Uncle Vernon personally bought them a cake.
Aunt Petunia bought each of them a set of clothes.
Harry found himself strangely comfortable in this house—sothing he never thought possible.
The only confusing, disappointing part was that no one had written to them all holiday.
No letters, no gifts, no owl deliveries.
Even on their birthdays.
Harry overheard Dudley saying Darren had been staring out the window for a long ti that morning. Harry assud Darren must be sad.
Their friends must have forgotten them.
Only the two of them exchanged gifts.
Harry felt a pang of pity for Darren and lay bored on his bed.
-------
He had hoped to sneak a look at Dobby today, just to confirm if the house-elf was truly as unreliable as in the original tiline… or what if he turned out to be an excellent elf like Paggie?
But he hadn't encountered him at all.
Still, Darren wasn't discouraged. He would see Dobby eventually.
But sleep… sleep was impossible.
Hedwig kept biting at the cage wires, making noise, and Darren suddenly missed the quiet of his Hogwarts dormitory.
He sighed.
Then he rembered—he still had a bloodline lottery he hadn't used.
Perfect timing.
He wondered who his "lucky father" would be this ti. Hopefully the system wouldn't pick soone ridiculous.
[System, start the bloodline lottery.]
[Ding. Drawing…]
[Congratulations. You have obtained the Remus Lupin Bloodline.]
Remus Lupin Bloodline:
Grants controlled werewolf transformation.
Provides a gentle aura that increases affinity with all positive-aligned magical creatures by 20%.
"…Ah?"
Darren stared blankly.
A chill went down his spine.
Was the system trying to start trouble?
Would his "Jas dad" rise from the grave to give him a beating?
Wizards don't cremate, after all…
No, no, no.
This had nothing to do with Lily.
This was just the system being chaotic.
Pure bonus.
No hidden implications.
Besides, Lily and Lupin never had any mont to begin with.
Still…
Darren suddenly felt extrely awake.
It would be very awkward facing Lupin later.
Lupin was so gentle, so loyal, so kind.
There was absolutely no universe in which he and Lily were ever together… right?
Maybe he should've waited a few days. If he'd tested his luck later, maybe he'd have pulled soone less… problematic.
He rubbed his hair in distress.
Thank goodness Lupin couldn't just look at soone and instantly see their bloodline the way Voldemort could.
That would have been a disaster.
He tried to stop thinking about it and calm his mind.
But sleep was gone.
[System, use scene card.]
[Ding. Scene card activated.]
The environnt shifted.
He was suddenly standing on a bridge.
Next to him was an elderly man in nightclothes.
An instant mission.
[Ding. Task Phase 1: Ask the old man why he is unhappy.]
A conversation mission? Easy enough.
"Hello," Darren said gently. "You look troubled. Sothing on your mind? You can tell —sotis it helps to talk to a stranger."
[Ding. Task Phase 2: Listen to the old man's worries and comfort him.
Remind him that life and death are part of the world's natural cycle.]
The old man finally spoke.
"Many of my friends are aging… disappearing.
Leaving behind.
So refuse immortality, so chase it desperately…
Am I wrong to want them to stay? To remain by my side?"
His eyes were filled with sorrow.
Darren followed his gaze, but the landscape beyond the bridge was blank—clearly the scene card wasn't ant to show anything else.
"I don't know if you're wrong," Darren said seriously.
The old man's eyes flickered with surprise.
"You should live the way you choose.
If you want immortality, pursue it.
If you don't want it, you can let it go.
Birth, age, sickness, and death… they're part of the world.
You don't have to be too sad."
[Ding. Task Phase 3: When the old man stops speaking, push him off the bridge.]
"…Huh?"
Wasn't this elder abuse?
But it was just a simulation, so Darren followed through.
The old man froze mid-sentence, terror flashing in his eyes—
—and Darren pushed him off the bridge.
"…He's definitely going to hate ," Darren muttered.
[Ding. Task Phase 4: Turn around and shout:
'What are you coming at for? Bullying an old man—aren't you ashad?!']
A rescue mission, then.
"Whoever you are!" Darren shouted, turning to the empty air. "Co at , not the old man! Bullying the elderly is pathetic!"
[Ding. Task Phase 5: Act as if being forced back.
Jump off the bridge while shouting:
'You won't find him!']
…Fine.
Darren backed up dramatically, then leapt off the bridge.
"You won't find him!"
[Ding. Task Phase 6: Find the old man and tell him:
'You're safe. Go ho.']
He landed easily—the "drop" was just a big step.
The old man was kneeling pitifully nearby.
Darren hurried over.
"You're safe. Go ho!"
[Ding. Task Phase 7: When the old man asks his question, answer:
'You remind of my grandfather. You seem very kind.']
Darren blinked.
…Was the system trying to make him adopt a grandfather now?
He sighed internally.
Recognizing another parent was bad enough—
but now a grandfather too?
Seriously?!
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