The So Called Celebrity

As Cael heard that name, his entire body tensed in shock. The nonexistent hairs on his arms seemed to stand, and his heart began pounding in his chest—a clear sign of adrenaline spiking through his veins. His mind raced.

"How… how is that possible? Wasn't he supposed to be dead?"

Cael's thoughts spiraled, desperately trying to find a reasonable explanation for this—this second non-canon event.

It dawned on him then, painfully, that since arriving at Hogwarts, he hadn't actually confirmed if everything was unfolding the way he knew it should. He'd simply assumed that everything aligned with the canon timeline, apart from Cassandra's appearance. But now… everything had changed. Questions flooded his mind like a tidal wave, questions only answered by uncovering the truth for himself. He had to dig for information—quickly.

While Cael grappled with his inner panic, the other students around him reacted very differently. The entire hall broke into applause, welcoming the new professor like a celebrity.

One of the Hufflepuff students leaned toward his friend, eyes wide with excitement.

"Wow, I didn't think we'd actually be taught by the father of the Boy Who Lived, right?"

His friend nodded enthusiastically, practically bouncing in his seat.

"Yep! I'm so excited! They say he fought You-Know-Who for three days straight to protect his family… but alas."

Similar conversations echoed across the Great Hall, a steady hum of chatter filling the air as James Potter took his seat at the staff table. The clapping and whispers ceased almost immediately. All eyes turned to Dumbledore, who stood to address them.

"Thank you, everyone, for that warm welcome to our new professor," Dumbledore said with a kind smile, his eyes twinkling behind his spectacles. "But let's not prolong these boring introductions. I see many of you are starving and eager for the delicious feast awaiting us."

With his signature clap, the long tables filled with steaming dishes, and the students dove into their meals with gusto.

Meanwhile, Cael's mind was still spinning as he engaged with the system.

"Hey, System… why are you so quiet? Say something. What's happening? Did I reincarnate into someone's AU Fanfic or something?"

The system's voice finally echoed in his head, sluggish and indifferent.

"I don't know about this. I only have access to what you know. Beyond that, I'm not capable of guessing. But I suggest you start investigating before you do something stupid. Your greatest advantage is your knowledge of future events… but that only works if the future you know still exists."

Cael sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Brilliant. So, basically, I have a lot to do."

Beside him, Katie Bell practically vibrated with excitement, her eyes sparkling like stars.

"Wow, I finally got to see the famous Potters! Well… not the Boy Who Lived, but still! He's a hero!"

Cael arched a brow.

"Care to explain why he's so famous?"

Katie blinked, her expression one of disbelief, as if he'd just admitted he'd never heard of magic itself.

"You don't know about the Potters? They're literal celebrities in the British magical world! They're the ones who defeated You-Know-Who!" She rolled her eyes but smiled, still too excited to stay annoyed. "If you want the details, read Wizarding Tales, the new edition. It's all written there—everything about the Potters."

Cael mentally noted the book's name, determined to find it as soon as possible. His gaze drifted toward the teachers' table again, eyes scanning carefully—and that's when he realized it.

Snape wasn't there.

In fact, he hadn't seen Snape at all since arriving, not even during the welcome ceremony. Cael smirked to himself, a grim thought surfacing.

"The two mortal enemies… facing each other again in Hogwarts. There's definitely going to be a lot of drama."

The bully and the not-so-innocent victim.

The feast carried on, desserts appearing as the students filled themselves with sweets and chatter. And once it was over, they all filed out of the Great Hall, heading toward their respective dormitories.

Cael, however, knew sleep wouldn't come easily tonight.