The Hogwarts castle, located in the Scottish Highlands, sat near the wizarding village of Hogsmeade.
While delivering the letter, Kathoom never had trouble finding his destination.
Now that Bruce was settled into the Harry Potter world, Kathoom could finally begin his real plan.
He hadn't brought Bruce here just for sightseeing; he wanted Bruce to grow stronger, which would, in turn, strengthen himself.
Although the Harry Potter world was low in magic intensity, it still offered some intriguing magical innovations—valuable material for study.
With time to spare before Hogwarts sent a response, Kathoom figured he'd explore the world a bit to see what treasures he could gather.
First on his list was Gellert Grindelwald, the first Dark Lord.
The man had revolutionary ideas, and if Bruce could learn from him, it might lead to a truly unique Batman.
But after a moment's thought, Kathoom realized that plan wasn't feasible just yet.
He knew Grindelwald was imprisoned in Nurmengard, a fortress in Austria, but its exact location remained unknown, and he couldn't communicate with Grindelwald directly.
For now, Hogwarts would have to do.
By the time Kathoom reached the Scottish Highlands, night had fallen.
Flying below the clouds, he squinted into the darkness, searching for his target.
Soon, across the lake and atop a high cliff, he spotted the shadowed turrets and towers of Hogwarts.
Scattered around him were other owls returning from their flights, conveniently leading the way for him.
Following them, Kathoom reached the west tower of Hogwarts.
The Owlery was at the tower's topmost level.
A narrow spiral staircase wound its way up from the base of the tower on the eighth floor to the top ramparts.
Flapping his wings, Kathoom entered the Owlery. The resident wizard in charge of the post naturally took Bruce's letter from him and left.
Now alone, Kathoom perched on a wooden beam, looking around, and soon spotted a familiar face.
A small owl wrapped in bandages was huddled in the corner, its head buried in its chest, desperately trying to blend in.
But it couldn't escape Kathoom's notice.
Kathoom cheerfully flew over and gave the little owl a playful smack on the head.
"Coo-coo!"
Fancy meeting you here again!
"Coo…"
The little owl raised its head in resigned acceptance, realizing it couldn't avoid Kathoom.
It tried to look unfazed. This was its territory—what could an outsider do?
But seeing how all the other owls instinctively kept their distance from Kathoom, it lost its confidence.
There was something… unsettling about this owl.
Kathoom had no trouble communicating with his feathered peer.
In a friendly tone, he asked, "So, little owl, what's your name?"
The small owl drooped its head. "Pip."
"Good, Pip. You're one of Hogwarts' owls, right?"
Kathoom nodded approvingly. "From now on, you're my sidekick. Now, I have a request—show me around this castle."
Pip wanted to refuse but didn't dare. What choice did he have?
He could only comply, guiding Kathoom into the depths of Hogwarts.
With the dormitories dark, the whole castle was cloaked in shadows. The two owls flew silently along the ceiling, attracting no attention.
Kathoom had seen countless images of Hogwarts from the movies, but experiencing it in person was an entirely different feeling.
The castle was enormous; it would take time to explore fully.
But Kathoom had a specific destination in mind.
When it came to the castle's most mysterious places, the Room of Requirement topped the list.
For centuries, wizards had entered this room, leaving behind various items.
Most of it would be junk, of course, but there was always the chance of finding something valuable.
Since both he and Bruce were just starting out, anything that could enhance their abilities would be invaluable.
Surely the Room of Requirement would fulfill this small request.
According to Kathoom's memory, the Room of Requirement was on the eighth floor of Hogwarts, across from a tapestry.
To access it, he needed to walk past the wall three times while concentrating on what he needed.
Kathoom had Pip lead him to the spot.
He flew by the wall three times, focusing on his wish.
"Dear Room, I'm here with a student—he's about to enroll at Hogwarts—and we're in need of something that can keep us safe.
"If you're listening, please answer my wish!"
When he finished, Kathoom returned to the wall.
Sure enough, a door appeared on the wall, seemingly out of nowhere.
"Coo!"
Pip's eyes widened, not in surprise at the Room's appearance but at how this strange owl seemed to know Hogwarts' secrets better than he did.
"Stop gawking and help me push this door open!"
Kathoom ordered bluntly, and together they nudged the door open with their heads.
Inside, the room was packed floor to ceiling with clutter.
Kathoom sighed. Finding the Room of Requirement was only the first step; the real challenge lay ahead.
Centuries of abandoned junk filled the space—finding anything valuable would be a massive task.
"I wonder if the Room of Requirement can truly understand my wish?"
Kathoom had wished specifically for something to enhance their self-defense abilities.
It wasn't an unreasonable request. Hopefully, the Room would comprehend.
Pip, on the other hand, was darting around in excitement, filled with curiosity at his first visit to the Room of Requirement.
Kathoom, however, searched with purpose, scanning the towering piles of clutter, hoping to spot something extraordinary.
Perhaps a cloak crafted from rare materials.
But reality quickly dashed his hopes—everything in sight was trash.
Broken wands, tattered textbooks, and ordinary-looking crowns littered the room.
Wait… a crown?
Kathoom doubled back, pulling the crown from the heap.
After examining it closely, he realized it matched the description from the original story.
Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem, one of Voldemort's Horcruxes.
It was astonishing to find such a powerful artifact buried in junk, without any special care.
Disappointed, Kathoom considered tossing the diadem back into the pile. He hadn't come to this world to play the hero.
Voldemort's Horcruxes would inevitably be dealt with by someone else—he didn't need to get involved.
However, just as he was about to discard the diadem, a strange sensation stirred, resonating deep within his soul.
Kathoom had a sudden, inexplicable feeling.
It was as if the diadem… was trying to speak to him.
---
T/N: Grindelwalds name is...Gellert?