Kamatagi was a peculiar village.
Yet no matter how peculiar, it was still just a village.
Most of its inhabitants had some connection to magic, though a few were ordinary villagers. Even if everyone knew that magic existed, not all of them had the talent to wield it.
After a moment of hesitation, Nolan stepped out of his mech.
Even so, he had no intention of retracting it. The massive suit towered over Kamatagi, exuding an intimidating presence.
Nolan himself stood beside the Ancient One.
He was cautious not because he doubted his own strength, but because he wasn't sure what the Ancient One might do. Based on everything he knew about her, the bald woman was not someone to be underestimated. If she were harmless, she wouldn't have interfered with Ultron all those years ago.
Still, he also knew she was unlikely to attack him directly. And if she did, his Apostate mech was close by enough to respond in an instant. The gap in power was not insurmountable.
"Mr. Locke, may I ask why you've come here?" the Ancient One inquired calmly.
Nolan's gaze met hers.
"I have many reasons," he said.
Her expression remained composed, as if unaffected by the intensity of his stare. After a few moments, Nolan exhaled. Compared to someone who had lived for centuries, he still had much to learn.
"Ancient One, are you familiar with the Death Eaters?"
A faint smile crossed her face.
"They are a faction within the wizarding world. Kamatagi has had little contact with them. All I know is that their main base is in Britain."
Nolan ignored her modest deflection and pressed on.
"It seems you know quite a bit. Recently, the Death Eaters have appeared in the United States. More troubling, they may be extending their influence eastward. Since this is Kamatagi's territory, do you have any insight into their motives?"
The Ancient One smiled subtly, answering without giving anything away.
"They have every right to travel east, do they not?"
"Perhaps," Nolan replied dryly. He didn't believe it for a second but chose not to confront her. She enjoyed sparring with words, after all.
"Perhaps Kamatagi is indifferent, but I am not. As far as I know, the Death Eaters are a faction with malicious magical intentions. Still, I can't imagine what they hope to achieve here; there doesn't seem to be anything of value to them."
"No," the Ancient One said, shaking her head.
"In the East, the practice of magic has ancient roots. It can be traced back to the Qin Dynasty, when the Dragon Emperor built the Great Wall, defending against foreign invaders and seeking immortality. He failed. Perhaps this is the very purpose the Death Eaters seek."
"The Dragon Emperor?" Nolan murmured, a thought he had never considered. The Ancient One didn't speak lightly; perhaps this was the answer she offered.
The mere mention of the Dragon Emperor stirred a single thought in Nolan's mind: the Dragon Emperor had sought immortality and failed, but after a thousand years, he could rise again, reviving his terracotta army with magic to wage war once more.
The Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.
He inhaled deeply. If the Dragon Emperor truly existed, such a scenario was not impossible. The Death Eaters were bold but why the United States?
The Ancient One glanced at him and said, "That is all I know of the Death Eaters' plans. If you wish to learn more, there is one place you could go."
"Where?"
"London."
She explained, "Kamatagi has some connection with Hogwarts, a renowned school in Britain's magical world. Its headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, is famous throughout the magical community. You may find your answers with him."
Nolan hesitated, then nodded. He had long wanted to witness the magical world firsthand and meet the so-called savior, Harry Potter. Though in this world, if Voldemort ever ruled, even Harry might not succeed. Still, he had achieved part of his goal.
"Ancient One, when I entered, I saw a man named Stephen Strange. Is he your chosen successor as the Sorcerer Supreme?"
Her pupils contracted sharply at his words before returning to normal.
Nolan must have learned the name from another universe perhaps the multiverse revealed it. In this universe, she, with the Eye of Agamotto, could see almost everything. Only other universes remained beyond her understanding.
Suppressing her surprise, she smiled. "Yes. He is exceptionally talented. One day, he may succeed me as the next Sorcerer Supreme."
Nolan observed her expression the entire time. He noticed the brief contraction of her pupils. Confirmed. Some of his suspicions were correct.
His main purpose in visiting the Ancient One was not only to understand Strange's situation and the Death Eaters but also to gauge her own state.
The Ancient One intended to leave.
He now knew this for certain.
"Ancient One, please tell me the location of Hogwarts."
Satisfied with the answers he had obtained, Nolan left Kamatagi without hesitation. On the surface, his visit seemed uneventful, but in truth, he had gathered all the information he sought. The Ancient One was planning to depart, and Dormammu would soon appear.
He had to decide: let Doctor Strange handle Dormammu alone, or intervene himself. Dormammu was a top-tier entity across multiple dimensions. Could Strange, newly chosen Sorcerer Supreme, handle him? Nolan doubted it.
A streak of light tore through the sky, heading straight for London.
When Nolan landed, the gleaming mech drew the astonished attention of nearby onlookers.
"My god, is that Mr. Locke?"
"That must be the legendary Thunder God suit!"
"What luck! Today is unbelievable!"
People whispered in awe. Nolan remained composed and made his way to the train platform.
Curiously, the crowd's curiosity vanished as soon as he arrived, as if they didn't notice him. Magic that was the only explanation.
Following the Ancient One's directions, Nolan entered Platform 9¾. The station was empty natural, given the small number of magical travelers.
A few teenagers appeared.
"Wow, that armor looks familiar!"
"Ron, look! I think it's the same style as Mr. Locke's suit!"
"Harry, I bet this is some wizard's idea of a joke someone's always pulling pranks."
A calm girl beside them, Hermione, observed and said, "That suit shows no magical signature. Whatever its origin, it's not enchanted."
"Are you sure, Hermione?" Harry asked, examining cautiously.
"No magic detected."
"See? There are always boring people in this world who do things like this."
Hermione shook her head, engrossed in her book. Unlike her friends, her focus was on learning magic, not surprises.
Harry and Ron murmured, then Harry approached Nolan nervously.
"Sir, can your suit fly?"
"Of course," Nolan replied. He recognized the trio immediately. Their ages suggested they were not freshmen, perhaps nearing graduation. That explained part of the Death Eaters' interest: after all, their Horcruxes had been disrupted multiple times.
"It really can fly!" Harry exclaimed in excitement.
"And… do you know Mr. Locke? Your suit resembles his Thunder God armor," Harry added.
"I am he," Nolan said, removing his helmet.
The familiar face stunned not only Harry and Ron but Hermione as well.
"My god! You're really Mr. Locke! I thought you were a Muggle sorry, I didn't mean that," Harry stammered. The term "Muggle" was universally understood as derisive but applied here respectfully.
Nolan paid no mind.
After a brief conversation, Ron asked, "Mr. Locke, where are you headed? We thought you weren't part of the magical world."
"I'm not," Nolan said with a smile. "But that doesn't prevent me from knowing some wizards. My destination, like yours, is Hogwarts."
"God!" the two boys exclaimed. The idea that Mr. Locke would travel to Hogwarts alongside them was unbelievable.
The train arrived. Nolan found a quiet spot, never removing his armor. In the magical world, it was his only sense of security.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione huddled together.
"We should write a letter to the school," Harry said.
"Exactly. It would be shocking if we arrived suddenly with Mr. Locke," Ron added.
Hermione nodded, opening her mouth.
"Yes. Though Mr. Locke is a Muggle, his strength commands respect. We don't know his intentions, but if he has ill will, the professors must be ready. Otherwise, we'll have no chance."
Her words brought the boys back to reality. They still didn't know Nolan's purpose.
Harry took a deep breath. "I don't think he intends harm. But Hermione is right we should ensure the school is prepared."
Hedwig, Harry's owl, flew ahead to Hogwarts.
Eventually, she landed at the school and delivered the letter to Professor Minerva McGonagall, head of Gryffindor and Transfiguration. Recognizing Harry's owl, she opened the letter.
Moments later, McGonagall strode to Dumbledore's office without hesitation.
"Albus! We have trouble!" she exclaimed, handing over the letter.
Dumbledore looked over it calmly.
"I already knew," he said with a knowing smile.
McGonagall blinked in surprise.
"It came from Kamatagi?"
"Yes," Dumbledore confirmed.
McGonagall's expression turned grave. She knew the name Nolan Locke represented: legend, invincible, and now stepping into the magical world, his sights set on Hogwarts.
He was coming.