A skinny teenager stood shivering in front of the old wishing well.
His patched shirt was too big, its sleeves drooped over his wrists, and his trousers were two sizes too large.
If anyone looked closely, they would recognise him as Severus Snape—future feared Potions Master of Hogwarts.
But tonight he looked nothing like a dark wizard.
He looked like a stray kitten abandoned in the rain.
Water poured down from the night sky, soaking him from head to toe.
His dark hair stuck to his pale face, his eyes were red and swollen, and his nose was running so badly that even the raindrops seemed to avoid it.
"Why? Why did you do this to me?" he shouted at the well, his voice cracking with every word.
"I didn't steal your lover! Why curse me like this?"
He pressed a trembling hand to his chest.
"When I died, I only wished for a second life where I could be the hero of a romantic-comedy drama.
I'm thankful you gave me another life… but why make me this tragic side character instead of the main hero?"
His sobs grew louder.
"And why Severus Snape? Why this ugly face? In my past life I was handsome!
My parents spent so much money on my hair, my teeth, my skin—they wanted to make me a movie star.
Now look at me… a poor orphan in a patched shirt."
Thunder rumbled above as if the heavens were laughing at him.
"And don't think I didn't notice the world you threw me into," he went on, shaking his fist at the sky.
"Yes, I liked the Harry Potter books, but that doesn't mean I wanted to live in them!
A dark lord rising, a crazy army of Death Eaters—only a psycho would call this a dream world!"
His shoulders slumped.
With a shaking hand he pulled a single gold galleon from his pocket—his only treasure—and held it above the well.
"I heard you grant all wishes," he whispered, voice breaking.
"I only ask for two… send me into a romantic-comedy drama… and make me the main protagonist."
He dropped the coin into the well, bowed his head, and closed his eyes to pray.
The rain drummed steadily on his back.
Suddenly the rain stopped.
The silence that followed was so sharp it made him flinch.
Before he could lift his head, a deep boom-boom-boom of drums rolled out of nowhere, followed by a squeaky toot-toot-toot of a trumpet.
His eyes snapped open.
What he saw nearly made them pop out of their sockets.
Three cats stood in front of the well.
One was a chubby orange tabby with a tiny red drum strapped to its belly.
Beside it, a fluffy white cat beat another drum with surprising dignity.
Between them stood a tiny grey kitten puffing into a golden trumpet with all its might.
All three were dressed in shiny red-and-gold marching-band uniforms,each wearing a tiny round hat.
Their tails swayed in time with the music.
Behind them, a thick grey mist swirled like curtains opening on a stage.
From that mist stepped a little barn owl wearing a black bow-tie, a crisp white shirt under a short black jacket, and a single shining monocle over one eye.
The owl cleared its throat and announced in a deep, grand voice:
"Bow your heads for the Queen of Queens! The Great Legend who watches all dramas in existence!
The one who can turn a roadside stone into a star in the heavens—Lady Love is coming!"
The owl lowered its head in a perfect bow.
The three cats instantly followed, drums and trumpet falling silent.
Raj—still wet and confused—just stared at them with his mouth hanging open.
Am I hallucinating? I knew that galleon was too cheap for a real wish…
The owl's monocled eye narrowed.
"What? Should I send you a special invitation to bow, young man? Stop standing there like a fool and bow!"
"Ah—yes, yes!" Raj squeaked, bowing his head in a quick, awkward jerk.
Still bowing, he sneaked a glance toward the mist.
From the mist stepped a sleek pink cat,her fur glowing like rose-tinted moonlight.
She wore a black cap embroidered with the word 'DIRECTOR' and a pair of glossy black sunglasses.
She tilted her glasses down just enough to wink at him.
Her voice was smooth and amused.
"You wished… and I have come.
Raju—my main protagonist."