MTLNOVEL Chapter 7: chapter 7
Chapter 7: Dumbledore
"Ding! It's midnight, 12:00 a.m. New items have appeared in the store!"
Jacob put down the spell book, disguised as Oliver Twist, and summoned the system store.
[Item 1: Energy Potion 50ml (Unlocked) – 5 Merit Points]
[Item 2: Top-Grade Memory Potion (Unlocked) – 100 Merit Points]
[Next Refresh Countdown: 23 hours, 59 minutes, 30 seconds]
[Current Merit Points: 165]
[Dark Lord Achievement: Not Achieved]
At first glance, these two items seemed quite ordinary.
Jacob casually checked the system's descriptions of both products.
[Energy Potion: A special potion produced by the system. Just 50ml can keep a person energetic and free from fatigue for 48 hours. Recommended for occasional use. Overuse may cause drowsiness. If side effects occur, visit St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries during the short wakeful period.]
Isn't this just a stronger version of coffee? Jacob thought as he examined the energy potion. He had consumed plenty of coffee during his past work life, so this felt oddly familiar.
Shifting his focus to the second item, he noticed something intriguing. Unlike the energy potion, the memory potion's description lacked dosage details.
[Top-Grade Memory Potion: A unique system-exclusive product. Upon consumption, it significantly enhances the user's memory permanently.]
The description was brief yet impactful. Jacob's eyes lit up.
A strong memory is a crucial foundation for learning. Whether studying or conducting research, a better memory is always an advantage. And this potion's effect was permanent!
Although he wasn't sure how much his memory would improve, Jacob didn't hesitate. He spent 100 merit points and purchased the potion.
Speaking of merit points…
He still wasn't sure why he earned more points the harder he hit Voldemort, but he wasn't about to complain. If not for Mr. Riddle's unwilling contributions, he wouldn't have been able to afford this potion so soon.
A familiar warmth filled his palm, and a small transparent glass bottle appeared in his hand. Pulling out the cork, Jacob sniffed the potion—it was colorless and odorless, just like plain water.
Without hesitation, he tilted his head back and drank it all.
It tasted just like distilled water. Nothing special.
A moment later, the empty glass bottle vanished into tiny specks of light, as if the system had recycled it.
Jacob carefully observed his body but felt no immediate change. Had he just drunk ordinary water?
Feeling a bit skeptical, he grabbed his spell book, flipped to a new page, and skimmed through it quickly.
Then, he noticed it.
Despite barely reading the page, every word and image was imprinted in his mind like a photograph.
It felt as though he had read and memorized the page countless times.
The effects of the Top-Grade Memory Potion exceeded his expectations. With this photographic memory, Jacob could now remember anything he read!
A satisfied smile spread across his face. The 100 merit points were well spent!
He silently thanked Voldemort again for his generous, though unintentional, contribution.
Afterward, Jacob bought the energy potion, lifted a tile beneath the carpet, and stored it there. In the hidden compartment, the energy potion now sat beside the white fresh fish he had previously purchased.
With only 60 merit points left, Jacob considered his next move.
Although Voldemort was a great source of merit points, relying solely on him was too slow. Tomorrow, he would explore other ways to earn more.
But tonight…
Jacob glanced at the cold, hard iron bed.
Without hesitation, he lifted the carpet, pried open the floor tiles, and retrieved the energy potion.
Why waste time sleeping when you're alive? There's plenty of time to sleep after death.
With photographic memory and "super coffee" at his disposal, how could he not study hard?
---
A Few Days Later...
That afternoon.
Knock, knock, knock…
A knock echoed against the orphanage's tightly closed door.
Ellie, holding a tray of iodine bottles, quickly set it down and rushed to open the door.
Standing outside was a tall, thin man, looking slightly weary.
At first glance, his dark purple velvet suit seemed extravagant and unusual. His reddish-brown hair and beard gave him a distinguished yet eccentric appearance.
Ellie instinctively assumed he was a lawyer or professor.
The man smiled warmly.
"Good afternoon. I have an appointment with Mrs. Cole. She is the headmistress here, correct?"
"Oh… please wait a moment," Ellie replied before turning back and calling loudly, "Mrs. Cole!"
A distant voice responded, and Ellie turned back to the visitor.
"Come in, she'll be here soon."
The tall man stepped inside, walking across the black-and-white tiled corridor, silently observing his surroundings.
The orphanage was clearly in poor condition—worn down and in need of repairs—but it was well-maintained. Everything was spotlessly clean, a testament to the staff's dedication.
Just as the door closed behind him, a tired-looking Mrs. Cole hurried toward them, speaking quickly to another girl in an apron.
"…and take this bottle of iodine to Martha upstairs. Billy Stubbs keeps picking at his scabs, and Eric Willey's sheets are soaked in sweat. But first, we must deal with the chickenpox situation—"
She paused mid-sentence, finally noticing the strange visitor in front of her.
To be honest, she was slightly taken aback by his peculiar clothing.
"Good afternoon," the man greeted her with a polite smile, extending his hand. "My name is Albus Dumbledore. I sent you a letter requesting an appointment, and you kindly invited me to visit today."
For a moment, Mrs. Cole looked bewildered. Then, after gathering her thoughts, she nodded.
"Oh… yes, I do recall that letter. Well, alright then—let's talk in my office."
Dumbledore smiled and followed her politely.
From the stairway corner, Jacob watched the scene with a smirk.
Dumbledore had finally arrived.
Even though he was still younger than the version Jacob remembered, his distinct appearance and presence made him instantly recognizable.
After all, in this time and place, there was no other tall, thin man with a crooked nose and piercing blue eyes visiting Mrs. Cole.
Beside Jacob, Voldemort—still just a young orphan named Tom Riddle—was reluctantly wiping the stair railing with a rag.
Dumbledore's odd appearance immediately caught his attention.
"Who's that guy?" Voldemort muttered in annoyance. "His clothing is hideous… and what happened to his nose?"