From Kamar-Taj to Hogwarts

In the remote Himalayas, within an isolated palace, many people dressed in traditional training robes gathered around a bedside, their eyes filled with sorrow.

“Master, I don’t think I can hold on much longer,” said a young man of about twenty, his face pale as he looked at the white-bearded old man before him. He managed a helpless smile, yet within it was a trace of relief.

Xiwen had been adopted by a sorcerer since childhood and raised in Kamar-Taj. His natural talent earned him the reputation of a prodigious mage. Yet, he had been plagued by a strange illness since he was young—a frequent state of mental distraction that only worsened with age.

Doctors could find no physical cause. Scholars in Kamar-Taj scoured the vast library for answers, but none could identify the nature of his affliction. In the end, Xiwen’s master—the Sorcerer Supreme, Yao—gave a judgment that was unscientific yet magical: Xiwen’s soul was incompatible with this universe.

“Xiwen, be at peace,” Master Yao said gently after a moment’s thought. “You know of the existence of the multiverse.”

With great effort, Xiwen raised his eyelids. “I do. Does this have anything to do with my illness?”

Yao nodded. “Yes. Your soul simply does not fit this universe. But the multiverse is vast—surely, somewhere there is a universe where you belong. I believe I can help you.”

“Is that true?” The crowd around the bed began to murmur, some faces brightening with hope.

Xiwen’s eyes lit up as he looked to his master.

Yao continued, “But first, you must know: many un