The person is at Hogwarts, but the system is in Middle-earth!

In July 1991, the London morning was shrouded in a layer of gray fog.

The iron gates of Wool Orphanage creaked in the wind.

For Rowe, who had just turned eleven, this was his "Shire"—lacking the green hills and clear waters and round doors of Hobbiton, but with unpalatable mashed potatoes, terrible security, and a roof that barely provided shelter from the wind and rain.

At this moment, Luo Wei was standing at the door of the storeroom in the backyard of the orphanage, clutching a broom with bald bristles tightly in his hand.

His posture was strange.

With his feet spread apart, his center of gravity lowered, and his hands gripping the broom handle like a two-handed greatsword, his deep brown eyes were fixed on a small black dot in the sky.

[Warning: An approaching aerial unit has been detected.]

[Race Classification: Giant Eagle Messenger]

Threat Level: Low (Friendly)

A line of pale blue, semi-transparent text floated on Luo Wei's retina.

"A giant eagle?" Lowe's lips twitched, and his grip on the broom tightened. "This is London Zone 2, not the Misty Mountains! Where did this giant eagle come from?"

To others, it was just an ordinary barn owl, trying to find a foothold in the morning mist.

But through the "system filter" in Rowe's eyes, it was a behemoth with a wingspan of over five meters! Every feather shimmered with a mithril-like cold light, its golden pupils burned with divine flames from the Valar, and its enormous claws seemed capable of easily crushing rocks—or even his skull.

"Bang!"

The "epic creature" crashed headfirst into the already crumbling second-floor window with a loud bang, then slid down the wall and landed in the muddy puddle in front of Rowe.

Luo Wei: "..."

Is this the mythical beast under Manwei's command? Its entrance is quite down-to-earth.

He carefully poked the feather with the broom handle (displayed in the system as [Broken Spear (Attack Power: 0-1)]).

The owl hooted indignantly, shook off the mud, and stretched out one leg. There, a heavy letter was tied.

[Item: Gandalf's Recruiting Order]

[Attribute: Quest Item/Fate Contract]

[Description: The shadows of Middle-earth are rising again, and the White Wizard summons warriors to join the Fellowship of the Ring. To refuse this letter is to betray the covenant.]

Lowe took a deep breath. He knew this day would come sooner or later.

As a transmigrator, but an unlucky guy who was kidnapped by the "Middle-earth Survival System", the world in his eyes had long been unrecognizable.

He unwrapped the letter with trembling hands.

The envelope wasn't ordinary parchment; to him, it was a shimmering Mellon leaf, with elegant Tenggerwa script written in green ink:

To:

At the foot of the Misty Mountains (London)

Orc Prison (Wool Orphanage)

Mr. Loewy Baggins

"Baggins my foot!" Rowe cursed inwardly. "My name is Rowe! It's just a name the orphanage director made up on the spot! My surname isn't Baggins! And I don't have hairy legs!"

He opened the envelope.

Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: Albus Dumbledore

(President of the International Wizarding Federation, First-Class Archmage of the Merlin Order...)

However, the automatically translated text was directly overlaid on the original document:

Rivendell and the leader of the White Council: Mislandar (Gandalf)

(The Maiar, servants of the Secret Fire, guardians of the free people of Middle-earth...)

Dear Mr. Baggins:

Given that Sauron's shadow has risen in the East, we need a hobbit who is agile, skilled in stealth, and unlikely to attract the attention of the Evil Eye to join the expedition.

The semester is scheduled to begin on September 1st. We will teach you the essential skills to fight orcs, ringwraiths, and the Dark Lord.

Enclosed is a list of required equipment (see attachment: longsword, chainmail, Lambas rations...).

Your loyalty,

Minerva McGonagall

(Layla of Lothlorion)

"What the hell?! You're telling me I'm in the Harry Potter world, but the system is in Middle-earth?!"

Luo Wei's face was completely taken aback as he closed the letter.

Although he still doesn't know who his parents are, receiving the letter means he must have some kind of magic, and he should be excited about it.

but...

"System, can I switch modes? For example, the [Hogwarts Legends] mode? Or the [Harry Potter and the Awakening of Magic] mode would also work?" he asked tentatively in his mind.

[System notification: The current version is "Middle-earth Era 1.0". Switching is not possible.]

[Host detected attempting to deny worldview.]

[Warning: If the host refuses to fulfill the duties of the "Fellowship of the Ring," the system will determine the host as a "Corrupted One corrupted by the Ring" and automatically initiate the "Purification Process."]

[Purification Procedure Preview: Strips all magical perception, forcibly transforming the user into a "Grunt".]

Luo Wei's lips twitched.

This is the most frustrating part.

This system is more than just a monitor; it's tied to his development path. If he doesn't follow its script, even if he's just acting, it will truly ruin him.

"Fine, you're the boss." Luo Wei sighed, resigned to his fate.

Since we can't change the rules, we'll make use of them.

Although the system identifies this place as Middle-earth, the rewards are substantial. [Basic Swordsmanship], [Stealth], [Enhanced Constitution]... In this dangerous world where Voldemort is about to rise again and Death Eaters are everywhere, having an extra survival skill is always a good thing.

If the system insists on making him a ranger, then he'll be a ranger. As long as he can survive, he'll be a ranger, or even cosplay as Gandalf... well, never mind, a beard is too much trouble to manage.

But I need to show some backbone. Let's see if I can squeeze out some rewards.

He turned and walked towards the incinerator in the corner of the storeroom, muttering to himself, "No way! I just want to be a rich man here, playing the stock market and buying properties. Going to Hogwarts? That's suicide! First year you have to fight Voldemort, second year you have to fight the Basilisk, third year you have a hundred Dementors sucking your life force... What's the difference between that and going to Mordor to die?"

He pulled out a lighter, looked at the affix "Goblin Igniter" displayed on the system, and clicked his tongue! He made a move to light the horn.

Just as the flame licked the edge of the letter, the originally pale blue system interface instantly turned blood red, accompanied by a piercing alarm:

[WARNING! Violation of sacred oath detected!]

[WARNING! Refusing conscription will trigger the "Grunt Curse"!]

A holographic image popped up: it was a pale-skinned, sparsely haired creature with only six teeth, hunched over and gnawing on raw fish in a dark cave.

[Curse Details:]

[1. Charm value is forcibly reset to zero.]

2. Permanent hair loss, leading to baldness.

[3. Acquires the "schizophrenia" trait, forced to converse with "another version of yourself" every night.]

[4. Forced homelessness, a lifetime of searching for your "treasure".]

"You're ruthless, system!" he muttered to himself.

Luo Wei's hand froze in mid-air as he turned off the lighter. He abruptly turned around, rushed into the tiny five-square-meter room, and lunged at the mirror.

The mirror reflected a boy with black hair and black eyes. Although his face was somewhat pale and he wore ill-fitting old clothes, his features were regular, even quite handsome. His thick black hair, in particular, was his most valuable asset.

"Hair." Luo Wei touched his hairline, his hand trembling.

For a British man, his hairline is the bottom line of dignity.

"System, you win."

Rowe pressed the letter to his chest, gritting his teeth as he said, "For my hairline, I'm going to bomb Mordor."

...

Half an hour later.

There was a knock on the oak door of the orphanage.

"Love! Someone's looking for you!" the director's roar came from downstairs. "Dress properly! Don't embarrass the orphanage!"

Lowe took a deep breath and straightened his gray sweater. Then, he hid the broom under the bed, replaced it with a stainless steel knife he had taken from the kitchen, tucked it into his belt, and concealed it with the hem of his sweater.

[Equipment: Fine Iron Dagger (Common)]

[Status: Equipped]

After taking a deep breath, he quickly walked down the stairs.

The orphanage's reception room was dark and damp, filled with a musty smell. The moment Rowe stepped into the room, he involuntarily held his breath.

Standing in front of the fireplace was a tall figure.

In the dean's eyes, she was a serious-looking, old-fashioned lady wearing square glasses and a bright green robe.

But in Lo Wei's eyes...

High-tier unit detected.

Real name: Galadriel

[Race: Noldor Elf/Maia]

[Level: ? ? ? (Skull symbol)]

[Faction: Holy White Council]

The entire room seemed to be illuminated by starlight.

The woman was enveloped in a silvery-white halo. Her robe was not emerald green, but a flowing silver-gray silk, embroidered with golden Mellon leaves. Instead of a pointed hat, she wore an elven crown that shimmered with starlight.

The ancient, majestic, and sacred aura made Luo Wei's knees go weak.

This is a true big shot. The kind of big shot who could crush Sauron with a single finger (if Sauron didn't have the One Ring).

Professor McGonagall turned around and scrutinized the thin boy in front of her through her square glasses.

"Mr. Rowe?" Her voice was stern and clear. "I am Minerva McGonagall, the Vice-Headmistress of Hogwarts. I believe you have received our letter..."

Before he could finish speaking, a sudden change occurred.

In Luo Wei's perception, as the "Lady of Light" gazed upon him, an immense and suffocating pressure instantly filled the entire room. It was not merely a gaze; it was a starlight judgment from the Valar realm, a natural bloodline suppression of a lower being by a higher being.

"I can't move... I can't move..." Luo Wei felt his knees were pounding.

Reason told him: This was Professor McGonagall, a kind (though stern) old wizard.

But his senses (already tampered with by the system) screamed: Kneel! Mortal! This is Queen Galadriel! This is a being capable of crushing Sauron with one hand!

"Thump!"

Under the horrified gaze of the orphanage director, Luo Wei's legs went weak, and he uncontrollably knelt on one knee. To conceal this physical weakness, he had to instinctively place his right hand on his chest, turning it into a standard gesture of respect.

That was a perfectly standard etiquette, something that only existed in old chivalric romances.

"Ennyn Durin Aran Moria (The Gate of Durin opens here)..." Lowe's mind went blank. He subconsciously uttered a phrase in Dwarven, then quickly realized what he'd said, forcing himself to straighten his tongue and switch to common human language, his voice trembling with tension.

"Your radiance illuminates this barren land, Lady of Light. Loewy Baggins awaits your command."

(Damn it! What am I doing! Get up, Lowe! This is so embarrassing!)

(But... my legs are so weak! What's with this feeling of being scanned by X-rays?)

The entire reception room fell into a deathly silence.

The orphanage director gaped, nearly dropping his teacup. This child, though a bit odd, had never been crazy before.

Professor McGonagall was also stunned. In her decades of teaching, she had seen students cry out of fear, jump for joy, and also those who displayed a maturity and indifference beyond their years, like Tom Riddle.

But I've never seen anyone kowtow upon meeting someone.

And "Lady of Light"? What a strange title.

However, as a Transfiguration professor, McGonagall keenly sensed the child's genuine awe. It wasn't feigned; it was the most instinctive submission and respect in the face of overwhelming power.

This softened her expression slightly.

"Ahem," Professor McGonagall cleared her throat, trying to steer the conversation back on track, "Please rise, Mr. Lowe. We don't do that. And I must correct you, I'm not called Lady of Light, I'm Professor McGonagall."

Rowe stood up, still unable to look her in the eye (System notification: Looking directly at Galadriel may result in a failed Willpower check). He lowered his eyes and said obediently:

"Yes, Professor McGonagall. Whatever alias you use to walk the earth, your wisdom guides me like the stars."

Professor McGonagall's lips twitched almost imperceptibly.

Why does this child speak in such a literary style? It's like he's acting out a Shakespearean play.

"Okay," she decided to skip that and get straight to the point, "Now that you've accepted... uh, conscription, we need to go buy your school supplies. Pack your things, and we'll leave immediately."

"Yes, ma'am," Lowe replied curtly.

There's nothing to pack.

Besides a dinner knife (dagger), a lighter (igniter) hidden under the pillow, and an old frying pan (round shield) that he would take with him even if he died.

Five minutes later, Rowe, carrying a patched canvas bag, followed Professor McGonagall, who was radiating "holy light," out of the orphanage.

The streets of London remained gloomy, with pedestrians hurrying by.

But in the upper right corner of Rowe's field of vision, a new golden quest box unfolds:

Main Quest Chapter 1: Embarking on the Journey

[Objective: Follow the Spirit Guide to Brietown (Diagon Alley).]

[Reward: Basic Swordsmanship Mastery (Lv1)]

Current status: In progress...

Rowe glanced back at the orphanage, touched the knife at his waist, and muttered:

Goodbye, Ciel.