"Alright, now that you've got your wands, there's just one last thing for you to get—a familiar. Let's head to the pet store," Hagrid said with a determined nod, leading the way.

Kouchi glanced at the pet store as they approached, noting the variety of animals inside. Animals and Kouchi never seemed to mix well, and he had a feeling this encounter wouldn't be any different.

"They're important companions for young witches and wizards. A familiar's loyalty and magical affinity can help you in ways you might not expect," Hagrid continued, his voice warm as he explained the concept to Harry. He cast a glance at Kouchi, but it was unclear whether the older man was paying much attention to him.

Kouchi would've preferred it if Hagrid didn't pay attention to him at all. That way, he could explore without feeling pressured or criticized.

As they entered the pet store, Kouchi immediately felt the tension in the air. The animals around him began to stir nervously, trying to scurry away from his presence.

Kouchi's aura had always been... overwhelming. His creator had explained it as the 'predator's aura'—a presence so strong that no animal would dare to challenge him. It made even the smallest creatures instinctively wary.

The sudden commotion startled a few of the shop's patrons, and Kouchi took a few steps back, instinctively silencing his aura. The animals immediately calmed, retreating to their corners. It was clear now that the disturbance had been caused by him.

Hagrid blinked in disbelief, his voice tinged with confusion. "In all my years as the caretaker at Hogwarts, I've never seen such a sight. What could have spooked these creatures so badly?"

Kouchi didn't answer, merely continuing to scan the shelves for anything that might catch his eye. He pretended not to notice the question, already turning his attention back to the array of creatures. Nearby, Harry had found an owl that seemed to catch his interest. Kouchi couldn't help but notice Hagrid's relieved expression as Harry made his choice.

But when Hagrid's eyes shifted back to Kouchi, the older man's gaze was anything but warm. It was impatient—almost demanding that Kouchi hurry up.

With a quiet sigh, Kouchi decided to wing it. He glanced around, noting the way the animals seemed to keep their distance from him out of fear. However, one small creature was bold enough to approach.

It was a tiny bird, no bigger than Kouchi's hand, though that was still small given his size. The bird looked up at him with intelligent eyes, chirping softly.

What caught Kouchi's attention wasn't just the bird's size or bravery—it had a strange energy to it. Its chakra felt different from the other animals, and the curiosity it sparked in Kouchi was enough for him to extend a hand toward it.

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"Be careful, kid! These creatures might look small, but they can bite hard," Hagrid warned, though Kouchi didn't seem concerned.

Ignoring the warning, Kouchi gently reached out and petted the tiny bird. As the creature leaned into his touch, Kouchi's decision was made. He would take the bird.

This tiny, courageous creature didn't deserve to be locked in a cage like some kind of experiment. It deserved to be free—just like the sky it longed to soar through.

After Hagrid paid for their purchases, he led Kouchi to a small inn where they would be staying. Kouchi was given his own room, though the concept of a young child living alone in the human world was strange to him. In most places, it would be considered illegal—an act of neglect.

But in the wizarding world, things were different. It was more like the Shinobi culture Kouchi knew—kids were considered 'independent' once they began their education at Hogwarts.

Harry Potter, despite his fame, didn't interest Kouchi much. He had no desire to befriend someone so weak. Kouchi's focus was on something far more important: understanding magic and its connection to chakra.

It took him about a week to get a solid grasp on the principles of magic—its similarities and differences with chakra. And in that time, Kouchi made an unexpected breakthrough. He managed to make his phone work.

At first, he was surprised to find that electricity didn't work in the magical world. It was as if magic interfered with technology. But the more he delved into the theory behind magic, the more he realized it wasn't about magic "blocking" technology—it was about no one having bothered to make electricity work alongside it.

So, Kouchi did what any resourceful shinobi would do: he made it work. His phone was up and running, and he immediately sent a message to Kakashi, instructing him to start an internal investigation.

The next task was to catch up on the week he'd missed. There was a lot to get through, but Kouchi was determined to make up for lost time.

During this period, he hadn't seen Harry once. He presumed Hagrid had taken Harry home after their shopping trip. But Kouchi didn't have time to dwell on that. His projects and research kept him busy, and there were days when he felt like he needed more hours in the day to work on everything he wanted.

However, using shadow clones for all his tasks wasn't an option. He didn't want to cheapen the experience of his projects by having them done by clones. He needed to understand everything himself.

By the time it was time to head to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, Kouchi had accomplished everything he had set out to do.

At the station, he saw Harry again, and though the boy needed help navigating to the platform, Kouchi was more focused on the crowd. He had already observed a few people traveling through the hidden pillar to the platform—a magical barrier he could sense but not see. It seemed like a genjutsu was at work, similar to the one that covered Diagon Alley.

Kouchi was about to step in and help Harry when he noticed a familiar redhead family assisting him. Kouchi's instincts immediately told him to keep his distance. The Weasley family had no reason to be on this side of the station. They were a pure-blooded wizarding family, so their presence here was suspicious, to say the least.

Kouchi's mind raced. They must have an ulterior motive. And judging by how they're interacting with Harry, it might involve him.

He decided to observe rather than intervene. I'll keep an eye on things but not get involved. This year at Hogwarts is shaping up to be much more interesting than I thought.