46: The Mastermind? A Warning!

Prying up wooden boards. Digging earth. Levering open coffins. Filling in and covering with wooden planks.

As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. This seamless, fluid operation didn’t take Ian much time at all. Unusually, he climbed onto the hard wooden bed before eleven o’clock at night.

“At least it’s better for my neck and lower back.”

Though still young, Ian had already begun to think about health preservation. His usual sleep quality was quite decent, but tonight his mind was too active, causing insomnia.

“A free library, Hogwarts’ kitchen, the owlery in the West Tower… I hope no one treats those places like an all-you-can-eat buffet.”

His thoughts kept racing.

They drowned out the sleepiness brought on by physical fatigue.

Ian couldn’t help but start planning his goals for his first year.

“I have to thoroughly explore the Room of Requirement. Maybe it will give me a wand that can’t be taken outside, so I can practice magic there without worries.”

“Quidditch—whoever wants to learn can, but I should study flying brooms a bit. Maybe modify the design—it could be really cool… Too bad I didn’t catch the Hogwarts Express.”

Ian didn’t even realize when he finally drifted off to sleep.

Outside the window, stars twinkled like diamonds scattered on black velvet, casting soft, distant light. A shooting star streaked by like a careless brushstroke on the celestial canvas.

The chorus of insects and rustling leaves accompanied the night until dawn.

“Brush teeth! Wash face!”

No alarm needed. When sunlight streamed into the room, Ian suddenly opened his eyes, sprang up like a carp flipping, and quickly donned the black robe Snape had bought for him on Diagon Alley.

Most witches and wizards changed into their school uniform on the Hogwarts Express, but Ian never had that chance. Naturally, he had to get dressed as soon as he got up.

It wouldn’t do to change clothes in front of the entire school, after all.

No one would throw a single Galleon at him anyway.

“Even if they did, I won’t embarrass myself like that!” Ian was a man of principles; he’d rather scavenge in Knockturn Alley with the Niggor wizards than earn money by selling his dignity.

After checking that the floor was sturdy and that all his belongings were packed back into the suitcase, Ian waited expectantly for Snape to arrive.

And so, the sun rose in the east, climbed high, then drifted westward… Ian’s expression shifted from eager anticipation to a hollow emptiness tinged with despair.

“Could it be he forgot about me?”

Ian recalled that Snape had said he would come to pick him up at the start of term, but after waiting nearly all day, Snape had yet to show. He began to question Snape’s reliability.

In the original story, that old bat’s reputation wasn’t exactly stellar, was it? The more Ian thought about it, the more he felt he’d been stood up. Grabbing his suitcase, he resolved to make his own way to Hogwarts.

The terminus of the Hogwarts Express was nearby, within the village, not too far from Hogwarts Castle itself—just a wooded path away.

***

“Bang!”

Just as Ian dragged his suitcase toward the door, the cabin’s door was kicked open roughly. Snape, expression forever unchanged, entered and glanced around.

He seemed to exhale in relief.

His deep gaze finally settled on Ian.

“Ready? Follow me.”

With that, Snape turned, face stern, and headed outside.

“I thought you’d forgotten me.”

Ian hurried after him.

“Hah, don’t you have legs? Can’t you go to school on your own?”

Snape sneered coldly.

“Well, I was about to try that.”

Ian pouted.

Following closely behind Snape out the door, Ian then noticed another person outside, also pulling a suitcase.

The setting sun cast a glow on the girl’s face, bathing her platinum hair in a faint golden light.

“Miss Grindelwald,” Ian greeted, somewhat surprised.

“Good afternoon, my friend. You can just call me Aurora,” she replied with a slight nod.

Seeing they knew each other made Snape frown deeply. His gaze shifted sharply between the two before settling on Aurora with a piercing look.

“Did you teach him that spell?”

Clearly, Snape linked Ian’s mastery of the Control Corpse curse to Aurora.

Though Ian’s rapid learning had caught him off guard, Snape found it hard to believe such a dark magic note could be picked up from the streets of Hogsmeade.

“He never learned any magic from me,” Aurora said calmly, meeting Snape’s gaze without a flicker of emotion. She was unfazed by his scrutiny.

“Miss Grindelwald, regardless of why Dumbledore approved your admission to Hogwarts, I only hope you obey the school’s rules.”

“Don’t let me find anything inappropriate spreading within the school,” Snape warned sternly, clearly issuing a veiled threat.

“A reasonable request,” Aurora nodded without objection. Ian, standing nearby, watched closely to see if the girl reached for her wand.

“And you!” Snape suddenly turned to Ian.

“What nonsense did you spout in front of Dumbledore?”

His eyes seemed ready to devour him.

“Huh?”

Ian looked bewildered.

“I simply invited Headmaster Dumbledore for a cup of tea,” he recalled his previous encounter with Dumbledore, a puzzled and slightly indignant expression on his face.

“I thought I was quite polite, but Dumbledore’s bird nearly sent me into early retirement,” Ian instinctively touched the top of his head.

Living in England, a man must worry about two things from birth.

First, the attraction between men.

Second… whether his scalp will become Mediterranean.

“If you hadn’t babbled nonsense, why would Dumbledore—”

Snape, annoyed, was about to lash out.

But—

“Professor, when do we leave?”

Aurora interrupted him.

Perhaps realizing family rumors shouldn’t be overheard by outsiders, Snape swallowed his retort in frustration, scowled, and strode past both of them toward the edge of Hogsmeade.

“Keep up!”

His voice was loud and commanding.

“Hey, friend, do you need help with your luggage?” Ian eagerly stepped beside Aurora.

“It’s quite easy for me,” she declined calmly.

“I knew you were strong. Then, could you help me carry mine? It’s not so light.”

Ian, catching her surprised glance, dragged his suitcase to her other side and thoughtfully placed the handle in her hand.

“?????”

Aurora’s eyes widened in disbelief as Ian dashed ahead.