46: The Culprit? A Warning!

Pry up the boards.

Dig the earth.

Pry open the coffin.

Fill it in, then lay the boards back over it.

Practice made perfect. This smooth sequence of actions did not take Ian much time. For once, he climbed onto the hard wooden bed before eleven at night.

"At least it's better for my cervical and lumbar spine."

Despite being so young, Ian had already begun thinking about wellness. His sleep quality was usually quite good, but tonight, his overactive mind inevitably kept him awake.

"A library where I can read for free, Hogwarts' Kitchen, the Owlery in the West Tower... I just hope nobody treats that place like an all-you-can-eat buffet."

The restless thoughts.

Overwhelmed the drowsiness brought on by physical exhaustion.

Ian could not help beginning to plan out his goals for first year.

"I definitely need to search the Room of Requirement properly. Maybe it can give me a wand that can't be taken outside, so I can practice magic inside without holding back."

"Anyone who wants to learn Quidditch can learn it. Still, I need to study Flying Broomsticks. Modifying their design might be pretty cool... Too bad I didn't get to ride the Hogwarts Express."

Ian did not know when he drifted into sleep.

Outside the window.

The scattered stars glittered like diamonds dropped onto black velvet, shining with a soft, distant glow. A shooting star streaked across the sky, like a casual brushstroke of ink upon a painted starry canvas.

The chirping insects and rustling leaves kept people company until dawn.

"Brush my teeth! Wash my face!"

He did not even need an alarm. The moment sunlight spilled into the room, he abruptly opened his eyes, sprang upright, and quickly put on the black robes Snape had bought for him in Diagon Alley.

Most wizards changed into their school uniforms aboard the Hogwarts Express. He clearly had not had that chance, so he could only put his clothes on as soon as he got up.

It was not as if he could strip and change in front of the entire school.

Nobody would be throwing evil Galleons at him, either.

"Even if there were Galleons, I couldn't embarrass myself like that!" Ian made money the proper way. In his view, earning money by selling his body would be worse than going to Knockturn Alley and robbing some Nigger wizards.

After checking that the floorboards were secure and that all his belongings had been packed back into his suitcase, Ian waited expectantly for Snape's arrival.

And so.

The sun rose, climbed high into the sky, then wandered westward... Ian's expression changed from eager anticipation to hollow, lifeless desolation.

"Don't tell me he forgot about me!"

Ian remembered Snape saying he would come pick him up when term began, but Snape had not appeared after nearly an entire day of waiting. Ian had begun reconsidering Snape's reliability.

In the original story.

That Old Bat's reputation for keeping his word did seem rather poor, didn't it? The more he thought about it, the more Ian felt he had been stood up. Carrying his suitcase, he prepared to make his own way to Hogwarts.

The terminus of the Hogwarts Express was near the village as well. Hogwarts Castle was not far from here, though the route did pass through a small path thick with Dense Forest.

Bang!

He had only just dragged his suitcase toward the front door when the cabin door was rudely kicked open. Snape, whose expression never seemed to change, entered and swept his gaze around the room.

He seemed to let out a breath of relief.

At last, his deep-set gaze landed on Ian.

"If you're packed, follow me."

With that, Snape turned with a stiff expression and headed outside.

"I thought you'd forgotten me."

Ian hurried after him.

"Heh. Do you not have legs? Can't you go to school by yourself?"

Snape sneered.

"I was just about to."

Ian curled his lip.

Following behind Snape as they left through the door, he saw that someone else besides himself was waiting outside with a suitcase.

The setting sun shone across the girl's face, coating her Platinum Blonde hair with a faint golden radiance.

"Miss Grindelwald."

Ian greeted her in surprise.

"Good afternoon, my friend. You can simply call me by my name."

Aurora nodded lightly.

Seeing that the two actually knew each other, Snape immediately frowned. His gaze shifted continuously between them before finally turning sharply toward Aurora.

"Were you the one who taught him that spell?"

Clearly.

Snape had connected the Inferi Control Charm Ian had learned with Aurora.

Although Ian's learning ability had caught him off guard, he still did not quite believe that someone could pick up a scrap of paper Recorded with Dark Magic on the streets of Hogsmeade Village.

"He has not learned any magic from me."

Aurora met Snape's gaze, her tone calm. There was not the slightest emotional fluctuation in her differently colored eyes, and Snape's stare did not frighten her.

"Miss Grindelwald, I do not care why Dumbledore approved your application to enter Hogwarts. I only hope that you will follow Hogwarts' rules properly."

"Do not let me discover that certain things which should not exist are being spread around the school." Snape's voice was extremely stern, clearly a veiled warning.

"A reasonable request." Aurora nodded without arguing. Ian, standing not far from her, had been watching closely to see whether the girl would reach for her wand.

"And you!"

Snape suddenly turned to Ian.

"What nonsense did you tell Dumbledore?"

His eyes looked as though they wanted to devour someone.

"Huh?"

Ian looked completely bewildered.

"I only treated Headmaster Dumbledore to a cup of black tea." Recalling his previous encounter with Dumbledore, Ian wore an expression of confusion and mild indignation.

"I think my manners were impeccable. Headmaster Dumbledore's bird, on the other hand, nearly sent me into old age early." Ian subconsciously touched the top of his head.

Living in England.

There were two things a man had to worry about from the moment he was born.

The first was being attracted to the same sex.

The second... naturally, was whether the top of his head would turn into a bald patch.

"If you didn't spout nonsense, then how could Dumbledore..."

Snape began angrily, ready to lash out.

However.

"Professor, when are we leaving?"

Aurora interrupted him from the side.

Perhaps realizing that the rumors about his family could not be heard by outsiders, Snape swallowed his frustrated question. With a dark expression, he strode past the two of them and headed out of Hogsmeade Village.

"Keep up!"

His voice rang out loudly.

"Hey, friend, need me to carry your luggage?"

Ian eagerly Approached Aurora.

"For me, this is easy."

Aurora calmly refused Ian's offer of help.

"I knew you were amazing. So, can you help carry mine? Dragging it isn't very easy for me."

Under the girl's stunned gaze, Ian dragged his suitcase straight to her other side. He even thoughtfully pried open her hand and placed the suitcase handle into it.

"?????"

Aurora's eyes widened in disbelief.

She watched as Ian took off running ahead.