Gift of Fate

There was no Dumbledore, either.

Nor was there any delightful moment of an owl delivering a letter.

Ian felt that his path into magic had been quite a winding one. Other people's newbie guides were either the gentle Professor McGonagall or the big, simple-minded, wealthy Hagrid, whose good impression was ridiculously easy to raise. Why had he ended up with Hogwarts' least popular Half-Blood Prince?

Yes.

The man currently sitting in the Orphanage director's office, dressed in a wide black robe like a mop and sporting greasy hair that seemed not to have seen shampoo in years, was none other than Snape, the current head of Slytherin.

This professor had many titles: Potions Prodigy, Old Chuunibyou Patient, and an Ultimate Pure Love Warrior with every buff stacked to the limit.

Of course.

Snape's most widely known label was perhaps that he had once been a Death Eater who followed the Dark Lord—Ian knew that he was now Dumbledore's Double Agent, but that did not erase his former identity as a Death Eater.

That intimidating aura was no act.

Precisely because of that.

Snape becoming his guide was not good news for Ian.

"Ian, come in quickly!"

Since the Orphanage director was seated facing the entrance, she spotted Ian being escorted over at once. She hurriedly smiled and waved him inside.

Ian entered.

He casually shut the door behind him.

A chorus of Children's "wails" sounded outside.

"Poor little Ian can finally have a better life. Thank God." Smiling happily as she spoke, Ms. Elena introduced Ian to the gloomy Snape. "This is Ian, the most sensible and heartbreaking child we have here."

"I believe that although his background is not ideal, he will definitely become one of your finest students. Even the children from noble families aren't as clever as Ian, in my opinion."

Ms. Elena spared no praise for Ian.

Ian felt a little embarrassed by it. After all, he was an adult soul who had crossed over; comparing him to other people's Children was truly rather unfair.

"I hope that will indeed be the case."

Snape, seated opposite Ms. Elena, was also observing Ian.

From the moment Ian entered, Snape's gaze had never left his face. That stern expression and complicated look in his Eyes left Ian unable to make heads or tails of it.

Was that... guilt?

Mind Perception, an Extraordinary Trait derived from psychology, gave Ian the special ability to sense the most intense emotion in another person's heart, as well as their deepest desire.

At this moment.

Because the other man's heart was anything but calm, Ian sensed Snape's emotions immediately. The anomaly instantly reminded him of what Dumbledore had said.

The professor who came to see him later would feel that he owed him a great deal?

Was that professor Snape, standing before him now...? Ian found it baffling. He obviously was not Harry Potter, nor could he possibly be Lily Potter's Illegitimate Child.

So where had Snape's emotions come from?

"What are you doing!? How is this possible!?"

Suddenly.

Just as Ian was puzzling over it.

A flicker of disbelief passed through Snape's Eyes. His expression became uncertain, and the way he looked at Ian turned razor-sharp, enough to leave one feeling as though something were lodged in one's throat.

"Huh?"

Startled, Ian took several steps back.

Ms. Elena was also completely puzzled by Snape's reaction.

"Legilimency! Mr. Prince, Dumbledore never told me you possessed such a talent!" Snape's eyes trembled fiercely.

Surprise? Unease? Worry?

He stared at Ian with an extraordinarily grim expression, but the emotional fluctuations he leaked became increasingly obvious. Sensing them only made Ian more confused.

What exactly was going on with this Potions professor?

He couldn't possibly be Snape's Illegitimate Child with a Muggle, could he? Because Snape couldn't have Lily Potter, he found a Muggle who looked like Lily Potter, had her give birth to Ian, then dumped him in an Orphanage?

That was impossible, right?

That... was way too outrageous. It made no sense at all!

The more curious Ian became.

The more pronounced his perception grew.

Thus.

"I said, enough!"

Snape's voice suddenly rose several octaves.

It was severe.

"I... I can't control it..."

Ian was extremely nervous as well. He really Didn't Expect Snape to notice Mind Perception's probing, nor had he expected the ability to be mistaken for Legilimency.

"Professor, perhaps if you controlled your emotions, the situation might calm down a little?" There was no helping it—Snape before him was practically bristling.

Ian could only remind him in a low voice.

"Huff..."

Snape took a long breath with an ugly expression. After he closed his eyes and adjusted himself for a moment, Ian's clear perception gradually blurred.

"What did you see?"

When Snape opened his eyes again, disbelief still lingered on his face.

"I didn't see your memories. I can only sense your emotions. Your heart may be a little unsettled?" Ian answered honestly.

Since the other man had already noticed the anomaly within him, trying to conceal this ability was clearly no longer possible. For wizards, having an unusual talent was not much of a problem.

"A natural Legilimens... very well... Mr. Prince, do you believe that simply because you have been granted a little Gift of Fate, you can proudly do whatever you please?"

Annoyance was unmistakable in Snape's eyes now.

His voice was cold beyond measure.

It was as if he were gritting his teeth and forcing out every word. He was speaking loudly enough that Ian instinctively glanced at Ms. Elena, only to find her smiling at them.

Every now and then, she even nodded.

Clearly.

What Ms. Elena heard and saw of Ian and Snape's conversation was probably vastly different from what was actually happening.

"Confundus Charm..."

Ian looked at Ms. Elena, who seemed cut off in another world.

For some reason.

His heart suddenly felt stifled.

"I'm talking to you, Mr. Prince. Ignoring a professor before you have even enrolled—if this were Hogwarts, I would certainly give your hou—"

Snape had barely reached the middle of his sarcastic remark before abruptly cutting himself off. His gloomy face looked as awful as if he had swallowed something that had stuck in his throat.

"Sorry, Professor. I really can't control it."

Ian was helpless.

"Can't control it? Then learn to control it!"

Snape barked sharply.

"Uh..."

Perhaps Ian's Acting Skill had worked. Seeing Ian put on an innocent, pitiful expression, Snape clenched his jaw, and his tone softened somewhat.

"As a professor of the school, I will kindly warn you only once. Before you possess sufficient strength, any behavior that might provoke other wizards is a foolish provocation."

"Hogwarts has always been tolerant of its students. However, that is on the condition that you behave like a rule-abiding little brat and do not constantly cause trouble like those irritating Gryffindors."

Snape's voice was utterly stern.

However.

When he mentioned Gryffindor.

His tone also carried undisguised contempt.

"What is Gryffindor?"

Ian wanted to change the subject, looking ignorant and bewildered.

"Heh. Just a pack of simple-minded idiots with overdeveloped limbs. At Hogwarts, smart people choose to stay away from them, or they will immediately become unlucky."

Snape was enjoying his mockery.

But such an answer was a perfect example of saying a whole lot while explaining nothing.

He had not explained at all that Gryffindor was a school house.

"Understood, Professor."

Ian did not press further or argue.

Instead, he put on the obedient expression of someone receiving instruction.

This relaxed Snape's deeply furrowed brow considerably.

"Madam, I need to take this child away early to complete some necessary procedures." He no longer looked at Ian and instead turned to Ms. Elena.

The next moment.

As though Ms. Elena had been disconnected and left idle for ages, her Eyes and expression finally returned to normal. Smiling broadly, she replied to Snape.

"Of course, of course. That elderly headmaster has already handled all the procedures. Ian can leave with you now." After saying that, she urged Ian to pack his luggage.

Since he had been preparing all along.

Most of Ian's belongings had long since been packed into a large suitcase.

Thus.

He soon dragged an enormous suitcase outside. As Ian was only eleven years old, he was barely more than a head taller than it.

The moment he stepped out of the bedroom.

Ian saw that Ms. Elena, several other Orphanage staff members, and nearly all the Children were waiting for him in the courtyard.

Snape stood in an open area some distance away, radiating an aura that warned strangers to stay away—though even acquaintances probably would not want to approach him.

"Ian, Ian, will you bring us chocolate when you come back?"

"Don't worry, Ian. I'll take care of your room and your little cart for you."

"Waaah, Brother Ian, don't die, okay? They said we'll never see you again."

The Children all showed reluctance at Ian's impending departure.

As the king of the Orphanage Children.

Everyone cared deeply for Ian... even that five-year-old girl who had mistaken never seeing him again for him dying considered Ian very important.

Perhaps.

One day, that importance and affection would change with the passage of time, fading as everyone grew older and went their separate ways.

But the reluctance they showed at this very moment would not diminish in the slightest because of that.

"Ian, don't look back. Your future will be bright." Ms. Elena touched Ian's cheek, her eyes filled with tears as she gave him a meaningful piece of advice with a gratified expression.

The other Children could not understand its deeper meaning, but that did not mean Ian could not.

"Professor, I can still come back during the holidays, right?"

He called loudly to Snape in the distance.

"That is your business. Do not bother me with such foolish matters."

Though Snape's voice was full of impatience, he remained quietly standing in the shadow by the wall, without urging Ian at all.

"Of course I'll come back. This is home, isn't it?"

Ian stepped forward and hugged Ms. Elena. "Without your persistence and efforts to change this place, this Orphanage would not be filled with so much joy and laughter as it is today."

"We will all have a future. I promise." Ian's voice was earnest.

"Ian... you don't have to..." Ms. Elena's voice choked up as she held Ian tightly. The Children beside them began chattering as well.

"It's my turn to hug Ian!"

"Anna! You've been hugging him too long!"

"Allen! You got snot all over Ian's clothes!"

After saying goodbye to nearly everyone.

Ian refused anyone's help and dragged his suitcase toward Snape himself.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Ian exchanged a few words with Snape. Then Snape led him through the great iron gate, and they gradually disappeared into London's smog-heavy streets.

"Ian will definitely make something of himself. He's such a sensible child that it breaks your heart." The kitchen cook cried her eyes out, her voice filled with unwavering conviction.

"Yes, I have never doubted that."

Ms. Elena agreed. She wiped at the corner of her eye and turned, intending to comfort the Children, only to discover that one of her pockets felt unusually heavy.

As though she had sensed something.

Ms. Elena hurriedly reached inside.

She pulled out a thick envelope.

"When did this...?"

Ms. Elena was stunned.

She opened the envelope.

Her hands slowly began to tremble uncontrollably.

"This child..."

Even her voice was shaking.

Inside.

The brand-new envelope was stuffed full of pounds. Though the denominations were small and the notes assorted, they added up to a sum that was by no means insignificant.

Enough for the Orphanage Children to make it through a winter with full stomachs.

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