Over the next few days, Lin Yanqing adapted to life at Hogwarts while constantly looking for chances to complete his new task. However, having a "non-confrontational conversation" with Snape was far more difficult than providing materials. They were in different houses, their classes rarely overlapped, and their only shared class, Potions class, had already ended. Like a wary bat, Snape was always alone, quickly disappearing into the corridors leading to the Slytherin dungeons.
An opportunity unexpectedly arrived one Thursday afternoon. Lin Yanqing had just left the library, carrying a stack of books on History of Magic and basic Transfiguration, and was heading back to Ravenclaw Tower. As he passed through a secluded corridor connecting the main castle to the north wing, familiar arguing and magical fluctuations came through the soul bond, clearer and more intense than ever before.
He quickened his pace, turned the corner, and saw the scene he had expected.
James Potter and Sirius Black stood before and behind Snape, blocking him in the middle of the corridor. Remus Lupin stood some distance away with an uneasy expression, while Peter Pettigrew hid behind him, peeking out.
"Give Lily's notes back, Snape!" James pointed his wand at Snape, his tone aggressive. "I saw you take them while she wasn't looking!"
Snape had his back to Lin Yanqing, but his rigid shoulders and clenched fists revealed his fury. "I didn't take Evans's things, Potter." His voice was low and cold. "Use that stupid brain of yours. Why would I take her notes?"
"Because you're jealous!" Sirius lounged lazily against the wall, though his eyes were sharp. "Jealous that she talks to us, jealous that she got into Gryffindor. Who knows what someone like you, crawling out of a gutter, might do?"
"I said I didn't!" Snape spun around, apparently intending to force his way out, but James blocked his path.
"We'll know if we search you, won't we?" James said, stepping forward.
Lin Yanqing's heart tightened. He knew this was not one of the famous conflicts from the original story, merely one of countless small frictions from the Marauders' early years. But he could not simply stand by and watch. It was not just because of the task. Through the contract, he could feel the fury threatening to drown Snape—a mixture of overwhelming humiliation and helplessness—and he understood it all too well.
"Wait!" Lin Yanqing called out and walked over with the books in his arms.
Everyone's eyes immediately turned toward him.
James frowned. "A Ravenclaw? This has nothing to do with you."
Sirius raised an eyebrow, looking intrigued, seemingly curious about what this first-year who had performed so well in Charms class intended to do.
When Snape saw him, an extremely complicated emotion flashed through his black eyes—surprise, even greater wariness, and a trace of... embarrassment at being seen in such a miserable state?
Lin Yanqing did not look at Snape. Instead, he faced James and tried to keep his voice calm. "Potter, I think there may be a misunderstanding. Just now... I think I saw Miss Evans heading toward the greenhouses. Maybe she has the notes herself?"
It was a clumsy excuse, but he could not think of anything better in the moment. He only needed to break the deadlock.
"You saw her? When?" James asked suspiciously.
"Just... shortly before I went to the library," Lin Yanqing said stubbornly.
At that moment, Lily Evans herself came running down the corridor from the other end, breathless, her red hair like a blaze of fire. "James Potter! What are you doing?!" Fury burned in her green eyes. She glared at James first, then looked at Snape, her tone softening. "Severus, are you all right? I just found my notes tucked inside my Transfiguration textbook. I got it wrong myself. I'm so sorry!"
The truth was out.
James's face immediately turned bright red, and he awkwardly lowered his wand. Sirius gave a snort, though it was unclear whether he was laughing at James or the whole farce. Lupin visibly breathed a sigh of relief.
"I told you..." Peter muttered softly.
"S-sorry, Snape," James mumbled, clearly unwilling.
Snape ignored James's apology. He did not even look at Lily. His gaze was nailed to Lin Yanqing, as though he wanted to skin him alive and pry him apart to see what exactly was hidden inside. Had this Ravenclaw predicted that Lily would come looking for them? Or had he merely been lucky, with his excuse happening to come true?
Either possibility made Snape deeply uncomfortable. He hated the feeling of being seen through—or "helped."
He did not say a word. He only shot Lin Yanqing one final icy, cutting glare, then shoved James aside—James did not stop him, too guilty to do so—and disappeared quickly into the shadows of the corridor.
"Host! A chance to talk! Hurry and catch up to him and say something! Like, 'Are you okay?'! (≧?≦)?" System Cub urged anxiously.
Lin Yanqing gave a bitter smile inwardly. Catch up to him? If he went after Snape now, Snape would probably hit him with a curse. That look just now had said everything. Rather than easing their relationship, this "rescue" seemed to have made things worse.
"Did the task... fail? (′;ω;`)" System Cub made a dejected sound after detecting that Lin Yanqing had given up the pursuit.
Lily walked up to Lin Yanqing, her face full of apology and gratitude. "Thank you, Lin. If you hadn't stalled for time just now, I was really afraid James and the others would do something excessive. Severus... he's just not very good at explaining himself."
"It's all right, Miss Evans. It's good that the misunderstanding was cleared up." Lin Yanqing smiled at Lily. He could feel this girl's sincerity.
James snorted from the side, but after Lily shot him a glare, he left awkwardly with Sirius and the others.
Only Lin Yanqing and Lily remained in the corridor.
"Your name is Lin Yanqing, right? Ravenclaw?" Lily asked. After receiving confirmation, she smiled. "I remember you. You were amazing in Charms class. Thank you again. Severus... he's not really a bad person, it's just..." She seemed unsure how to describe him and finally sighed.
Through this encounter, Lin Yanqing confirmed that Lily Evans truly was a kind and radiant girl. He also sensed some of her difficulty at being caught between a childhood friend and new friends.
That night, Lin Yanqing was hurriedly writing a History of Magic essay in the Ravenclaw common room when he received his punishment.
[Task failed. Punishment activated: randomly locking mastered magic [Lumos] for 24 hours. (╥﹏╥)]
He tried to cast the lighting charm. The tip of his wand flickered weakly before going completely dark. Fortunately, the Ravenclaw common room was brightly lit, so it did not affect his reading, but the punishment still left him rather depressed.
However, not long after the punishment took effect, he suddenly sensed an extremely faint fluctuation from the other end of the soul bond, so faint it was almost impossible to catch. It was no longer pure anger or rejection, but a kind of... confused contemplation, carrying intense bewilderment and a trace of curiosity.
Snape seemed to be repeatedly recalling what had happened in the corridor that afternoon.
Why had that Ravenclaw stepped forward?
What he said about Lily's whereabouts—was it coincidence, or...
What did he want?
There were no answers. Only deeper fog.
Yet this unceasing thought directed at him was itself a subtle change. Snape's attention could no longer move away from this forcibly forged connection and Lin Yanqing, this "unexpected factor."
Lin Yanqing set down his quill and looked out at Hogwarts's starry sky. Although the task had failed and he had lost a lighting charm, it seemed... he had not gained nothing. At the very least, he had cast a stone into Snape's closed-off world and stirred ripples across its surface.
And he knew that this forced attention was the beginning that no plan or task could ever demand.
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