The Savior

Snape stared at the car, its wheels still spinning uselessly, his expression so dark it looked like it could drip water.

Just then, the car door was shoved open violently, and two figures tumbled out in a sorry state, narrowly dodging a vicious swipe from the Whomping Willow.

It was Harry Potter and Ron Weasley.

Snape's lips thinned into a tight line. He strode forward, his black robes swirling more intensely behind him, like a giant, enraged bat.

He grabbed the collars of the two shaken boys, one in each hand, practically lifting them.

"Come with me." His voice was low and dangerous, like a suppressed storm.

Perhaps because Lin Du, an "outsider," was present, he didn't immediately unleash his venom. However, the oppressive aura radiating from him was enough to make Harry and Ron cower in fear.

Lin Du followed silently behind, watching Snape escort the two boys towards the castle.

He could hear Snape's whispered curses through gritted teeth, fragments like "lawless," "reckless," and "Gryffindor idiots" drifting back.

They arrived outside Professor McGonagall's office.

Snape briefly recounted the incident to Professor McGonagall ("Potter and Weasley, piloting a flying Muggle machine, destroyed the Whomping Willow"). On his sallow face, anger burned beneath a cold exterior.

Professor McGonagall's expression quickly shifted from initial surprise to sternness and disappointment.

With Lin Du present, Snape seemed to maintain a semblance of decorum, refraining from a lengthy tirade against the two boys in the corridor.

After "handing over" the culprits to Professor McGonagall, he turned away grimly, gesturing for Lin Du to leave with him.

The atmosphere on the way back to the Great Hall was even more stifling than before.

After walking in silence for a while, Lin Du recalled the faint lightning-shaped scar on the dark-haired boy's forehead and asked with a hint of curiosity, "That boy just now... was that Harry Potter?"

Snape let out a short, cold snort from his nose, his footsteps unwavering. His voice was filled with undisguised disgust, "Indeed. Harry Potter, just like his father – reckless, arrogant, conceited, and treating school rules as if they don't exist."

Lin Du had originally wanted to comment, "Flying to school in a car is quite... Gryffindor-esque," but glancing at Snape's perpetually gloomy expression, which seemed ready to erupt at any moment, he wisely swallowed his words. He merely offered a dry, "Indeed... too impulsive. Very dangerous."

Snape didn't respond further, and the pressure around him seemed to drop even lower.

As they entered the already crowded Great Hall, one after the other, they immediately drew the attention of all the students.

At the staff table, Dumbledore nodded gently at them. Professor McGonagall had also returned, her expression still showing lingering anger.

Lin Du sat in the empty seat next to Snape, acutely aware of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of curious eyes focused on him.

Before the feast began, Headmaster Dumbledore stood up to give his customary speech.

He briefly welcomed the new and returning students, spoke a few words about vigilance and diligence, and then his gaze turned to Lin Du, his blue eyes twinkling behind his half-moon spectacles.

"At the same time, I am delighted to introduce the Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts for our new academic year – Professor Lin Du," Dumbledore said with a smile, gesturing with his hand.

At Dumbledore's cue, Lin Du calmly stood up and faced all the students in the Great Hall.

He wore a simple, well-fitting dark robe, his posture upright. His Eastern features appeared serene in the flickering candlelight, and his black hair was meticulously combed, a stark contrast to the many unkempt wizards around him.

He merely gave a slight nod to the audience below and, without further words, retook his seat.

This fleeting glimpse immediately caused an irrepressible stir and whispers among the four long tables, the sounds clearer than before.

"He looks so young!" a second-year Hufflepuff girl whispered to her companion.

"He's Eastern! His hair and eye color are so unique..." another Ravenclaw girl peered curiously.

"I hope he's more reliable than Quirrell... at least he doesn't smell of garlic all the time," a third-year Gryffindor boy muttered.

"Merlin's beard, I hope he doesn't make us read that incredibly boring Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection for the entire year," a seventh-year student wearing a Prefect badge sighed, his tone filled with the dread of past bad experiences.

Amidst the murmurs, there were also more specific comments about his appearance.

At the Slytherin table, several older boys exchanged meaningful glances. One of them drawled, his voice low but audible enough for those nearby:

"I hope our Defense Against the Dark Arts professor this year isn't just a well-dressed 'pretty face.' This class doesn't need another bookworm who just recites."

However, in contrast, the opinions of many witches – from the younger to the older years – were entirely different.

"He's... quite handsome, isn't he?" a fourth-year Gryffindor girl nudged her best friend, a slight blush on her face. "He looks so calm and has such presence. Sitting next to Professor Snape, the contrast is huge."

"Agreed," her friend, a Ravenclaw girl, pushed up her glasses and commented seriously.

"And don't you think? He has a... well... very unique Eastern charm. Even if... cough, I mean, even if his teaching ability is similar to Quirrell's, at least he's pleasant to look at, and class won't be too boring, right?"

Her words drew a round of hushed giggles and agreement from the girls around them.

Clearly, after the eccentricity of Professor Quirrell, the students had formed complex and divided first impressions of the new professor's appearance and demeanor.

Time rewound a few minutes, to Professor McGonagall's office. Harry and Ron, having just experienced a terrifying ordeal and received a stern warning from Professor McGonagall, were dejectedly listening to her lecture.

They had naturally missed the first wave of discussion about the new professor in the Great Hall.

"...This is unheard-of recklessness! Not only is it extremely irresponsible for your own safety, but it has also caused serious damage to school property and greatly increased the risk of Hogwarts being exposed to Muggles!"

Professor McGonagall's voice was sharp with anger. "Gryffindor will lose one hundred points for this! Each of you! I expect you to reflect on your actions!"

Harry and Ron's faces turned pale. One hundred points!

They could almost imagine the "welcome" they would receive upon returning to the common room.

When Professor McGonagall finally finished her scolding and, looking somewhat weary, told them to leave the office, the two boys practically fled towards Gryffindor Tower.

While climbing the stairs, Ron, panting, whispered breathlessly, "Merlin's beard... I was so scared just now. I thought Snape would turn us into bat specimens on the spot! The way he looked at us was like he wanted to kill us!"

Harry nodded heavily, his heart still pounding. "He looked furious... like he was radiating cold. But, it seems like because the new professor was there, he held back from cursing us out with his nastiest words right then and there?"

"Definitely!" Ron said with certainty.

Immediately, curiosity temporarily overshadowed his lingering fear. "But speaking of which, that new teacher... he's our new Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts, right? He seemed pretty capable. Did you see how he pulled Snape away just now? And, he actually dared to walk side-by-side with Snape, looking quite calm, not scared at all."

Harry also recalled that brief but memorable scene, the dark-haired professor's steady movements and unruffled expression.

A flicker of curiosity stirred within him. After experiencing the strange, stammering Quirrell, perhaps this Professor Lin, who seemed calm in a crisis and possessed a bit of courage, this professor from the East... might truly bring something different?

At the very least, he had indirectly prevented Snape's anger from fully erupting on the spot, which was already a good start.

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