It wasn't just that Dumbledore was missing.
There was no surprise owl-delivery scene, either.
Ian felt that his journey into magic had been anything but smooth. Other people's guides in the newbie village were either the gentle Professor McGonagall or the big, dim-witted Hagrid, who was loaded with money and ridiculously easy to win over. So why had he ended up with Hogwarts' most unpopular Half-Blood Prince?
That was right.
The man in the loose black robe, with greasy hair that looked as if he hadn't used shampoo in years, was currently sitting in the orphanage director's office. He was none other than Snape, the current head of Slytherin.
The professor had many titles: Potions genius, chronic chūnibyō, and an ultimate, max-buffed warrior of pure love.
Of course.
Perhaps Snape's best-known label was that he had once followed the Dark Lord as a Death Eater. Ian knew that Snape was now a double agent for Dumbledore, but that fact couldn't erase his past as a Death Eater.
The aura that made people feel afraid wasn't something he could fake.
For that reason,
Snape becoming his guide was not good news for Ian.
"Ian, come in!"
The orphanage director sat facing the door, so she spotted Ian as soon as he was ushered in. She quickly smiled and beckoned him over.
Ian stepped inside.
He closed the door behind him.
A chorus of children's "wails" sounded from outside.
"Our poor little Ian is finally going to have a better life. Thank God." As she spoke happily, Mrs. Elena introduced Ian to Snape, whose manner was gloomy. "This is Ian, the most sensible child here, and the one we all worry about the most."
"I'm sure that although he doesn't come from a good background, he'll still become one of the best children there. I don't think even the children from noble families are as clever as Ian."
Mrs. Elena spared no praise for Ian.
Ian felt a little embarrassed. After all, he was a grown adult's soul in a time traveler's body. Comparing him with other children was hardly fair.
"I hope that's true."
Snape, seated across from Mrs. Elena, was also studying Ian.
From the moment Ian walked in, the professor hadn't taken his eyes off his face. His stern expression and complicated gaze left Ian baffled.
Was that... guilt?
The extraordinary trait of [Thought Perception], derived from [Psychology], gave Ian the special ability to sense the strongest emotions in another person's heart, as well as their deepest desire.
At that moment,
because Snape's heart was far from calm, Ian sensed his emotions at once. The unusual feelings reminded Ian of what Dumbledore had said.
The professor who came to visit would feel deeply indebted to him?
Was this professor Snape? Ian was completely mystified. He obviously wasn't Harry Potter, and he couldn't possibly be Lily Potter's illegitimate child.
So where did Snape's feelings come from?
"What are you doing? How is this possible?!"
Suddenly,
just as Ian was puzzling over it,
a look of disbelief flashed across Snape's eyes. His expression turned uncertain, and his gaze fixed on Ian with an intensity that made him feel as if something were stuck in his throat.
"Huh?"
Ian stumbled backward in fright.
Mrs. Elena was also baffled by Snape's reaction.
"Legilimency! Mr. Prince, Dumbledore never told me you had this kind of talent!" Snape's eyes were trembling violently.
Surprise? Unease? Worry?
He stared at Ian with an unusually stern expression, but the emotions he gave away were becoming increasingly obvious. Sensing them only made Ian more confused.
What on earth was going on with the Potions Professor?
Surely he couldn't be Snape's illegitimate child with a Muggle! Had Snape, unable to have Lily Potter, found a Muggle who looked like her, had Ian with her, then abandoned him at an orphanage?
That couldn't be!
That would be... outrageous and completely illogical!
The more curious Ian became,
the clearer his perception grew.
So—
"I said, enough!"
Snape's voice suddenly rose several notches.
It was stern.
"I... I can't control it..."
Ian was feeling nervous, too. He hadn't expected Snape to notice his [Thought Perception], much less mistake the ability for the magic of [Legilimency].
"Professor, perhaps if you controlled your emotions, things might calm down a little?" With Snape seriously bristling in front of him, Ian had no choice.
He could only remind him quietly.
"Phew~"
Snape drew a long, displeased breath. After closing his eyes and composing himself for a moment, Ian's clear perception gradually faded.
"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 mind might be a little unsettled?" Ian answered honestly.
Now that Snape had noticed something unusual about him, there was clearly no point in trying to hide the ability. A special talent wasn't necessarily a problem for a wizard.
"A natural Legilimens... That's good... Mr. Prince, do you think that because fate has granted you a little something, you can proudly do whatever you want?"
Snape's eyes now held unmistakable irritation.
His voice was as cold as it could be.
He seemed to grind out every word through clenched teeth. His voice was loud enough that Ian instinctively glanced at Mrs. Elena, who was watching them with a smile.
Every now and then, she even nodded.
Clearly,
whatever Mrs. Elena heard or saw of Ian and Snape's conversation was quite different from what was actually happening.
"Confundus Charm..."
Ian looked at Mrs. Elena, who seemed cut off from the rest of the world.
For some reason,
his heart felt inexplicably heavy.
"I'm asking you a question, Mr. Prince. You haven't even started school, yet you're already ignoring your professor. If we were at Hogwarts right now, I would certainly give your house—"
Snape's tone had been sarcastic, but he suddenly stopped mid-sentence. His gloomy face twisted into an expression as if he had swallowed something that was stuck in his throat.
"Sorry, Professor. I really can't control it."
Ian looked helpless.
"Can't control it? Then learn to control it!"
Snape scolded him sharply.
"Uh..."
Perhaps Ian's acting had worked. Looking at Ian's innocent, pitiful expression, Snape clenched his jaw, and his tone began to soften.
"As a professor, I'll give you this warning once, out of goodwill. Until you're strong enough, any behavior that might provoke other wizards is a foolish act of defiance."
"Hogwarts is always very tolerant of its students. But you need to be a well-behaved little brat. Don't cause trouble all the time like that detestable lot in Gryffindor."
Snape's voice was utterly stern.
However,
when he mentioned Gryffindor,
his tone was also full of undisguised contempt.
"What's Gryffindor?"
Ian tried to change the subject, looking completely clueless.
"Ha! Just a bunch of thick-headed fools with brawn and no brains. At Hogwarts, clever people stay well away from them, or they'll be unlucky in no time."
Snape was thoroughly enjoying his mockery.
But his answer was a perfect example of saying a lot without explaining anything.
He hadn't even explained that Gryffindor was a house.
"All right, Professor."
Ian didn't press him or argue.
Instead, he obediently acted as if he'd been chastened.
That made Snape's furrowed brows relax a little.
"Madam, I need to take this child with me ahead of time to handle some necessary arrangements." He stopped looking at Ian and turned to address Mrs. Elena.
The next moment,
Mrs. Elena, who had seemed to be offline for ages, finally regained her normal expression and gaze. Smiling broadly, she replied to Snape.
"Of course, of course. That old headmaster has already taken care of all the paperwork. Ian can leave with you now." Then she urged Ian to go pack his things.
He'd been prepared for this all along.
Most of Ian's belongings had already been packed into a large trunk.
And so,
he soon came out dragging an enormous suitcase. Since Ian was only eleven, he was barely more than a head taller than it.
As soon as he left his room,
Ian saw Mrs. Elena, several other orphanage staff members, and nearly all the children waiting for him in the orphanage courtyard.
Snape stood on an empty patch of ground a little farther away, giving off an aura that warned strangers to keep their distance—and probably acquaintances, too.
"Ian, Ian, will you bring us back some chocolate?"
"Don't worry, Ian. I'll take care of your room and your little cart."
"Waaah, big brother Ian, please don't die, okay? They said we wouldn't see you again."
The children all showed how reluctant they were to see Ian leave.
As the orphanage's little leader,
Ian meant a great deal to everyone... Even the five-year-old girl who'd mistaken never seeing him again for him dying held him very dear.
Perhaps,
one day, those feelings and bonds would change as time passed, fading as they grew older and went their separate ways.
But the reluctance they felt at that moment wouldn't be diminished in the slightest.
"Ian, don't look back. Your future will be bright." Mrs. Elena touched Ian's cheek, her eyes brimming with tears as she gave him a heartfelt farewell.
The other children didn't understand what she meant, but that didn't mean Ian didn't.
"Professor, I can come back during the holidays, right?"
He called out to Snape in the distance.
"That's up to you. Don't bother me with such foolish questions."
Snape's tone was full of impatience, but he stayed quietly in the shadow by the wall and didn't hurry Ian along at all.
"I'll definitely come back. This is home, isn't it?"
Ian stepped forward and hugged Mrs. Elena. "If you hadn't been so devoted to changing things here, this orphanage wouldn't be as full of happiness and laughter as it is now."
"We all have a future. I promise." Ian's voice was earnest.
"Ian... you don't have to..." Mrs. Elena's voice choked up. She hugged Ian tightly, while the children beside them started chattering.
"It's my turn to hug Ian!"
"Anna! You've hugged him long enough!"
"Alan! You got snot all over Ian's clothes!"
After saying goodbye to nearly everyone,
Ian refused help from the others and dragged his suitcase over to Snape on his own.
With everyone watching, Ian and Snape exchanged a few words, then Snape led him through the tall iron gate. They gradually vanished into the smoggy streets of London.
"Ian will surely make something of himself. He's such a sensible child, it breaks your heart." The kitchen cook was sobbing uncontrollably, her voice full of unwavering conviction.
"Yes, I've never doubted it."
Mrs. Elena agreed. She wiped the corner of her eye and turned to comfort the children, but then noticed a heavy feeling in her pocket.
As if she'd sensed something,
Mrs. Elena quickly reached inside.
She pulled out a thick envelope.
"When did this get here?"
Mrs. Elena looked stunned.
She opened the envelope.
Her hands gradually began to tremble uncontrollably.
"This child..."
Even her voice was shaking.
Inside,
the brand-new envelope was filled with pound notes. The denominations weren't large, and they were all jumbled together, but little by little they added up to a considerable sum.
Enough to see the orphanage children through a warm, well-fed winter.
If you can, please keep reading! Early engagement is very important! I'm counting on you!!!
(The End of This Chapter)