A Strange Person

After getting off, I said goodbye to Lily and the others. In the end, I decided to go to Knockturn Alley first and pick up everything I'd ordered. I'd already paid for it all, anyway, and I could always come back to Gringotts to exchange money when I bought my school supplies.

Diagon Alley was much less crowded during the holidays than at the start of term, and Knockturn Alley was practically deserted. I put all the herbs in a case enchanted with an Undetectable Extension Charm, then found a place to put away my cloak after leaving Knockturn Alley.

It was June, and wearing that thing was really hot.

"Are you a Hogwarts student?"

While I was buying something at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, a somewhat familiar voice sounded beside me. I turned to see someone in a black cloak standing nearby. His oversized hood completely hid his face, leaving only a glimpse of his jaw. "Sorry, I thought you looked familiar. Please forgive my rudeness."

"It's fine, and I'm still wearing my Hogwarts uniform." I shook my head and took my ice cream to find a seat, but to my surprise, the very polite-looking person followed me over and asked a question as I looked at him in confusion.

"Excuse me, may I sit here?"

"Uh, sure?" I felt a little strange. There were plenty of other seats in the shop, so why did he have to sit with me? Even so, there was no reason to refuse such an ordinary request.

"You don't seem to remember me at all."

As if noticing my distance, the person across from me lowered his head, sounding a little aggrieved. "I thought my outfit was rather distinctive."

His words finally reminded me. That day, I'd grabbed a passing student to hide from Lily, and now that I looked at him, wasn't this person dressed exactly the same way?

"Oh, it's you!" Realization dawned on me, and I felt a little embarrassed about how I'd acted. "Sorry, I didn't recognize you just now. And you know, people wearing cloaks around here have usually just come from Knockturn Alley, so it's easy to get the wrong idea."

"It's all right. It's nothing to worry about." He shook his head and looked delighted. "Speaking of which, I was quite startled to see you hurrying off to the Slytherin Common Room that day."

"Haha, I am a Gryffindor, after all. It was a little strange." That made me curious. "Which house are you in?"

"Before I answer, I'm curious which house you think I'm in." He twirled the spoon in his hand, and I noticed then that he hadn't touched the dessert in front of him. His ice cream had already begun to melt.

"Slytherin," I said. "Well, was I right?"

"Exactly right." He laughed. "I've always been a Slytherin. That's never changed."

The Sorting Ceremony only happened once, so who would suddenly change?

There was something strange about him from head to toe. I didn't know why, but even though he spoke gently and politely and acted every bit the gentleman, I always felt something was off about him. The feeling wasn't strong-in fact, it was very faint, like the dull ache that sometimes came from my heart when I stayed up late, oppressive and fleeting.

"Most of the Slytherins I've met hate Gryffindors, but you don't seem to hate me?" I knew Hogwarts so well that I was certain I'd seen every student, but I'd never seen this person in Slytherin before—or at least, I'd never sensed this kind of bearing in any Slytherin student.

"You don't seem to hate me either, do you?" His voice was soft. For some reason, I felt his tone grow cheerful as he said it.

"Are you a first-year?" I asked tentatively. "If we're the same age, you don't have to be so polite."

"Sorry, I was taught this way from childhood, so it's rather hard to change." He shook his head. "If I've made things difficult for you, please bear with me."

I didn't dislike polite people, but the appearance of someone who clearly had an agenda and wasn't part of the plot always felt out of place to me. I'd never seen this person in any of the previous loops, though given that he kept his face covered, perhaps I had met him before.

It would be better to stay away from him. I quickly finished my ice cream, then gave him an apologetic smile.

"I've finished." I deliberately pushed my empty bowl forward. "I'm meeting a friend, so I'll be going."

"What a shame." He actually let out a long sigh and rose from his seat too.

"I hope we can meet again, Miss Merlin."

It wasn't surprising that he knew my name. With a name like mine, every student who'd attended the Sorting Ceremony would know it. What bothered me, though, was that he hadn't touched his dessert once, right up until I left.

He bought something at an ice cream parlour but didn't eat it. Did he come here specifically to find me?

I smiled at him. I had no desire to see him again, so I left Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour without a word.

─────

[Author's note]

★Notice★

During holiday events, even if someone else comes looking for you, you cannot start their related storyline;

Likewise, after making a choice, you cannot initiate anyone else's storyline.