Chapter 46: The Culprit? A Warning!

Prying up wooden planks.

Digging the soil.

Lifting the coffin.

Burying it again and covering it with planks.

Practice makes perfect. Ian had grown so accustomed to this process that he moved through the steps effortlessly, finishing the task without much effort. For once, he was able to crawl onto his rigid wooden bed before eleven at night.

"At least it's good for my spine," he mused.

Despite his young age, Ian had already started thinking about his health. Normally, he slept well, but tonight, his mind was unusually active, making it hard to fall asleep.

A free-access library, the Hogwarts kitchen, the owlery in the West Tower...

His thoughts raced.

Fatigue weighed on his body, yet it couldn't suppress the wakefulness of his mind.

Unconsciously, Ian began setting goals for his first year at Hogwarts.

"I definitely need to find the Room of Requirement. Maybe it can provide me with a wand that works inside but can't be taken out, so I can practice magic freely."

"I have no interest in Quidditch, but broomstick engineering could be interesting. Modifying the design might make for something really cool… It's a shame I never got to ride the Hogwarts Express."

At some point, his thoughts blurred into dreams.

Outside the window, stars dotted the sky like diamonds scattered on black velvet, shining with a soft, distant glow. A shooting star streaked across, leaving a brief trail like ink brushed over the celestial canvas.

The chirping of insects and the rustling of leaves accompanied the night until dawn.

---

"Teeth brushed! Face washed!"

Ian didn't need an alarm. The moment sunlight poured into the room, his eyes snapped open. With a swift motion, he flipped out of bed and quickly donned the black robe Snape had bought for him back in Diagon Alley.

Most students changed into their uniforms aboard the Hogwarts Express, but since he hadn't taken the train, he had to get dressed before leaving.

He certainly wasn't about to strip down and change in front of the entire school.

Not unless someone threw a sack of Galleons at him.

"Even then, it'd be a hard pass." Ian valued money, but there were lines he wasn't willing to cross. If he needed gold that badly, he'd rather risk sneaking into Knockturn Alley to rob some shady wizard blind.

After double-checking that the floor was still stable and that all his belongings were safely packed in his trunk, Ian settled in to wait for Snape's arrival.

Time passed.

The sun rose higher.

And higher.

And began to set.

Ian's excitement gradually turned into frustration, then to sheer resignation.

"…He didn't forget about me, did he?"

Snape had specifically said he'd come to collect him at the start of term. But after waiting an entire day with no sign of him, Ian started questioning the man's reliability.

In the original story, the man wasn't exactly known for his punctuality…

The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became that he'd been stood up.

Grabbing his trunk, Ian decided to head to Hogwarts on his own.

The village wasn't far from the castle—just a short journey through a dense forest path. The Hogwarts Express also stopped nearby, but since he'd missed that ride, he had no choice but to walk.

Just as he reached the door—

BANG!

The wooden door was kicked open with force.

Snape entered, his expression as unreadable as ever. His sharp gaze swept around the room before finally settling on Ian.

For a moment, his tense expression seemed to ease, just slightly.

"Gather your things. We're leaving."

Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked out.

"I thought you'd forgotten about me."

Ian quickly grabbed his trunk and followed.

Snape let out a sharp, derisive scoff.

"If you had legs, you could've gone yourself, couldn't you?"

"I was just about to." Ian muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes.

As they stepped outside, Ian noticed someone else waiting with a trunk.

The setting sun cast a golden glow over the girl's platinum blonde hair, making it shimmer like molten gold.

Aurora Grindelwald.

Surprised, Ian greeted her.

"Miss Grindelwald."

Aurora inclined her head slightly.

"Good afternoon, my friend. You may call me Aurora."

Snape's expression immediately darkened. His gaze flickered between them before settling on Aurora with suspicion.

"…You taught him that spell, didn't you?"

His tone carried a dangerous edge.

It was obvious—he suspected she was responsible for Ian's mastery of the Necrotic-Control Curse.

Though he had been impressed (and frustrated) by Ian's rapid learning, he still found it hard to believe that someone could just stumble upon a scrap of parchment containing dark magic in the streets of Hogsmeade.

"I have never taught him any magic."

Her voice was calm, her heterochromatic eyes devoid of emotion.

She was not intimidated in the slightest.

Snape narrowed his eyes.

"Miss Grindelwald, I do not know what convinced Dumbledore to admit you to Hogwarts, but I expect you to follow its rules."

His tone was harsh.

"I will not tolerate the circulation of… inappropriate materials within the school."

It was a clear warning.

Aurora simply nodded. "A reasonable request."

Ian, standing beside her, was quietly watching her hands, making sure she wasn't reaching for her wand.

Then—

"And you!"

Snape suddenly turned to Ian.

"What nonsense did you spout to Dumbledore?"

His expression was livid.

Ian blinked, utterly confused. "Huh?"

"I just offered him a cup of tea."

He searched his memory for any incident that might have irritated Snape, but nothing came to mind.

Instead, his lips curled into a slightly aggrieved expression.

"I was nothing but polite. If anything, his bird nearly gave me a heart attack."

Instinctively, he reached up and ran a hand through his hair.

Living in England, a man only had two major fears:

One, like attracts like (and not always in a good way).

Two, premature baldness.

Snape looked like he was about to explode. "If you hadn't run your mouth, then why would Dumbledore—"

Before he could finish, Aurora interrupted.

"Professor, shouldn't we be leaving?"

Snape's jaw tightened.

Seemingly unwilling to continue the conversation in front of others, he swallowed his frustration, turned sharply, and strode toward the village's outskirts.

"Keep up!"

His voice rang out over his shoulder.

Ian turned to Aurora, flashing a grin. "Hey, need help with your luggage?"

"I can manage."

Aurora declined coolly.

"Oh, I know you're strong. That's why…"

Before she could react, Ian dropped his own trunk next to hers and nudged her hand toward its handle.

"I figured you could carry mine, too."

Aurora froze.

For the first time, genuine disbelief flickered across her face.

She could only stare as Ian took off at a jog, leaving her standing there—one hand now occupied with his luggage.

"….."