It wasn't just that Dumbledore didn't come.
There wasn't even the usual surprise of an owl delivering a letter.
Ian felt that his path to the magical world was far more convoluted than it should have been. Other newcomers had welcoming guides like the gentle Professor McGonagall or ...
The night was as dark as ink.
Soft moonlight filtered through the window, casting a gentle glow over the quiet bedroom. Ian's long eyelashes fluttered as his eyes slowly opened, revealing bright emerald-green irises that shimmered under the light.
From initial confusion to focused c...
Ian felt an unavoidable tension as he faced the elegant and noblewoman before him.
Although he possessed the ability to enter the Ethereal Realm, he had only encountered two other individuals in this strange world.
This woman was the third.
This was the world of the dead.
...
Ever since Ian had received a personal invitation from Dumbledore to study magic at Hogwarts, the past half-month had felt particularly long and agonizing.
The anticipation should have been thrilling. Yet, after a chance encounter with a mysterious black-robed figure when he attempted to v...
Ding!
[Congratulations! You have acquired the Extraordinary Trait: "Butcher's Instinct."]
Ian froze, his grip tightening around the struggling chicken in his hands. An Extraordinary Trait? His heart skipped a beat.
Ever since he had arrived in this world, he had been aware of...
The mist before his eyes faded away in layers, as if space itself was collapsing.
Ian's eyes snapped open.
Lying on the cramped little bed, he shifted uncomfortably. The silvery moonlight streaming in through the window bathed the room in a soft glow.
His gaze landed on the c...
Ian Prince.
That was his name in this life.
To be honest, he had no idea how long he had been in this world.
Unlike those who closed their eyes and found themselves in another world instantly, Ian's transition wasn't so straightforward. In his previous life, he had been a col...
Wool's Orphanage.
The corridor was dimly lit, its walls aged by time, yet still standing as a silent witness to the countless children who had passed through its halls.
Albus Dumbledore stood there, his piercing blue eyes scanning his surroundings. A flicker of nostalgia crossed his...
London.
The streets of London, already bleak on an ordinary day, seemed even more desolate under the heavy mist. Streetlights cast dim, hazy glows, their beams struggling against the suffocating grayness. On the side of a quieter street, a young boy was packing up his small stall, preparin...
As Penelope sighed in contemplation, the atmosphere on the second floor of the shop also grew somewhat strange.
The 100-square-foot area, originally used as storage space, had now been tidied up, clean and organized.
A long rectangular table, nearly twenty feet in length, was placed...
All matters seem to follow a principle: the ultimate compromise.
Whether it is a clash of ideologies, a dispute over interests, or even a physical confrontation, as long as it doesn't reach a life-or-death situation, compromise is the only path forward.
This principle applies equall...
In the dimly lit room at the back of the hall.
Upon seeing Harry, Ino immediately offered comfort.
He had no other choice, as mentioned before, unlike in the original storyline where the Horcruxes were destroyed within a certain timeline, in this altered version, except for the diar...
As the fourth piece of parchment appeared, Ino also found his answer.
All the previous details began to connect in his mind.
During the summer break, Voldemort's remaining two Horcruxes were collected; after the school year began, the new gamekeeper was Mad-Eye Moody; even Harry's p...
That day, after the last Herbology class in the afternoon, Ino followed the rest of the Slytherin students as they slowly exited the greenhouse.
Among his current courses, he felt that only Herbology and Potions offered new knowledge. The rest—whether it was Transfiguration, Charms, or e...
After leaving the sanctuary and returning to the dormitory, Ino also drew back the bed curtains.
He glanced at the clock—7:50 AM.
Unknowingly, he had spent almost an hour in the sanctuary's valley. He cast a quick look at Draco, who was still sound asleep, and then quietly left th...
The next morning.
Under the influence of his powerful biological clock, Ino quietly opened his eyes, then disappeared entirely.
In the valley of the Sanctuary, the air was damp.
With every breath, there was always the scent of soil mixed in the air, likely because the Blue La...
The night had fallen, and the bright moonlight resembled a layer of soft and mysterious silver sand, gently draping over the earth.
At night, whether it was the Hogwarts castle, Beauxbatons' carriage, or Durmstrang's ship, all had fallen into silence.
Around, there was only the occa...
Someone once said that everything in this world is relative.
Black and white, good and evil, even noise and tranquility—they are always in opposition but exist in a state of harmonious balance.
This is indeed the truth. Even in the noisy Great Hall, there are always a few places w...
Hogwarts, the Great Hall during the evening feast.
Filch was about to have his moment of glory.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the castle's caretaker carefully placed the box he was holding onto the table of the guest of honor. After a slight bow, he quietly left the scene.
In the Slytherin dormitory, Ino was lounging on a chair, casually eating candy while chatting with Hermione.
There wasn't anything particularly important being discussed, but the atmosphere of the conversation was pleasant.
As for the reason behind their chat, according to Hermion...
"You want to bet? I'm all in!"
Looking around, Ron became more confident than ever as he noticed that he had almost become the center of attention in the Great Hall.
"Excellent! Very good! This is the kind of excellence that Scarhead talks about."
Draco subtly praised Ron aga...
Late September in the Scottish Highlands.
Due to the geographical location, by six o'clock in the evening, the sky had already begun to darken.
However, no matter how dim the sky became, it could never dampen the enthusiasm of the young wizards at Hogwarts.
It wasn't clear wh...
Everything changes; all things are in a constant state of flux.
Just as Draco was inquiring about the other two schools, a commotion arose from the crowd.
"Look at the sky..."
"What is it? A Pegasus?"
"Pegasus? That's a Beauxbatons Abraxan! You dunderhead, like a gnome...
The last weekend of September 1994.
At the top of the Astronomy Tower, it was close to noon when Ino skillfully said goodbye to Hermione.
Despite spending several hours chatting that morning, he didn't feel bored at all. In fact, he felt as if time had flown by.
---
Th...
Atop the Astronomy Tower.
The potions that once filled the transfigured tea table had long disappeared, replaced by freshly baked flower cakes and honey water.
In truth, when Hermione had taken out a pile of potions earlier, Ino hadn't intended to accept them at first—after all, h...
Twenty minutes earlier…
After Draco left, Ino was about to use a cleaning spell to clear the dishes on the table when he was distracted by the sound of the drawer near his bed vibrating.
He picked up the two-way mirror, and that led him to his visit to the Astronomy Tower...
In the valley of the sanctuary.
Ino watched the food in front of him with interest—a plate of freshly baked flower cakes, freshly toasted bread, crispy biscuits, and a cup of honey water with a hint of olive fragrance.
Although the food looked delicate, it confirmed Blue Lantern's...
There was no doubt about it—this valley, filled with vibrant blooms, could always evoke a sense of hidden peace within people's hearts.
...
In the sanctuary, amidst the vast valley.
A small house, as white as marble, stood prominently. Right in front of the house, three lus...
Sometimes, a change in the atmosphere of a conversation happens in just an instant.
Ino noticed that after he finished speaking, Dumbledore gradually fell into deep thought.
Faced with this contemplation, he didn't intend to break the silence.
…
A long while passed.<...
Hogwarts, Headmaster's Office.
On the sofa, Ino was still digesting the content he had seen in the Chamber of Secrets earlier.
It was simply too sudden—his name was recorded in the Book of Admittance, right after Dumbledore's.
Considering the ten or so renowned wizards whos...