Not only did Ian not have a big, fluffy Dumbledore waiting for him, but there was also no owl swooping in to deliver letters as a surprise.

  Iahat his journey into the world of magic had been quite a winding one. For others, their introdus to this enting realm came from kind professors like Magall or the lovable, bumbling Hagrid, who made it easy to feel affe.

  So why, then, did Ian find himself in the pany of the least favored Half-Blood Prince of Hogwarts?

  Yes.

  The man sitting before him wore a rge, bck, disheveled robe, and his greasy hair looked like it hadn't seen shampoo in years. He was in the Director's office at the Orphanage, and he was her than Severus She current Head of Slytherin House.

  This professor had many titles: a genius in potions, a man grappling with a long-standing midlife crisis, and even an ultimate invincible pure love warrior (a rather odd bel, to say the least).

  Of course.

  The most notorious title associated with Snape was his past as a Death Eater uhe Dark Lord. Iahat Snape was now a double agent w for Dumbledore, but the shadow of his Death Eater past loomed rge.

  The ominous aura surrounding him was hard to ignore.

  Because of this, having Snape as his guide was hardly good news for Ian.

  "Ian, e in quickly!"

  The Head of the Orphaiced Ian's arrival immediately, as the door was right in front of her desk. She smiled warmly and waved him in.

  Ian stepped inside and closed the door behind him.

  Outside, the voices of the children could be heard, wailing.

  "Poor little Ian finally gets a better life, thank God," Mrs. Helena said happily as she introduced Ian to the brooding Shis is Ian, the most sensible and beloved child here."

  "I believe that despite his poor background, he will bee one of the best students at your school. Even the noble children won't be as clever as Ian," she tinued, generously praising him.

  Ia a bit embarrassed. After all, he was an adult soul from another world. paring himself to the other children didn't seem quite fair.

  "I hope so," Snape said, his gaze fixed on Ian as he sat across from Mrs. Helena.

  From the moment Iaered, Snape's eyes had not left his face. His expression was unreadable, making Ian uneasy.

  Was this… guilt?

  With his extraordinary ability of itive Perception, Ian could seeions and deep desires from others.

  At that moment, Snape's emotional turmoil alpable. This unusual feeling reminded Ian of something Dumbledore had once said.

  Was this the professor who felt ied to him, as Dumbledore mentiohis man before him, Snape… Ia fused. He wasn't Harry Potter, nor was he Lily Potter's illegitimate child.

  So, what was the source of Snape's emotions?

  "What are you doing?! This is impossible!?"

  Suddenly, as Ian pondered in fusion, Snape's eyes fshed with disbelief, his face filled with uainty. His gaze toward Ian became sharp and unfortable.

  "Huh?"

  Ian, startled, stepped back a few paces.

  Mrs. Helena was also puzzled by Snape's rea.

  "Legilimency! Mr. Prince, Dumbledore old me that you possessed such a talent!" Snape's eyes flickered with agitation.

  Surprise? Unease? ?

  His expression was cold and stern as he stared at Ian, and the emotional fluctuations he was giving off became more and more evident. The iy of these emotions only deepened Ian's fusion.

  What exactly was going on with this potions professor? Could it be that he was Snape's and a Muggle's illegitimate child? That Snape couldn't have Lily Potter, so he found a Muggle who resembled her, had a child, and threw him into an orphanage?

  That seemed impossible! This... was just too bizarre, too illogical!

  The more curious Ian became, the more pronounced his ability to seions grew.

  As a result...

  "I said, enough!"

  Sone suddenly rose several degrees.

  His voice was harsh.

  "I... I 't trol it..."

  Ian, now nervous, hadn't expected So detect his itive Perception ability. Nor had he anticipated that this ability would be mistaken for the magic of Legilimency.

  "Professor, perhaps trolling your emotions might help calm the situation a little?" Ian quietly suggested, given that Snape seemed to be getting more and mitated.

  "Hmph!"

  Sook a long, displeased breath. After closing his eyes for a moment to collect himself, Ia his heightened perception gradually fade.

  "What did you see?"

  When Snape opened his eyes again, disbelief still lingered on his face.

  "I didn't see your memories. I just sense your emotions. It seems like your mind is a little uled?" Ian answered holy.

  Sinape had already noticed his anomaly, trying to ceal his ability was clearly pointless. For wizards, certain special gifts weren't a major .

  "A natural Legilimens... This is quite impressive... Mr. Prince, do you think that with such a gift, you feel entitled to do whatever you want, as if fate has given you special treatment?"

  Snape's gaze now held unmistakable anger.

  His tone was as cold as ice.

  It was as though he was f the words out, his voice loud enough for Ian to subsciously g Mrs. Helena. However, Mrs. Helena was still smiling at the two of them.

  Every now and then, she nodded.

  Clearly,

  The versatioween Ian and Snape, whether it was what Mrs. Helena heard or saw, was likely very different from what was actually happening.

  "fundus charm..."

  Ian looked at Mrs. Helena, who seemed to be cut off from the reality around them.

  For some reason, he felt a strange heaviness in his chest.

  "I'm asking you a question, Mr. Prince. You dare disregard a professor before even starting at Hogwarts? If this were at Hogwarts, I'd make sure you'd receive a—"

  Snape's voice dripped with sarcasm, but suddenly, he stopped mid-sentence. His expression grew as dark as if he had swallowed something that had caught in his throat.

  "Sorry, Professor, I truly 't trol it."

  Ia quite helpless.

  "'t trol it? Then learn to trol it!"

  Snape scolded sternly.

  "Uh…"

  Perhaps Ian's ag had an effect. Seeing him adopt a helpless and pitiful look, Snape chewed on his cheek, and his tone softened slightly.

  "As the House professor, I'm only giving you this warning out of kindness. Before you gain enough strength, any behavior that might provoke other wizards is a foolish act of provocation."

  "Hogwarts is generally tolerant of students, but the dition is that you behave like a well-behaved child and don't act like those irritating Gryffindors who are always causing trouble."

  Snape's voice was extremely serious.

  However, wheioning Gryffindor,

  His tone carried an unmistakable disdain.

  "What's Gryffindor?"

  Ian attempted to ge the subject, his expression one of feigned ignorand fusion.

  "Heh, just a bunch of simple-minded, muscle-bound fools. At Hogwarts, smart people keep their distance from them, or they'll quickly find themselves in trouble."

  Snape mocked with enthusiasm.

  However, this kind of response clearly fell into the "a word is worth a thousand" category.

  He didn't bother expining that Gryffindor was a House.

  "Alright, professor."

  Ian didn't ask further ue.

  Instead, he acted obediently, which made Snape's furrowed brows loosen a little.

  "Madam, I o take this child now to plete some necessary formalities." Suro Mrs. Helena, no longer looking at Ian.

  In the moment,

  It was as if Mrs. Helena, who had been disected for a while, finally regained focus, her expression and eyes returning to normal. She respoo Sh a bright smile.

  "Of course, of course. The headmaster has already taken care of everything, and Ian leave with yht now." She then urged Ian to pack his belongings.

  Since Ian had been preparing for a while,

  Most of his things were already packed inte suitcase.

  So,

  Soon, he was dragging a massive suitcase out of the room. Given that Ian was only eleven, the suitcase was slightly taller than him.

  As soon as he stepped out of the bedroom,

  Ian saw Mrs. Helena, several orphaaff members, and almost all the children, waiting for him in the orphanage courtyard.

  Sood in a more distant open space, exuding an air of "don't e near"—even familiar people likely wouldn't want to approach him.

  "Ian, Ian, will y us chocote when you e back?"

  "Don't worry, Ian, I'll take care of your room and the little cart for you."

  "u, Ian, please don't die, okay? They said we won't see you again."

  ...

  The children all expressed their reluce at Ian's impendiure.

  As the leader of the Orphanage children,

  Everyone had deep feelings for Ian... Even the five-year-old girl who misuood "not seeing him again" as "he's going to die" held Ian in high regard.

  Perhaps,

  One day, such feelings and bonds might ge with the passage of time, fading as people grow older and go their separate ways.

  But at this moment, the reluce everyone showed would never diminish in the slightest.

  "Ian, don't look back. Your future will be bright." Mrs. Helely touched Ian's cheek, her eyes filled with tears, and she gave him a meaningful afelt piece of advice.

  The other children couldn't uand the implication, but that didn't mean Ian didn't.

  "Professor, I e back during the holidays, right?"

  He called out loudly to Snape, who stood in the distance.

  "That's your business, don't bother me with such stupid things."

  Sone was full of impatience, but he stood quietly in the shadow by the wall, n Ian in any way.

  "I'll definitely e back, this is home, isn't it?"

  Ian walked up to Mrs. Helena and embraced her. "If it weren't for your dedication and ge to this pce, this orphanage wouldn't be filled with so much joy and ughter."

  "We will all have a future, I promise." Ian's voice was full of siy.

  "Ian… you don't have to…" Mrs. Helena's voice cracked as she tightly embraced him. The other children around them started chatteriedly.

  "Now it's my turn to hug Ian!"

  "Anna! You're hugging him too long!"

  "Allen! You've smeared snot on Ian's clothes!"

  ...

  Ian said his goodbyes to nearly everyone.

  He refused anyone's help and dragged his suitcase over to Snape.

  Uhe watchful eyes of everyone, Ian had a few words with Snape, and then Snape led him out through the rge iron gate, gradually disappearing into the misty streets of London.

  "Ian will definitely make something of himself. He's such a thoughtful, heart-wreng child." The cook i was g untrolbly, his voice filled with unwavering belief.

  "Indeed, I never doubted that."

  Mrs. Helena also firmed it, wiping her eyes. She turo fort the children, only to feel a heavy sensation in her pocket.

  As if sensing something, Mrs. Helena quickly reached into her pocket.

  A thivelope ulled out.

  "When did this…?"

  Mrs. Helena was stunned.

  She opehe envelope.

  Her hands trembled untrolbly.

  "This child…"

  Her voice was shaking.

  Ihe new envelope was a stack of British pounds. While the individual notes weren't rge, scattered, ahey added up to a siderable amount, enough to provide for the orphanage children during a warm and full winter.

  (End of This Chapter)