Movies are, after all, just movies.

  They are strained by special effects, by camera angles, and what they present is merely a glimpse of Diagon Alley.

  When Ian truly stepped foot here, he realized it was far from the small-town market many people jokingly described, nor was it some backward, deg relic of the past. It was the most prosperous gathering pce for wizards in the British Isles!

  "This is really... a dream e true!" Ian was thrilled.

  He didn't experiehe usual hat apanies Apparition for the first time. Upon refle, he thought it must have beeo the potion from Snape, which was far superior to milk in terms of taste.

  He never imagined Snape could have such a thoughtful side, whipletely challenged Ian's perception of the man. This also made him think back to what Dumbledore had said.

  What kind of debt could cause So show suexpected kindness, something so unlike his usual nature? "Could it be that my parents in this life actually died during one of his Death Eater missions?" Ian thought, his mind rag.

  At that moment,

  "Keep up."

  Snape had released his grip on Ian's ned walked ahead without turning back. Ian quickly grabbed his rge suitcase and followed behind.

  The street was crowded, but Snape maintained a steady pace, ensuring Ian could keep up without being lost ihrong.

  "Professor, where are we going? Is it the bank?" Ian asked curiously.

  "That's Gringotts. Don't apply Muggle logic to try to uand the rules of the wizarding world." Snape's voice was cold, but he still offered a brief remio Ian.

  "Focus your mind and trol your power. Everyone here is a wizard. They won't spare you just because you're a child. Dark wizards could easily capture you for some nefarious purpose." Snape's ominous tone was a clear warning for Ian to avoid using his heightened awareo provoke other wizards.

  "I'll try..." Ian tried to clear his mind, which did reduce the sensitivity of his heightened awareness somewhat. He truly couldn't fully trol this ability.

  To distract himself, Ian started to get curious about the magical creatures that lived alongside wizards.

  Besides magical creatures, fantastical beings like giants and dwarves existed in this magical world. Ian articurly curious about how truly ugly real goblins looked.

  However, Snape didn't take him totts.

  "The books required for first-year at Hogwarts," Snape directed Ian to their first stop, Flourish and Blotts Bookseller, a shop that sold various magical books. Behind it, a pure-blood family likely monopolized the textbook sales for the entire wizarding world in Britain.

  Just like the schools Ian attended before crossing over, where students were instructed to buy workbooks abooks from specific bookstores, Ian didn't believe there wasn't any form of vested i behind this arra.

  "Alright, Professor Snape."

  The bookstore clerk was evidently familiar with Hogwarts staff. He even seemed a bit intimidated by Shough Ian wasn't sure if he was a fwarts graduate.

  "I don't even know which textbooks I need. I haven't received my acceptater from Hogwarts yet." Ian mumbled from behind Snape.

  "Do you really care about a meaningless piece of paper?" Snape g him.

  "I just feel like something's missing." Ian blinked his eyes.

  "Ha, what a ughable obsession."

  Snape shen reached into his robes to pull out a crumpled piece of paper, tossing it at Ian's position as if he were discarding trash.

  Ian hurriedly extended his hand to catch it.

  On the paper, the most promi feature was a rge letter "H" formed by a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a shis was Ian's acceptater.

  Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

  (Supreme Mugwump of the Iional federation of Wizards (ICW), Merlin's Order First Css, Grand Sorcerer, Chief Sorcerer of Wizengamot)

  Dear Mr. Prince,

  leased to inform you that you have been accepted to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Enclosed is a list of required books and equipment. The term begins oember 1st. We will await your owl response by July 31st.

  Deputy Headmistress, Minerva Magall

  …

  At the end of the notice, there was a long appendix, mostly listing the items that udents o purchase. Ian quickly skimmed through it and got a general idea.

  "Well, now, Mr. Picky, are you satisfied?" Snape's voice was as drawn-out as usual, and he even gave Ian a niame that was somewhat irritating.

  "I thought I'd see Hogwarts' owl, though." Ian pouted.

  "Instead of fog on useless vanity, you'd be better off thinking about how to learn useful skills at school so you avoid a miserable life like those Hufflepuffs."

  As Snape said this, the bookstore clerk, carrying a rge pile of books, happeo walk over. From the clerk's expression, which was a mix of frustration aance, Ia Snape might have been teag him a lesson while also mog the clerk.

  This guy really had a terrible personality.

  "Thank you."

  Ian didn't want to bee the target of rese because of Snape, so he quickly and sihahe clerk, taking the thick stack of books.

  "Don't believe Snape. Hufflepuff has produced many great wizards, like Sder, the author of Where to Find Magical Creatures."

  "Being a Hufflepuff would be an honorable thing." The clerk whispered in defense of Hufflepuff as he hahe books to Ian.

  "I think so too." Ian smiled and quietly responded.

  The clerk patted his head with a satisfied expression.

  "15 Galleons, thank you."

  At this moment, the front desk of the bookstore spoke up just in time. Before Ian could respond, Snape pulled out a small poud walked over to the ter to pay for the books.

  "Is this a student loan, Professor?" Ian was still hoping to exge mo Gringotts himself.

  "That's not your ," Snape replied coldly.

  After paying, Siced Ian struggling to stuff the books into his already overstuffed suitcase. He then raised his hand and cast a charm on the clothes and items in Ian's bag.

  "Reducio."

  The moment,

  As various messy items shrank and Ian was easily able to pce the books into his suitcase.

  "That's amazing!"

  Ian's expression was full of excitement.

  "Just a friendly remihis magily sts for 24 hours. If you don't take the items out by then... Heh, you wouldn't want to see that kind of se."

  After saying that, Snape swished his robes and walked toward the door.

  Ian quickly followed.

  Indeed, with Snape's charm, the suitcase felt much lighter. The magic was truly incredible— it was like even Lavoisier couldn't keep his coffin lid down.

  'The servation of mass is broken!?'

  'This is so uific!'

  'But I love it!'

  Ian's desire to learn magic grew stronger.

  "Professor! Wait up!"

  With Snape's increasing pace, Ian could only sprint with his much shs.

  Then,

  Ian was led by So purchase other ies, and throughout the entire process, Ian watched as Snape tinuously pulled out moo pay.

  In fact,

  When they were buying a refining potion's cauldron, the clerk had already brought out the standard stude, but Snape instructed the clerk to repce the cauldron with a brass cauldron instead.

  It was more expensive.

  Much more expehan the regur one.

  "Professor, the letter said we o buy a tin cauldron, standard size number 2," Ian said uainly, holding his letter.

  Uedly,

  Snape responded with a mog tone as he paid.

  "It seems Mr. Prince believes he has learned all there is to know and now feels the o advise me, the Potions Professor, on what the correct choice is?"

  The biting sarcasm left Ian speechless.

  If it weren't for Snape stantly paying for everything, Ian would have had the ce to retort— holy, he was more fused now than ever before.

  Could it be that

  Snape really killed his biological parents while serving as a Death Eater, betraying his sce? If not, how could Snape's special treatment of him be so unusual?

  He was at a loss!

  (End Of Chapter)