No thrilling words, no rest in death.
The youthful-looking Arthur King tossed out a teasing remark and his figure vanished around the corner. Ian's face changed immediately and he hurriedly chased after him, yet at the other end of the corridor, the professor was nowhere to be seen.
"Where is he!"
In sight.
Ian only saw a deserted, long corridor stretching towards the library. Just seconds ago, the Professor of Alchemy had still been in view, but now he had silently disappeared. It was as if he vanished into thin air as he rounded the corner—Ian's eyes couldn't even catch a glimpse of Arthur King's hem.
"Apparition? That can't be right! Hogwarts doesn't allow apparition!" Ian stared blankly down the silent corridor, the uncertainty in his eyes deepening.
It wasn't just the sudden disappearance of the Alchemy professor that was unbelievable; what baffled Ian even more was Arthur King's remark before he vanished.
"But you might not find it enjoyable… Remember I said I could offer you help, ha-ha? Think back, do you regret refusing me now?"
It had indeed happened before that he offered help to the Little Wizard, only to be rejected—a time before Ian was caught in the loop, during the correct timeline. It should have been several hours later, when Ian was researching the Resurrection Stone at the library at night.
The two would meet by chance.
Then, Ian, out of worry that the Professor of Alchemy might covet the Deathly Hallows, rejected the professor's good intentions. This should have been an event that hadn't happened yet.
In fact.
At that time, Ian thought the professor's mention of an alchemical problem referred to his pursuit of the Resurrection Stone's information. But now, it's clear that this mysterious professor was not talking about the Resurrection Stone.
The mark of Slytherin.
This thing is also a creation of Alchemy.
Perhaps Arthur King, this mysterious Professor of Alchemy, had seen through Ian's situation early on and knew Ian would fall into his current predicament because of the mark of Slytherin!
The more Ian contemplated, the stronger this peculiar feeling grew.
"This guy is indeed suspicious!" Ian had suspected Arthur King was problematic because of the extra note earlier; now this mysterious behavior was like a werewolf's self-revelation.
As part of the loop.
How does this guy know about events that haven't happened yet in this timeframe? And judging by his tone, these events that haven't occurred yet clearly belong to the "past" from his perspective!
Arthur King!
He has also already experienced the conversation Ian was supposed to have hours later!
"Is it possible he's like me, not part of this loop? Maybe after noticing my situation, he found a way to tail me, entering this fate that Dumbledore said was intercepted?" This is the only plausible explanation Ian could think of for Arthur King's words just now.
It's hard to imagine someone like him hiding at Hogwarts. After all, even Albus Dumbledore and Grindelwald haven't noticed Ian's condition!
Yet a subtle, forgettable, peripheral character in the original story could immediately spot the change in Ian? Who would believe that in this age, there's a wizard more astute and perceptive than Albus Dumbledore and Grindelwald!
It's completely unreasonable!
Neither scientific nor magical!
Absolutely fantastical and bizarre, feeling quite unreal!
"Things that shouldn't have happened have happened; there must be something special behind it." Ian's thoughts churned in his mind, a bold guess rising within.
Mysterious, with unclear intentions, seemingly in the same state as Ian, this Mysterious Man can't possibly be an ordinary professor meant to live at Hogwarts.
Otherwise.
How could Voldemort thrive throughout seven chapters in the original story, and nearly seize Hogwarts in the final battle? Ian doesn't recall this Professor of Alchemy shining among the resisting professors.
"Could it possibly be just as I thought?" Ian didn't care to tail Quirrell, whose backside had been blown up. He pulled out the Living Map for a look before darting toward the Headmaster's Office.
"He dared to leave a mysterious back view after flaunting in front of me, and then continued to read at the library." Ian found that Arthur King's name hadn't disappeared from the map, instead, it remained boldly displayed in the library, so he took Albus Dumbledore along.
Perhaps feeling insecure.
He also pulled Gellert Grindelwald out from leisurely enjoying lunch in the Great Hall. Of course, he briefly explained the situation and his speculation to the two professors.
"Tsk tsk, isn't this kid playing tricks on us?"
Grindelwald and Dumbledore followed him; Ian marched like a child bringing his Superman uncle to school, straight into the library.
"Right here!"
Ian grabbed the young-looking professor of Alchemy, seemingly unfazed, engrossed in a biography, enjoying it immensely.