Dumbledore had everything under control, so when Ian followed the main group back to the Ravenclaw dormitory, a sudden unease made him pause.
"Something feels off... I should check it out."
Making a quick decision, Ian moved to a less conspicuous corner and cast a Disillusionment Charm on himself. The momentary cool sensation washed over him, blending his body into the surroundings like a chameleon. Fortunately, the lingering noise in the hall ensured that no one noticed his absence.
Thanks to the unabridged edition of Standard Book of Spells provided by Dumbledore, his extended study time, and natural magical talent, Ian's spell mastery far exceeded that of most young wizards.
Initially, he had no intention of interfering. He trusted Dumbledore's plans, and to be cautious, he had already given Hermione an obsidian pendant capable of automatically casting a Shield Charm. But the nagging feeling in his chest wouldn't let him ignore the situation—after all, a wizard's intuition was rarely wrong. Dumbledore, despite his wisdom, had made grave mistakes before—mistakes that had cost James and Lily Potter their lives.
Better safe than sorry. There were countless potions in the magical world, but none for regret.
"Point Me."
Exiting the noisy Great Hall, Ian stepped into a quiet corridor, tapped his wand against the floor, and cast the Four-Point Spell to locate Hermione. Once the spell indicated her general direction, he swiftly followed.
After a few minutes, as Ian turned a corner, a putrid stench hit him like a wall. It was an overwhelming blend of rancid summer socks and raw sewage.
Suppressing a gag, Ian quickly cast a Bubble-Head Charm around himself, finally able to breathe freely again. A moment later, he heard the unmistakable, heavy scraping sound of something massive dragging itself along the stone floor.
The troll was near.
Ian observed the hulking creature calmly. It was a Mountain Troll, approximately twelve feet tall, with rough, grayish-white skin resembling cracked stone. Its thick, stubby legs were like tree trunks, and its bloated torso, covered in patches of moss, looked like a massive, decayed barrel. Its head was disproportionately small—closer in size to that of a young child—which only made its massive, brutish body look even more absurd.
Most concerning was the giant wooden club it dragged behind it, scraping the floor and producing a sharp, grating sound.
This would terrify any normal third-year student.
"Harry really is a true Gryffindor."
Ian had only read about trolls in books, but seeing one in person gave him a newfound appreciation for Harry Potter's courage. The fact that a twelve-year-old boy dared to stand against such a beast—even with questionable tactics—was commendable.
Under the cover of the Disillusionment Charm, Ian silently followed the troll to the girls' bathroom. Unlike the original tale, Hermione wasn't sobbing uncontrollably. Her eyes were only slightly red—evidence of another disagreement with Ron at dinner.
However, this time, Hermione wasn't as devastated as in the original timeline. She had friends beyond just Harry and Ron, so while the argument hurt, she wasn't entirely alone.
"Protego."
Even though Hermione still wore the alchemical pendant Ian had given her, he silently reinforced her defenses with another Shield Charm—just in case. As for Harry and Ron? Ian wasn't their caretaker. Besides, at Hogwarts, Harry had no shortage of overprotective figures.
With everything in place, Ian remained hidden, waiting to see if his premonition was justified.
Moments later, the troll lumbered into the bathroom, just as expected. Ian watched as Harry and Ron arrived, and as anticipated, their response was reckless and unorthodox—wand-jabbing, frantic dodging, and an alarming amount of yelling.
Ian resisted the urge to sigh. This is just the warm-up for Harry's future adventures.
Then, at last, the pivotal moment arrived.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" Ron shouted, finally managing to lift the troll's club and drop it squarely on its head, ending the fight in a rather dramatic fashion.
"And that's the end of this little farce."
Sensing a professor approaching, Ian decided to slip away to avoid unnecessary complications. But there was one detail he had overlooked—the bathroom floor was now flooded from the troll's earlier rampage.
As he stepped back, the water rippled. Though the effect was minimal, Hermione—who had fallen to the ground—noticed the faint disturbance. She didn't say anything but simply watched as the invisible presence moved away, a thoughtful expression on her face.
"It wasn't that," Ian murmured to himself as he made his way back to the dormitory. The troll incident wasn't what triggered my unease. But if not this... then what?
His instincts still nagged at him. Something unseen was unfolding, something beyond this pre-planned event.
But for now, all he could do was wait and see.
...
Author's Note ✍️:
From now on, I'll post 1 extra chapter 📖 for every 500 power stones 💎!
...
✅ Check out my Patreon for +20 extra chapters on all my fanfics! 🎉
🔗 [p@treon.com/LordMerlin]
🙏 Thank you for your support! ❤️