The Transfer Student’s True Identity Was Actually…

Sitting in a corner of the Great Hall and watching the new students put on the Sorting Hat one by one before being assigned to their respective houses, Adam found a question mark popping up over his head.

Beside him, Isidora could not help glancing at him in confusion as well.

"Something probably delayed him."

Adam had wavered for a moment, but he was certain the timing was correct. That left only one possibility—the other person had encountered some trouble on the way to Hogwarts and failed to arrive on time.

That made Adam even more interested in the transfer student’s story. After all, this opening was far too much like that of a "protagonist." Harry Potter would call it professional.

Perhaps after quietly observing for a year, he might get a legendary tale out of it?

He wondered whether the boy would arrive at Hogwarts in a flying Ford car… Wait, did Ford cars even exist in this era?

The transfer student did not appear until the Sorting ended. Professor Black stepped onto the stage to begin her speech. Come to think of it, young Professor Black did bear a slight resemblance to Sirius Black…

At the same time, Adam noticed something. When Professor Black took the podium, she mentioned "Professor Weasley," so the vice-headmistress who had hosted the Sorting was a Weasley?

"Creak—"

The doors of the Great Hall suddenly opened a crack, drawing Adam’s attention away from his idle musings.

An elderly wizard in blue robes squeezed through the gap with an awkward smile and walked toward the speechless Professor Black.

Adam was not focused on the elderly wizard, but on what was outside the doors.

A young man in distinctly Muggle-style clothing stood anxiously outside, peering in through the doorway. What was more remarkable was that his hair was Pure White Angel!

After living in Britain for so many years, this was Adam’s first time seeing someone with naturally white hair. It was not dyed, was it…?

"The traces of Ancient Magic on him are very strong. He must have just come into contact with something related to Ancient Magic."

Isidora had noticed the young man as well. The opening feast was nearly over, so he was clearly the transfer student who had arrived so late—the future companion Adam had mentioned.

"Oh? It seems this junior’s journey to Hogwarts really was quite a winding one."

Both Adam and Isidora had already graduated from Hogwarts. Although Adam technically had not even been born in this era… there was nothing wrong with calling a transfer student younger than them a junior.

Just then, the transfer student seemed to notice Adam’s gaze. He looked up and met Adam’s eyes for an instant, then widened his own in surprise.

Why were there traces of Ancient Magic around these two people?

Adam gave him a small smile and nodded.

Professor Fig—the wizard’s name, as Adam learned from Professor Black—quickly explained the situation to Professor Black. Left with no choice, Professor Black had to add another Sorting session on short notice.

The Sorting Hat returned and wriggled atop the stool. Then Professor Weasley announced the transfer student’s name:

"Yog-Sothoth!"

Adam: ???

"Cough, cough, cough—"

Watching the white-haired boy walk forward, Adam could not help breaking into a violent coughing fit.

"What is it?"

Isidora looked at Adam with concern.

"Nothing… nothing. It is just that name… It is a good one."

That name… was truly inspired!

Still, Adam was only startled when he first heard it. As he had said before, if this truly were that Lovecraftian world, then with the things he knew, his brains would have been cooked by now.

It was probably a coincidence. With so many English letters to arrange and combine, any name could exist. Besides, judging by the time, Lovecraft seemed to have only just been born and was not even a month old yet.

Before long, the Sorting Hat shouted Yog-Sothoth’s house:

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Though the boy’s name was a little bizarre, Adam was still delighted to applaud for the newly joined badger.

"Come on, let’s find somewhere to have dinner."

As Adam watched everyone in the Great Hall begin enjoying the feast, he rose to leave as well.

"Aren’t we going to approach him directly now?"

"There is no need to be so hasty. Today was just to say hello. He has only just arrived in an unfamiliar environment, so let him adjust first."

Adam shook his head.

"Besides, he has only just started encountering Ancient Magic. He cannot help much with the research."

"You are right."

Isidora nodded, then followed Adam out of the Great Hall.

Yog watched in confusion as the two people in the corner left directly through a side door.

"Strange. What exactly were they…?"

Why did they have traces of Ancient Magic on them?

"What?"

A Hufflepuff witch beside Yog looked toward him.

"Did you run into some problem? Maybe I can help."

"Oh, it is nothing…"

Yog instinctively said it was nothing, but after thinking about it, he still frowned and asked:

"Who were those two people sitting in that corner just now? Were they professors?"

"In the corner?"

The witch glanced toward the corner Yog had indicated and blinked.

"There was no one there."

"No one now. I meant the people who were there just a moment ago…"

"There was no one there just now either. That corner was directly across from us. If anyone had been there, I definitely would have seen them. Besides, why would anyone sit in that corner?"

After thinking for a moment, the witch suddenly realized something.

"Could a ghost have passed by there just now, and you mistook it for a person? That is possible."

"…Perhaps."

Yog nodded, but he knew perfectly well that they had not been ghosts. They had been two living, breathing people.

Thinking she had solved Yog’s problem, the witch smiled.

"My name is Pabbie Sweeting. You can call me Pabbie. You have just transferred to Hogwarts, so if there is anything you do not understand, you can ask me. Or you can ask the other students. Everyone is very friendly."

Although she had not resolved his earlier question, her liveliness and friendliness still rubbed off on Yog. Moreover, he knew those two were connected to Ancient Magic, so perhaps there was another explanation. Yog smiled and nodded in reply.

"Alright, Pabbie."

Elsewhere, Adam and Isidora found an abandoned classroom and prepared to eat.

"Hmm, it seems this classroom was not in use a hundred years ago either."

Adam snapped his fingers to clean the classroom, then cast a Transfiguration Charm on the desks and chairs to make them suitably sized and sturdy.

Isidora watched in amazement.

"Whether it is traveling through time or everyday magic like this… even Ancient Magic cannot cast spells with such effortless ease. Your mastery of magic is astonishing, Adam."

"Actually, my cooking is even better."

Adam gave Isidora a slight smile, accepting the compliment before summoning a table full of dishes.

"Try it. A Hogwarts dinner from a hundred years in the future."

Isidora took a bite, then froze where she sat.

"Hmm? What is it?"

Noticing this, Adam looked over and saw that Isidora had eaten the Maoxuewang. He hurriedly warned her.

"Oh, I forgot you did not know. This dish is spicy, and it has animal organs in it. If you cannot eat it, spit it out and rinse your mouth…"

"No!"

Isidora looked at the bright red Maoxuewang with shining eyes.

"Maoxue… wang? I like this dish!"