The Disillusionment Charm—a spell of concealment—could make its target blend into the surroundings like a chameleon, matching both color and texture to near perfection.
A more advanced version allowed the caster to mask specific features according to their needs. For instance, a winged horse's wings could be hidden from Muggle eyes, ensuring the wizard keeping it wouldn't risk exposure.
As for the highest tier of the Disillusionment Charm, rumor had it that it could render someone truly invisible—practically as effective as donning an Invisibility Cloak.
It sounded impressive, and it was. Casting it, however, was no easy feat. Dumbledore could certainly do it; even someone of Snape's caliber could manage a partial invisibility effect, though never as flawless as the Headmaster.
Qin Yu had practiced the spell under Snape's watchful eye, but at best, he'd only managed to make his colors vaguely match the background.
All things considered, a high-level Disillusionment Charm was a valuable tool—almost like gaining a second Invisibility Cloak.
With the system offering such a reward, how could Qin Yu not be tempted? If he relied on his own practice, it would probably take two or three years to master it. The system's shortcut was simply irresistible.
Faced with the system's two options, if he hadn't brought Hermione along, Qin Yu would have chosen Option Two without hesitation. But with Hermione here, he found himself wavering.
Maybe Option One wasn't so bad, he thought.
"Qin, what's on your mind?" Hermione looked up, catching the thoughtful look on his face.
"I just remembered there's something I need to do in Diagon Alley… but it's nothing urgent," Qin Yu replied offhandedly.
"Well, you should go do it then! We don't have anything else planned. Besides, you always say if something needs to be done, there's no point putting it off. Did you forget your own advice?" Hermione said, almost primly.
Her words caught Qin Yu off guard for a moment.
She was right—some things simply couldn't be avoided, and putting them off was pointless.
As a transmigrant, he should know this better than anyone. He knew just how tough the future could be.
Maybe the peaceful days had made him complacent, almost forgetting how much effort it would take to change his fate.
His gaze sharpened. He nodded. "You're right. Some things can't be run from, and there's no reason to delay."
"Mm!" Hermione beamed, clearly pleased to have given him a taste of his own medicine. "Do you need me to come with you?"
"No need. You stay here and read. It'll be easier for me to handle alone," Qin Yu said, shaking his head.
There was no way he'd bring Hermione along for this. She'd be perfectly safe at Flourish and Blotts.
"Alright." She sounded a bit disappointed, but nodded obediently.
Then she pointed at her empty cup, biting her lip shyly. "Um… Qin, could I have another juice?"
"Of course! I'll ask the owner to bring you one. I'll leave some money with her, so if you want anything else, just let her know," Qin Yu said with a smile.
"That's wonderful! Thank you, Qin!" Hermione grinned.
"No need to be so polite." Qin Yu stood, ruffled her hair, and headed downstairs.
"Option Two," he thought silently.
Ding! Your choice is courageous. Please complete your investigation quickly. Good luck! the system responded.
As Qin Yu reached the bottom of the stairs, he glanced back at Hermione by the window, nose buried in her book. She seemed to sense his gaze, tilted her head, flashed a bright smile, and waved, signaling him to go handle his business and not to worry.
What a sweet, sensible little sister, he thought, waving back before heading out.
He left a pile of Galleons with the shopkeeper, asked her to bring Hermione another glass of Bertie Bott's Special Juice, and hurried out to track down the young man.
It hadn't been long since he'd spotted the suspicious figure, so Qin Yu quickly picked up his trail. He kept a safe distance, tailing the man as he wandered through the crowd. The man's movements were jittery and tense—he clearly wasn't here to shop.
After about ten minutes, the man glanced at a magical clock in a shop window, then sped up, slipping away from the busy street into quieter alleys.
Suddenly, he vanished.
Qin Yu hurried after him and discovered he'd ducked into a narrow, empty alleyway.
The young man stopped in the alley, looking anxious, as if waiting for someone.
Since the alley was short and open at both ends, Qin Yu didn't risk waiting at the entrance. Instead, he climbed a nearby tree—its dense winter foliage offering perfect cover.
Nearly ten minutes later, as the young man in the alley paced restlessly, someone appeared at the opposite end and strode toward him.
Qin Yu slid down from the tree, crept to the alley's mouth, and crouched behind a pile of junk, peering through a gap in a broken board.
"You're late! No sense of time at all," the young man snapped.
"You insisted on meeting here. I had to take a detour to avoid being seen by acquaintances," the newcomer replied, voice muffled by a deep hood—he sounded like a man in his thirties.
"You could've gotten here early. Meeting here is safest for both of us," the young man grumbled.
"Honestly, we ought to trust each other more. For the greater good, after all," the cloaked man said.
"Save it. We're not like you lot. At least we don't judge our fellow wizards by blood," the young man sneered.
"Alright, alright, let's set the ideology aside. We both need this cooperation, don't we?" the cloaked man said, his tone softening.
"Fine. I'm not against working together… though the decision isn't mine," the young man replied, less confrontational now.
The cloaked man extended a hand, offering a key. "Let's get down to business. We're satisfied with the goods. Here's payment for the second batch."
The young man took the key and handed over a small pouch.
The cloaked man checked inside, nodded in satisfaction, and offered his hand. The young man shook it, albeit reluctantly.
But just then, a commotion at the alley's entrance startled them—a loud meow, a yelp of pain, and the crash of a fallen board.
"Who's there?" "Who is it?" Both men spun around, wands drawn.
A figure appeared at the mouth of the alley.
But before either could finish their incantations, a spell hit them first.
"Expelliarmus!"
Clatter! Clatter!
Both wands hit the ground.
Terror flashed across their faces. Their assailant was not only powerful, but decisive—clearly not someone to be trifled with.
"Wait, let's talk—" the cloaked man began.
"Stupefy!"
Before he could finish, a second spell sent both men crashing to the ground, unconscious.
Nearly a minute passed before the figure approached, cautiously kicking each man to make sure they were out.
"Phew, looks like that's sorted," a young voice muttered.
With a flick, the Disillusionment Charm faded, revealing Qin Yu's sharp, handsome features.
He'd been hiding in what turned out to be a stray cat's "home." When the cat returned and found an intruder, it immediately attacked. Qin Yu, focused on the alley, had been caught off guard and scratched across the hand.
He'd yelped in pain, dropped the board, and made enough noise to alert the two men.
At that point, there was nothing for it but to act. Relying on the reflexes Professor Snape had drilled into him, he fired off Expelliarmus and Stupefy in quick succession, taking both men down before they could react.
—The Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery mainly targeted spellcasting in front of Muggles. In a place like Diagon Alley, surrounded by wizards, Qin Yu could cast spells freely.
"Talk it out? What on earth would I have to discuss with you two?" Qin Yu sneered.
The world was dangerous. Better to strike first and ask questions later—he had no intention of chatting after the fact.
He rolled up the men's sleeves. On the young man's wrist was that infamous symbol: a black triangle, a circle, and a vertical line.
The legendary Deathly Hallows mark—Grindelwald's symbol.
The other man's inner wrist bore a vivid red tattoo: a serpent emerging from a skull's mouth.
At the sight, Qin Yu's scalp tingled.
Merlin's beard! A Death Eater and a Purist—Grindelwald's Army—all in one go? Wasn't this a bit much for a casual afternoon?
He pocketed the key and pouch, then, hearing voices nearby—probably passersby—made a quick exit. He couldn't very well drag two unconscious men with him.
…
…
"Wow, Qin, where did this little cat come from?" Hermione's eyes shone with delight when she saw the small yellow cat in Qin Yu's arms.
There was no resisting the cuteness of a kitten—especially for a girl like her.
"Sigh, picked it up on the street. Looks like a stray. I gave it a wash… I'm planning to take it to the pet shop, though I'm not sure they'll take it," Qin Yu said, resigned.
The cat had attacked him, but he'd invaded its home first—and stepped on its battered toy puppet. When he left the alley, the little yellow cat had trembled, clearly realizing this boy was not to be trifled with.
Feeling sorry for it, Qin Yu had cast a quick cleaning charm and brought it back.
"Can I hold him?" Hermione asked, eyes shining with hope.
"…Sure, but be careful. He scratched me just now," Qin Yu warned.
"Oh no, are you alright?" Hermione looked at his hands in concern.
"I'm fine. I already got some healing potion from the apothecary," Qin Yu showed her his hand—the scratches had nearly vanished after a healing charm and the right potion.
Only then did Hermione relax, and she immediately began to scold the little yellow cat: "How could you bully Qin? He's so kind and gentle. Look, he even brought you back…"
The kitten whimpered, though whether it understood "gentle" or "kind" was anyone's guess.
The two of them were now on the ground floor of Flourish and Blotts. Since Qin Yu had left money and told Hermione to buy whatever she liked, she'd carefully chosen a few books and had the owner pack them in a canvas bag.
When Qin Yu returned, the shopkeeper handed him back a pile of Galleons.
Seeing that the coins had barely diminished, Qin Yu thought, This girl really is thrifty—she even knows to save money for me.
He took the bag of books, Hermione cradled the little yellow cat, and together they left the shop.
"Hmm? Why'd you buy this one too?" Qin Yu asked, glancing at the titles as they walked.
"I saw you reading it for ages, and the owner said it'd been sitting there for years. It was on sale for just five Sickles, so I bought it too," Hermione explained, a little embarrassed. "You… don't dislike it, do you?"
"No, actually, it's pretty good—quite original, in fact. And five Sickles? That's a bargain! We definitely got our money's worth," Qin Yu grinned.
"Hehe, I'm glad!" Hermione giggled, her smile as bright as ever.
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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