"You can't take him!" Vernon Dursley clung to the doorframe, bellowing after the three figures stepping out into the storm.
The tempest still raged, but Qin Yu, Hagrid, and Harry stood outside, untouched by wind or rain.
Hagrid leveled his umbrella at Vernon, its tip serving as a silent warning not to try anything foolish. Truth be told, Hagrid had never liked the man—especially after hearing him insult Hogwarts and even Dumbledore. If not for the fact that Vernon was a Muggle, Hagrid might have taught him a lesson then and there.
"Mr. Dursley, why don't you just head home? We're only taking Harry out for a little shopping. He'll be back at your house on Privet Drive soon enough," Qin Yu said with perfect politeness to Harry's rotund uncle.
Vernon's mouth opened for another protest, but Qin Yu ignored him, lifting an old-fashioned glass oil lamp and leading Harry down toward the small dock at the edge of the rocks.
Two boats awaited them.
One was the battered little vessel that had ferried the Dursleys over. The other—a bit sleeker and sturdier—was the one Qin Yu and Hagrid had taken.
Once aboard the more refined boat, Qin Yu set the oil lamp at the prow.
Harry couldn't help but keep glancing at that lamp. When Qin and Hagrid decided to leave, he'd worried about braving the storm. But the moment Qin produced the lamp and lit it, the wind and rain seemed to part around them, as if an invisible sphere now shielded the entire boat.
"Rowing in a storm is a bit of a hassle," Qin Yu said, lounging on the bench, "but that hut was unbearable. If Hagrid and I stayed there, your aunt and uncle wouldn't have gotten a wink of sleep."
"Yeah, I couldn't sleep there either..." Harry admitted.
"Then let's get a move on, Hagrid! We'll find a place to rest once we're ashore," Qin Yu urged, giving Hagrid a conspiratorial wink.
"Ah, you're always getting me into trouble... Listen, Qin, Harry, you two mustn't breathe a word about me using magic," Hagrid grumbled.
Because of past misdeeds, Hagrid's wand had been snapped and he was forbidden from casting spells. But a piece of it lived on, hidden inside his pink umbrella, which he used for the occasional bit of secret magic.
Under Harry's curious gaze, Hagrid tapped the boat's side with his umbrella. Instantly, the little boat surged forward, slicing through the waves as if guided by an unseen hand.
Qin Yu could have managed such a simple spell himself, but using magic outside school grounds wasn't exactly wise. Better to let Hagrid take the risk.
Despite the howling storm, their boat glided smoothly and steadily.
Qin Yu even broke out a packet of candied fruit, sharing some with Harry as they listened to Hagrid recount the tale of Voldemort and the fateful Halloween night ten years ago.
"...James and Lily—your mum and dad—were killed that night by Vol—by You-Know-Who. That scar on your head is what he left behind. For some reason, his curse didn't work on you... and then he vanished. Some say he's dead, but Dumbledore reckons he's not so easy to kill. I carried you out of the wreckage and brought you to your aunt and uncle..."
As Hagrid told the story, Harry touched the lightning bolt scar on his forehead, brow furrowed, lost in fragments of memory—if they could even be called memories at all.
Qin Yu watched, unsure how to comfort him, and simply patted the boy's shoulder.
He'd half expected Harry to cry. Instead, Harry sniffed, forced a smile, and said, "Thank you, Hagrid, for saving me... and thank you, Qin, for bringing my letter today!"
Qin Yu nodded quietly to himself, impressed by the boy's resilience.
The rest of the journey passed in silence. Compared to the wild storm, the little boat felt almost peaceful. Before long, Harry drifted off to sleep, head resting on Qin Yu's shoulder, hand gripping the corner of Hagrid's coat.
…
Once they made landfall, Qin Yu and Hagrid searched for an inn, Hagrid carrying the sleeping Harry Potter on his back.
They eventually found a reasonably clean railway hotel. Qin Yu paid for the room—he didn't have much cash, so they couldn't afford anything fancy.
Harry and Qin Yu each took a bed; Hagrid sprawled out on the carpet. Even so, it was a palace compared to that wretched hut.
It was late. Qin Yu fell asleep almost instantly.
When he woke at dawn, he found Harry curled up in a blanket, dozing at his bedside.
"Qin, you're awake?!" Harry blinked sleepily, then beamed.
"When did you wake up?" Qin Yu asked, frowning.
"Just before sunrise, I think..." Harry mumbled.
Qin Yu sighed, letting it go. He got up and roused the still-snoring Hagrid.
After a simple breakfast, the three made their way to the nearest station and caught the earliest train to London.
And through it all, Qin Yu paid for everything. Hagrid was hopeless with Muggle money—a big reason he'd asked Qin Yu to come along in the first place.
…
Once in London, Qin Yu and Hagrid led Harry straight to Diagon Alley.
By the time they reached the Leaky Cauldron, it was already past one in the afternoon.
Stepping inside, Harry gazed around in awe at the assortment of witches and wizards, much as Qin Yu had on his own first visit. But Harry was far more nervous and shy—after all, he was just an ordinary eleven-year-old, whereas Qin Yu's body housed a grown man's soul.
Unlike the anxious and curious Harry, Qin Yu's expression grew tense the moment he entered, his brows knitting as if wrestling with some thorny dilemma.
"…Host, please make your choice immediately!"
As Harry was recognized by the barkeep, Tom, thanks to his lightning scar, the system's impatient voice resounded in Qin Yu's mind.
Of course—the moment he'd stepped into the pub, the system had appeared, demanding he make a choice.
And the reason? It sat in a shadowy corner: a pale, turbaned man with haunted eyes.
—Quirinus Quirrell.
Or, as most would call him, Professor Quirrell.
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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