Qin Yu tucked away the golden mask and quickly slipped off his cloak, stashing it somewhere on his person where it vanished without a trace.
In moments, he was back in his casual street clothes—the same ones he'd changed into after leaving the hotel, robes long since abandoned.
Just now, he'd used the alchemical mask gifted by Professor Swinton to conceal his appearance and deliver that warning note to Gringotts.
So far, there were no signs of any time reversal.
That meant, as long as he didn't meddle with certain high-level events or objects, he had a surprising amount of freedom to act.
But when it came to raw power, Qin Yu knew he was no match for Professor Quirrell while possessed by Voldemort. Even half-crippled, Tom Marvolo Riddle—the infamous Dark Lord—was still the stuff of nightmares.
So, Qin Yu had chosen to "fight fire with fire," sending a warning to force Gringotts to tighten security. If Quirrell tried to rob the vault as planned, maybe he wouldn't die, but he'd at least have a rough time.
Of course, Qin Yu didn't expect Gringotts to actually catch Quirrell. This was just a little experiment.
Collecting his thoughts, Qin Yu strode out of the alley and headed to a nearby shop.
He genuinely wanted to buy something for Hermione—no excuses needed.
He stopped at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour and asked the clerk to pack up some ice cream and chilled fruit tea.
—The shop used magically enchanted boxes that kept things cold, so he didn't have to worry about the ice cream melting on the way.
"I've added some raspberry jam on the house!" the young clerk said with a bright smile as he handed over the package.
"Thanks!" Qin Yu replied, nodding politely.
"My pleasure! Come back soon!" the clerk called after him, still beaming.
As he left, Qin Yu scratched his nose, feeling the clerk was perhaps a bit too enthusiastic.
"Maybe he remembers me from all the times I come here for ice cream? Well, he's certainly dedicated," Qin Yu mused.
What he didn't know was that after he'd gone, the young clerk watched his retreating figure and murmured, "What a shame—I graduated too early, never got to challenge you on the Quidditch pitch."
"Hello, I'd like an ice cream…" a little girl's voice broke his reverie.
"Of course! What flavor would you like?" The clerk switched instantly to his professional smile, greeting the girl warmly.
"Um, I… I want this one… No, wait, that one… No, let me think…"
Ah, a classic case of indecisiveness. The young clerk had seen plenty of customers like this, so he waited patiently for her to make up her mind.
While he waited, his thoughts drifted to something the old man he respected most had once told him: "I hope you can learn to endure solitude, because I have something truly important for you to do."
Truth be told, working at an ice cream shop was nothing like what he'd pictured for himself back at school, and it didn't really suit his personality.
Still, he believed he was part of something bigger—a cause worth believing in. After all, he trusted that old man, and so did many others.
That old man was the greatest wizard of the age.
…
After packing the cold treats into his bag, Qin Yu visited several more shops, picking up rare magical fruits and trinkets you'd never find in the Muggle world.
He also bought a handful of pretty accessories from the old lady at the general store—things he knew a certain little girl would love.
Once he felt he'd bought enough, he made his way toward the cauldron shop.
When he arrived, Hagrid and Harry were already waiting.
"All set?" Qin Yu asked.
"All set. I've checked the list," Harry replied quickly.
While waiting, he'd gotten so bored he'd gone over the supply list seven or eight times, triple-checking every item.
"Good. Then it's time to head off," said Qin Yu.
The words caught Harry off guard.
He hadn't expected the goodbye to come so soon.
"Let's grab a good meal before we leave," Qin Yu suggested.
"Yeah… okay…" Harry replied, trying to hide his disappointment.
"Don't look so glum—we'll see each other in a month," Qin Yu said, clapping him on the shoulder.
"…Yeah." Harry bit his lip and nodded, eyes downcast.
"If you want, you can have Hedwig send me a letter," Qin Yu added, glancing at the slightly bewildered snowy owl.
"Of course I want to! I'll write to you, Qin!" Harry's head shot up, excitement flickering in his eyes.
He'd been wondering who he could write to with his new owl, and now he finally had someone.
So the three of them—Qin Yu, Hagrid, and Harry—headed to a wizarding restaurant in Diagon Alley. The food was unlike anything Harry had ever tasted.
As he ate, his spirits gradually lifted.
But when the meal ended and it was time to part, the sadness crept back.
From midnight to now, it had been the most extraordinary, fulfilling day of his life—a day he'd never even dreamed was possible.
And Qin and Hagrid were the best people he'd ever met.
Now, with the farewell at hand, he couldn't help but feel a pang of reluctance.
"Parting is just so we can meet again, right, Harry?" Qin Yu said, smiling gently.
"Yeah, you're right, Qin. See you in a month!" Harry perked up, mustering a smile.
"See you in a month," Qin Yu echoed, nodding.
They parted ways outside the Leaky Cauldron.
Since their destinations were different, Hagrid took Harry to the train station for the journey back to Surrey, while Qin Yu made his way to the Grangers' home.
…
Truth be told, Qin Yu also felt today had been incredibly full.
Then again, anyone who'd gone through thirty-nine rounds of time reversal would feel the same.
Aside from what happened at the Gringotts vault, he'd encountered plenty of new faces and events.
Harry was certainly one. Professor Quirrell probably counted as one and a half.
As for the choice he'd made… he still wasn't sure if it was good or bad.
The good part was, he could now anticipate certain events.
The bad part was, he couldn't quit halfway—he could only try to nudge things in a better direction. That was why he'd warned Gringotts.
All these thoughts left Qin Yu feeling a bit restless.
He shook his head, deciding not to dwell on it for now. Instead, the image of a certain brown-haired girl floated into his mind.
He quickened his pace toward the nearest Underground station.
He wanted to get home early, to see her sooner, and show her everything he'd picked out.
Maybe then she wouldn't be so angry.
And, well, perhaps he'd earn a little reward.
With those scattered thoughts, Qin Yu boarded the train home.
——Dimensional Wall——
(The Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour clerk is a cameo from a reader suggestion—he fits perfectly here, and will probably pop up again later.
Lately, I've been revising chapters often, especially Chapter 2. Feel free to check back the next day—usually I just add something at the end, nothing major.)
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