Qin Yu had always kept a keen curiosity and a thirst for discovery, hoping each day would bring something new.
In his previous life, though, he'd been stuck in the grind—a job so predictable he could see the end of it from day one. There was little sense of accomplishment, aside from a fleeting joy on payday; the rest was just mechanical repetition.
No wonder his deepest fear, as revealed by a Boggart, had been an office desk—complete with a stack of weekly reports.
Now, in this magical world, he was being nudged forward by an invisible hand of fate. Sometimes he felt like he had no control, but in a strange way, he finally felt fulfilled.
He explored this familiar-yet-strange world with a mix of caution and excitement, hungry for knowledge, learning from everyone he met, and—most carefully of all—looking after a certain little witch by his side.
Maybe the future was uncertain.
But he'd never considered simply stopping and leaving everything to fate.
That was his way—embrace curiosity, cherish those who matter, and treasure every worthwhile moment.
So, he could throw himself into a pit of snakes to fight a Basilisk for the sake of strength, or just as gladly slip off his robe, tie on an apron, and cook a bowl of longevity noodles for that little girl.
He never tired of it—and he found joy in every bit.
…
"Qin, this part's really confusing. Why do these two sections say totally different things? They even contradict each other!" Hermione piped up again, her nose buried in a thick book.
She'd long forgotten her earlier annoyance, completely absorbed in the vast sea of magical knowledge.
Qin could be annoying, sure, but if he had his little secrets, she chose to respect them—just as Mum respected some of Dad's.
Besides, she had a hunch he'd tell her everything eventually. No need to fret and guess now, piling up unnecessary worries.
Once she'd figured this out, Hermione let go of her irritation after that one little kick. She focused on studying, and when she grew tired, she'd lean against him for a brief rest.
Qin Yu glanced at the passage, thought for a moment, and said, "That's probably just one of those mistakes you find in magical books from time to time."
Hermione tilted her head. "Books can be wrong?"
"Of course. It happens all the time. Maybe the original author didn't fully understand the correct potion-making method, or there were errors and omissions during copying. Sometimes, people even left mistakes on purpose. So what's in the book might not match reality. Later, when someone figures out the truth through practice, they'll record something different."
"Oh, I see… But how do we know which one's right?" Hermione pressed on, always searching for the heart of the matter.
"Simple—you try it yourself!" Qin Yu declared, raising his hand and dramatically waving it forward. "Because—practice is the only standard for testing truth!"
"Oh, I get it." Hermione nodded, then frowned. "But why'd you make that gesture? Is it some sort of special spellcasting motion?"
She mimicked him, raising her own pale arm and giving it a serious wave.
She was a quick study.
"Uh, that's just to add a 'Great Sage Buff'—makes the words sound a lot more powerful!" Qin Yu said, keeping a perfectly straight face.
Hermione: (⊙_⊙)?
Clearly, Hermione was baffled. She had no idea what a "Great Sage Buff" was, nor how you could make words more powerful without a wand. Sure, she knew the Sonorus Charm could make your voice louder, but that required a wand pressed to your throat.
Seeing her confusion, Qin Yu realized he'd lost her. Western girls just didn't get the joke—the essence was lost in translation.
Sigh. Cultural export, truly a long and arduous journey!
Sticking to his "If I'm not embarrassed, I won't feel embarrassed" philosophy, he quickly changed the subject:
"That's not important. What matters is this: If you believe everything you read, you'd be better off with no books at all! That's what an Eastern philosopher named Mencius once said."
"Mmm, that's really profound. I'll remember it!" Hermione said, nodding with utmost seriousness.
She was the very image of a diligent little scholar.
Qin Yu smiled and ruffled her brown hair, feeling a surge of pride.
Hermione just shrugged, helpless to resist. With Madam Pince patrolling nearby, she couldn't exactly protest, so she let him pat her head.
Luckily, Qin Yu didn't push his luck. After a brief, hushed discussion, they both fell silent and returned to their books before Madam Pince could notice anything amiss.
In fact, Hermione's ability to spot contradictions in the text meant she was already delving into more advanced magic.
After all, the basics were universally agreed upon—nobody questioned things as simple as 1+1=2. But as knowledge deepened, disagreements and contradictions became inevitable. That was just how learning worked.
Thinking of this, Qin Yu felt a jolt of urgency. He couldn't afford to slack off, or little Hermione might just surpass him one day.
So, he dove even deeper into the sea of magical knowledge.
Teaching and learning really did go hand in hand—each pushing the other to grow.
…
Late at night.
After being kicked out of the library at closing time by Madam Pince, Qin Yu and Hermione strolled through the quiet castle grounds.
Along the way, Hermione chattered brightly about everything she'd learned, sharing her thoughts and regrets about not having the right ingredients on hand to put her theories to the test.
Qin Yu smiled and advised her not to rush. "Building a solid foundation is what matters most. Advanced potions are definitely more dangerous—without the basics, the consequences can be… well, let's just say not pretty."
"Just look at all the magical accidents that happen to upper-year students every year. Those are the best warnings."
The little witch stuck out her tongue, a bit embarrassed by her own impatience.
She also picked up another Eastern proverb from Qin: "If you're too impatient, you'll never get to eat hot food."
"Qin, I'm starving~" At the word "food," Hermione suddenly stopped, pouting up at him.
"Well… have this. I got it from Hagrid today." Qin Yu pulled a rainbow lollipop from his pocket—a Honeydukes specialty.
The candy shimmered with swirling, iridescent colors.
Hermione knew just how magical these lollipops were—not only beautiful, but each lick revealed a new, delightful flavor.
She couldn't help swallowing.
"But eating sweets at night will give me cavities," she protested, not very convincingly.
"Oh, that's easy—I'll teach you an Oral Cleansing Charm. It'll keep your mouth sparkling clean. No cavities, fresh breath, guaranteed." As he spoke, Qin Yu brought the lollipop to her lips and popped it in before she could object.
Clearly, Hermione had been waiting for this moment. Who could resist a treat offered right to their mouth?
"Hehe, so I can eat whatever I want now and never worry about my teeth again!" she said, grinning around the lollipop.
"Exactly—we're wizards, aren't we?" Qin Yu replied with a laugh.
Many, many years later, whenever she remembered this innocent little conversation, grown-up Hermione would flush with embarrassment and annoyance. She always blamed Qin for her later odd behavior—after all, if he hadn't taught her the Oral Cleansing Charm, she never would have tried so many things…
But Qin Yu always insisted, with perfect innocence, that he'd only taught her for the sake of dental health. Anything else was a misunderstanding—and disrespectful to magic.
—Just like certain authors, who are only interested in dental hygiene. Honestly.
Naturally, such claims got him kicked out of bed—or subjected to other "unique" punishments only the two of them understood.
But that's a story for another time.
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