"Miss Granger, I must correct you—what you just said is absolutely not right! I didn't go after that newspaper because it was more important than you. It's just that there happened to be something in it I needed to see."
Qin Yu said this with a rare seriousness.
"Oh," Hermione nodded, then immediately pressed, "So what is more important than me?"
"…"
Really, now? That's how you want to play it?
Qin Yu reached out and gave the girl across from him a fierce head rub, grumbling, "Nothing's more important than you! You're more important than anything! You're the most important!"
"Hm~ hm~ hm~"
The little witch hummed in satisfaction, swinging her legs happily as she waved him off. "Alright, alright, enough with the nonsense—just get to the point. What were you actually doing just now?"
"…"
Isn't it possible that you're the one who never gets to the point?
Qin Yu shot her an exasperated look, only to see her raise her pretty, polished chin in triumph.
Fine, whatever. Time to get serious—no point arguing with her.
Ignoring her smug little smile, Qin Yu began to recount what had happened.
…
Let's rewind to when Qin Yu had gone downstairs for juice.
After paying, he waited at the counter while the pretty clerk mixed his drinks and chatted him up—asking if he went to a magic school, what year he was in, his favorite subject, whether he liked any little witches, and so on.
Qin Yu answered what he could, polite and friendly as always.
While he waited, a hurried-looking, middle-aged wizard in a gray deerstalker hat came up to the counter and asked about drinks. The clerk handed him a menu.
The wizard set a newspaper on the counter and started browsing the menu.
Since the paper was right next to him, Qin Yu glanced over and immediately caught the massive headline:
"Rising Star in Magical Politics, or Source of Chaos?"
Underneath, he spotted a subheading with "G.A." in bold.
"Why is everyone talking about those people today?" he thought, remembering what he'd overheard in the Leaky Cauldron.
Curiosity piqued, he kept reading.
There was a moving photo attached—a group shot. In the corner, he spotted a face he knew all too well.
—It was his old teacher, his sworn second brother.
No mistake: "Stephen Swenton."
But how could that be?
Wasn't Swenton supposed to be traveling in Egypt? He'd written that he was busy with research, no time for letters…
So who was this, really?
Had Swenton lied to them? Or was it just someone who looked eerily similar?
Qin Yu was baffled.
He leaned in for a closer look, but before he could make out the details, a hand snatched the newspaper away and rolled it up.
"Hey—wait!"
Qin Yu blurted out, half frustrated, half anxious. The man who'd taken the paper paused, startled, and glanced back at him.
"Sorry, sir, could I borrow your paper for a moment?" Qin Yu quickly apologized, realizing he was being rude.
"Ah, I'm afraid I can't. I'm in a rush to catch the next magical train—have to leave right now! I don't even have time to wait for my drink," the man replied, sincere but hurried.
"I see…" Qin Yu didn't press, but quickly asked, "Could I trouble you with one more question? Do you know who this is in the photo?"
He pointed to the man in the corner.
"Oh, him? I think he's some minor leader in their group… what was his name…" The wizard frowned, trying to remember.
"Is his surname Swenton?" Qin Yu pressed.
The wizard shook his head. "No, no, not Swenton—though it's also an 'S' name… Stanley! That's it. Stanley."
"Stanley? Are you sure?" The name meant nothing to Qin Yu.
He vaguely recalled someone in the Leaky Cauldron mentioning it, but the details escaped him.
"Positive. It's in the article. Sorry, I really must dash—if you want to know more, you'll have to buy a copy yourself. I need this one for my train ride… Really, I have to go!" The man had already gathered his things and was hurrying for the door.
"I should be the one apologizing—thank you so much!" Qin Yu called after him.
Just as Hermione had "deduced" earlier, Qin Yu then asked the counter clerk where to buy newspapers. Following her directions, he made his way to the periodicals section in the east wing.
There, after describing what he'd seen, another clerk told him the paper was called The Wizard's Voice—but it was sold out, with no more stock expected.
"We're the only real bookstore in Diagon Alley—who else would you go to for books and periodicals?"
That was the answer he got when he asked if anywhere else sold newspapers.
Only then did it hit him: he really should've skimmed that paper while he had the chance, even if it meant being a little rude.
But it was too late now. The only thing left was to chase after the man with the last copy.
So, just as Hermione had pieced together from the staff, Qin Yu hurried out of the shop—though the clerk hadn't known why.
He was determined to catch up with the wizard headed for the train, hoping to buy the paper off him—even offering a whole Galleon if necessary.
A Galleon! For a newspaper that usually cost a few Knuts.
But no matter how hard he tried, after searching all over, Qin Yu couldn't find the man anywhere.
"People catching trains really do move like lightning!" he cursed under his breath.
He stared at the bustling street, feeling increasingly anxious and helpless.
How much did Professor Swenton mean to him? Honestly, Qin Yu couldn't say for sure—but he was certainly important.
Now, with Swenton's whereabouts a mystery and a possible sighting in the newspaper, how could he not dig deeper?
But fate was fickle. He'd lost his chance to see the article, to determine if the man in the photo was really Swenton.
"I'll just have to find another way…"
He turned back, dejected.
Just then, a warm, enthusiastic voice rang out behind him:
"Young man, are you looking for something? Tell me—maybe I can help!"
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