After the opening feast, the fifth-year prefects led the first-years back to their dormitories. Sean, however, headed to Hagrid's hut instead.
It had been two months since he last saw Buckbeak, and the moment he returned to school, he wanted to check on him. In that altered hour, Buckbeak had proven its loyalty with its life. Hagrid remembered nothing of it—but Sean never forgot.
"Did Mick leave after the term ended?" Sean asked while feeding Buckbeak.
"Yeah," Hagrid nodded. "After you lot went home, he left Hogwarts too. Lucky for him, his family wasn't caught by those Fang people. Heard he took them to America."
"His parents are Muggles, right? Something about being producers?"
Sean nodded. "Yeah, they should find decent work over there."
Sean didn't know what Mick had confessed to Hagrid before dying in that altered timeline—but he had seen Mick rush forward to help, only to fall at Coates' hands.
That alone was enough.
Mick wasn't a bad person.
Starting over in America… wasn't a bad ending.
—
Back in the castle, Professor Quirrell wandered the corridors nervously.
Sean happened to run into him on his way back.
"Professor Quirrell."
"S-Sean," Quirrell stuttered.
Herpo and Voldemort had warned him—there was a boy named Sean in Hogwarts. Be careful around him.
Already timid by nature, Quirrell now grew even more uneasy in Sean's presence.
But Voldemort dismissed it.
There was a special boy in Hogwarts—
But his name was Harry Potter.
Sean, on the other hand, didn't think much of Quirrell's behavior. In his mind, Quirrell had always been like this.
He returned to the Slytherin dormitory.
—
The common room was lively with first-years introducing themselves. Draco stood at the center, proudly boasting.
"My father is one of Hogwarts' twelve governors. Even Dumbledore shows him respect."
The new students looked at him in awe.
Draco basked in it.
"Draco," Sean cut in calmly, "mind your wording. You should call him Professor Dumbledore."
Draco's expression darkened.
"Sean, mind your own business."
"I'm correcting you as a senior," Sean said lightly. "If you're unhappy, we can settle it with a duel. You do know how, right? Young master of a noble house?"
Draco froze.
He didn't dare.
Even if he got Theo involved—it wouldn't matter.
Humiliated again, Draco stormed off to his dorm.
Theo approached Sean.
"He's a Malfoy. You might want to be careful. Kurt told me to look after him too."
"I am looking after him," Sean said calmly. "He just needs discipline. Same background as Chris—he should learn from her."
Sean's reasoning was simple—
Draco wasn't evil.
Just poorly raised.
And still young enough to change.
—
Back in his room, Sean took out the Marauder's Map.
Tonight—
he planned to sneak into Professor Sprout's greenhouse and steal a mandrake leaf.
A key ingredient for the Animagus potion.
Animagus transformation required both magic and potion work—and the potion process was long and unforgiving.
One mistake—
and you start over.
Sean studied the moving names on the map.
Each one—
a person.
In the Gryffindor dormitory, he spotted a familiar name.
Scabbers.
Peter Pettigrew.
Sean glanced at Jerry, who was sprawled lazily across his bed.
"Jerry… I think you'll be getting some exercise this year."
Sean had nothing but contempt for Pettigrew.
A coward.
A traitor.
Someone who chose evil over courage.
If he could eliminate him this year—
that would be one less hidden threat.
—
Then he spotted another name.
Quirrell.
Only—
it showed just Quirinus Quirrell.
No Voldemort.
"Just as I thought…"
The map couldn't display ghosts or poltergeists—and Voldemort, in his current state, was something similar.
A parasite.
—
At ten o'clock, Sean slipped out of the dormitory.
He made his way to Greenhouse Three.
Ten minutes later—
he arrived.
"This is where the good stuff is…"
Professor Sprout personally tended this greenhouse.
Sean moved toward the mandrake section—
but frowned.
No mature mandrakes.
The largest one would still need at least two months.
"That's troublesome…"
He couldn't monitor it constantly.
He'd need another plan.
—
On his way back, he checked the map again—
and froze.
"Quirrell…?"
The professor was wandering.
Aimlessly.
Professors weren't bound by curfew, but for a student, running into one at night was the worst-case scenario.
"Is he moving early for the Philosopher's Stone?"
Sean avoided both Quirrell and Filch and returned safely.
But he kept watching the map.
Quirrell kept moving—
floor to floor.
Room to room.
No pattern.
"No… this isn't the route to the Stone."
Something was off.
—
The next morning—
Sean observed Quirrell with his Magic vision during breakfast.
He froze mid-bite.
The black aura—
was stronger.
Than before.
"…What happened over the summer?"
Unknown variables were the most dangerous.
Voldemort's fragment—
had grown.
That meant—
everything this year could change.
—
At the Gryffindor table, Harry excitedly showed Ron a newspaper.
Gringotts vault 713—
had been robbed.
"I was there with Hagrid earlier," Harry said.
Hermione listened closely.
—
Sean stood and called out,
"Theo, got a moment?"
They stepped outside.
"I want to learn Animagus," Sean said directly.
Theo nodded. "You can register with Professor McGonagall."
Sean shook his head.
Registration meant supervision.
Reporting progress.
Ministry records.
Restrictions.
He didn't want that.
"I need a mandrake leaf," Sean said. "Can you get one for me?"
Theo blinked.
"You're going illegal?!"
"Keep your voice down," Sean said. "I just don't like being controlled."
Theo hesitated.
"…Fine. Consider it repayment."
Sean smiled.
They all owed him.
—
For the first month, Sean attended classes as usual.
But he planned to apply for early exams again.
Animagus training demanded time—
and precision.
—
That night—
he stayed in bed.
Map open.
Jerry curled on his chest.
Quirrell's name—
moving.
Everywhere.
No pattern.
No purpose.
—
Then Sean's eyes narrowed.
"…He's looking for something."
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