Before anyone noticed, Christmas had long passed. Even the air had begun to warm. The sky turned a brilliant, clear blue—just like the petals of a forget-me-not—while the breeze carried with it a scent of summer's approach.
By the lakeside, under a spreading beech tree, Wang Yong and Susan sat together, reading. One of Wang Yong's hands rested gently on the kitten Susan had affectionately named "Little Yong," who was curled up and purring with eyes half-closed in contentment.
Susan leaned against Wang Yong's chest, visibly relaxed. Both of them—Susan and the kitten—seemed equally at peace beside him.
Life had remained calm for Wang Yong. Meanwhile, Harry, Hermione, and Ron had been busy, always in some quiet huddle, discussing this or that. It was probably about Hagrid's Norwegian Ridgeback, or perhaps the Philosopher's Stone. Either way, it had nothing to do with Wang Yong. He knew no one would die in the end—even without his intervention. Everything was under Dumbledore's watchful control.
Even when Wang Yong had killed the troll, Dumbledore hadn't paid him much attention. The headmaster's focus was clearly on shaping Harry Potter. Besides, strange events were so common at Hogwarts that his actions didn't seem all that extraordinary.
While reading, Wang Yong mulled over these thoughts. Then, in his mind, the voice of Xiao Yi echoed gently:
"The time has come. You can return to your original world now."
"Already?" Wang Yong's heart stirred with a trace of excitement. "Let's wait until summer break."
"That works too. The next world is already unlocked. You can go whenever you're ready."
"Good. No rush," Wang Yong replied. He was still laying the groundwork in this magical world, not yet ready to move on.
Susan, nestled in his arms, had fallen into a deep sleep. Her nose fluttered slightly as she breathed, and a strand of flaxen hair brushed across her youthful face, still carrying a softness untouched by time.
Wang Yong couldn't help but smile. He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her flushed cheek.
The air carried the lightest trace of floral sweetness. Wang Yong leaned back against the beech tree, gazing up at the forget-me-not blue sky. A quiet sense of contentment washed over him. He really was comfortable in this world—and, truth be told, didn't feel much like leaving.
A couple of days later, Wang Yong noticed Gryffindor had lost 150 house points in one go. A large portion of their red gems had vanished from the hourglass in the entrance hall. After asking around, he learned that Harry, Ron, and Hermione had been caught sneaking out after curfew in the middle of the night.
It must be the dragon incident, Wang Yong thought. It's been quiet for a while… perhaps it's time to make a move.
That night, at 11 o'clock, Wang Yong slipped out of bed. He brought his specialized tool "Seven-Star Sweep," and cast an enhanced version of the Disillusionment Charm—his latest breakthrough from studying ancient Babylonian magical script. The effect was nearly on par with an Invisibility Cloak.
The materials needed to make a cloak of true invisibility were rare and costly. Wang Yong figured it would take a large portion of his fortune to make one. He hadn't yet acquired the ability to turn objects into gold to sell at Gringotts. That would have to wait until the heat died down.
He often told himself that time was on his side—that he didn't need to rush into risky endeavors. Still, sometimes, action was unavoidable.
As for Harry's Invisibility Cloak, Wang Yong had considered taking it, but decided against it. After all, he'd grown up watching Harry Potter's story. He still felt a certain fondness for the protagonist. Without that cloak, the "Chosen One" likely wouldn't get far. Besides, thievery didn't fit the version of himself Wang Yong aimed to embody. If he wanted something, he'd rather take it openly—by force, if necessary.
The Ravenclaw entrance was convenient for his escape. It didn't rely on paintings or passwords—just questions. And there was no one watching.
The wind was sharp and cold in the entry hall as Wang Yong waited. He was there for the group being punished: Harry, Hermione, Neville, and Malfoy, all being sent to the Forbidden Forest with Hagrid to investigate a wounded unicorn.
After a while, Filch arrived, grumbling and muttering, with the three students trailing behind. Wang Yong, already mounted on his broomstick, floated silently after them, watching as they marched through the darkness toward Hagrid's hut.
The moonlight was bright, but clouds drifted in and out, constantly shrouding the night in darkness. Wang Yong had to fly close to the ground to keep from losing them.
Eventually, he saw Filch turn back toward the castle, leaving the group to enter the edge of the Forbidden Forest. They soon split up—Hermione, Harry, and Hagrid forming one group, while Neville, Malfoy, and Fang went in the other direction.
Wang Yong glided silently above Hermione and Harry. The forest grew darker the deeper they went. Trees and underbrush thickened, forcing him to fly lower to keep track of their movements.
Then, from the shadows, a centaur emerged.
From the waist up, he was a man—red-haired and bearded—but below, his horse body gleamed a rich chestnut brown, his long red tail swaying behind him.
He spoke with Harry and Hermione, though Wang Yong was too far to hear what was said.
Seeing the centaur made Wang Yong uneasy.
"The magical world is shaped by prophecy," he mused. "Could my presence disrupt its flow? Could the Seers detect me?"
"Impossible," Xiao Yi answered flatly.
Soon, they stumbled upon silvery trails of blood leading deeper into the woods. They followed. So did Wang Yong.
Then they saw it—a shimmer of white on the forest floor. They crept closer.
It was a unicorn, dead.
Wang Yong had never seen anything so beautiful… or so heartbreaking.
Its long legs were twisted in an unnatural position, frozen in the moment it fell. Its mane, pale as pearls, was splayed over the black forest leaves.
Suddenly, a soft rustle—something slithering over leaves. Everyone froze.
From the shadows, a hooded figure emerged. Crawling slowly across the ground like a beast, it moved toward the unicorn's corpse, then bent down and began to drink from the wound.
Wang Yong held his breath, unmoving atop his broomstick. He watched Harry collapse in pain as his scar throbbed violently. Malfoy and Fang bolted in terror.
A moment later, Firenze the centaur appeared and carried Harry away. The hooded figure vanished into the dark.
But the unicorn's body remained—silent and broken, deep in the Forbidden Forest.
Wang Yong descended from his broomstick. The forest was dense, yet he could feel his knees trembling. He stared at the unicorn, its blood nearly all drained.
With a wave of his wand, the unicorn vanished.
"Burning Flame!" Wang Yong incanted.
Fire surged from the tip of his wand. In moments, the forest lit up, crackling and roaring as flames devoured trees and underbrush alike.
Wang Yong leapt back onto his broom and sped toward the castle. Behind him, the forest echoed with cries—howls, shrieks, and roars of startled creatures.
He flew in silence.
He had expected to face Quirrell. But the man had fled before confrontation.
At the entrance to the Ravenclaw common room, the bronze eagle asked him in its gentle voice:
"Where do you come from? Where are you going?"
"I come from the Ta Yi World," Wang Yong replied.
"And I go… toward the infinite."