Chapter Text
**Prologue**
The candlelight flickered softly, casting gentle shadows across the crowded bookstore. Dorian Snow stood backstage, his fingers tracing the edge of a worn charm bracelet that once belonged to his mother. The familiar hum of anticipation filled the room beyond, but his mind wasn’t entirely there. He was thinking about the past—the lives he’d lost and the adventures he’d lived through since then.
Nestled comfortably in his longer hair, Marcus, a particularly mischievous Bowtruckle, shifted slightly, sensing Dorian’s nerves. The tiny, tree-dwelling creature had been his companion for years, always finding clever ways to remain hidden when needed. Tonight, though, Marcus seemed just as alert as Dorian, knowing this event was important.
Dorian’s life had become a whirlwind of discovery, an endless pursuit of magical creatures from the world's hidden corners. He had followed in the footsteps of great magizoologists, yet his path had always been different. He had never sought fame, nor did he expect his name to be spoken in the same breath as legends like Newt Scamander. But here he was, about to present his latest work—discoveries that no one else had ever made. His books had given him a way to honour the memory of his parents and to live a life that would make them proud.
A soft nudge from Marcus brought him back to the present. Dorian smiled at the little creature, knowing it could sense his emotions. "I'm alright," he whispered, though he wasn't entirely sure he believed it himself. Not with *her* out there.
Peeking through the curtains, his eyes fell on the familiar figure of Hermione Granger. She was seated in the front row, leafing through his book with a faint smile tugging at her lips. Dorian’s heart skipped a beat. She was everything he had heard of and more—brilliant, determined, and, to his surprise, utterly captivating. Something about her presence stirred something deep inside him, something he hadn’t felt in years.
He knew who she was, of course. Everyone in the wizarding world did. Hermione Granger, the brilliant witch who had stood by Harry Potter’s side through the darkest times. Her legend was as much a part of history as the war itself. But here, in this quiet bookstore, she seemed so human, so real, and for a moment, Dorian wondered if she felt the same weight of loss that he did.
Dorian brushed his hand through his hair again, ensuring Marcus was still hidden. He knew he couldn't let his thoughts linger on Hermione too long. She was here to get her book signed, not to become part of his complicated world of magical creatures and unspoken grief. Still, the idea of asking her to dinner nagged at the back of his mind. Would she say yes, or would she see through him, recognize the broken parts of himself that he tried so hard to hide?
As the time for his presentation drew near, Dorian took one last look at the empty seats where his parents should have been. Their absence was a wound that had never truly healed. He had been away when the war took them, too caught up in his explorations to be there when they needed him most. He regretted it every day, but he knew there was nothing he could do to change the past. What mattered now was living a life that honoured them—a life filled with discovery, with purpose.
But perhaps, tonight, it would also be a life with a little more.
With a final breath, Dorian straightened his jacket and stepped out into the soft glow of the bookstore’s lights. The applause was warm and welcoming, but his gaze was drawn to one person—the brilliant witch in the front row, flipping through his book with a curiosity that matched his own.
As their eyes met for the briefest of moments, Dorian couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted. This wasn’t just another book signing, another night of sharing his knowledge with the world. This was the beginning of something new—an adventure of a different kind.
And maybe, just maybe, it would be the one that brought him back to life.