"Ethan Vincent—!!!"
Ethan: "I'm here."
Professor Snape choked again.
He wished he could turn this glib little brat into a toad and pickle him in his cauldron!
Professor Snape closed his eyes and looked around.
He saw a group of students lying silently on the ground.
Professor Snape: "?!!!"
What's going on?!
His last memory was realizing something was wrong and rushing out of his office.
Then everything went black, and the connection was lost.
He had just fainted for a moment, and Hogwarts was finished???
Professor Snape clutched his aching back and anxiously climbed to his feet.
He turned over a Slytherin student and checked for a pulse.
Seeing that the student was still alive, he breathed a sigh of relief.
He felt his heart settle back into place.
"They're just sleeping."
A gentle voice sounded from behind him.
Professor Snape: "!!!"
His heart, which had just settled, leaped up again.
It was clearly a very pleasant voice.
Yet, Professor Snape felt a chill run down his spine, a shiver of coldness on his back.
He turned his head to look.
He saw Ethan smiling, standing with his hands behind his back in the dim corridor.
Bathed in the cold moonlight, his face had a ghostly, ivory quality.
In an instant, Professor Snape understood everything.
He murmured, "What did you do—? Why did you do all this?"
Upon hearing this.
Ethan raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Could it be said that he was indeed a former Death Eater?
He was simply more perceptive than ordinary wizards.
Ethan smiled: "I didn't do anything. If I had to say, I was helping everyone."
With this experience, in the future, when facing Lord Voldemort's attack, they would be able to remain more composed, right?
Ethan nodded.
No one understands Defense Against the Dark Arts better than I do (gestures wildly).
Didn't do anything?
Then I might as well believe you're the Minister for Magic!
Professor Snape was so angry his teeth itched.
He desperately wanted to grab Ethan's shoulders, shake him frantically, and loudly demand, "What have you done?!"
Hoo.
Professor Snape took a deep breath, calming his raging emotions.
He stared intently at Ethan.
He wanted to see a hint of guilt and nervousness on that hateful face.
However.
There was none.
He was impeccable.
It was as if he truly believed in his heart that he had done nothing wrong.
…Is your internal standard of judgment based on the underworld?
Professor Snape: "I think I have no choice but to report all of this to Headmaster Dumbledore."
Ethan enthusiastically said: "Shall I help you over?"
Professor Snape:
He angrily waved his sleeve, pushing Ethan aside.
He stomped off, fuming and limping.
Ethan: "Age suddenly affects him in this way."
Professor Snape sharply turned his head.
It wasn't that he heard Ethan's thoughts, but he said in a hoarse voice:
"I'll be watching you… You'd better not let me catch you doing anything wrong."
Saying that.
Professor Snape gave Ethan a deep look.
Putting aside his twisted thought process.
Ethan was indeed the most talented wizard he had ever seen in his decades of life.
Lord Voldemort?
Lord Voldemort wasn't this unsettling.
From Ethan's calm demeanor.
It could also be seen that Ethan and Dumbledore had reached some unstated consensus.
…Hmph, that muddled old bee.
Professor Snape snorted.
He wouldn't be fooled so easily.
Even if Ethan tried to threaten him with Lily, she was… already dead.
He would absolutely catch Ethan doing something wrong and properly teach that brat a lesson for his hateful face!
Professor Snape thought grimly.
On the other side.
Ethan watched Professor Snape's figure disappear around the corner.
He couldn't help but curl his lips slightly.
Yes.
This is what makes it interesting.
Without a little challenge, how could it be called the Hogwarts family?
"Unfortunately, summer vacation is coming soon… I really hope next semester arrives quickly, my dear Professor Snape~"
Ethan curved his eyes and said slowly.
Humming "London Bridge is Falling Down."
He walked with light steps, searching for the next professor.
His figure, hidden in the shadows of the night.
When the entire Hogwarts was reawakened.
It was already close to dawn.
The dark night sky outside the window was covered with a layer of grayish-white gauze, obscuring the stars.
"Penelope, I'm really fine."
Ethan was squeezed in Penelope's overly enthusiastic embrace, his face squashed, and he spoke indistinctly.
"I saw you hadn't returned, and the attack suddenly happened! I thought—Merlin! It's good that you're alright!"
Penelope choked back a sob.
She hugged Ethan tightly, rubbing him incessantly.
Other awakened students also gathered around Ethan as if they had found their backbone.
Calling out "Ethan, Ethan."
It reminded Ethan of hungry little birds.
Ethan pushed away Penelope's gentle embrace and said in a deep voice, "This attack was just an appetizer."
"After all, Hogwarts only exploded, all the teachers and students fell into a deep sleep, and the Minister for Magic was drawn here, that's all."
Everyone:
"..."
This is still an appetizer?!
How terrifying must the real "main course" be?!
Ethan: "We cannot expect mercy from our enemies; we must grow stronger ourselves!"
"Strong enough to raise our wands and face the enemy when the next crisis arrives."
Like a lamp lit in the darkness.
Ethan's words invigorated the frightened students.
"Yes, how can we always rely on others? We must also stand up!"
"As expected of Ethan, he remains calm in the face of danger. Even when encountering such a terrifying attack, he can lead everyone to rally!"
"With Ethan here, the Enlightenment Society is the club that truly embodies our Ravenclaw spirit—"
Listening to the students' reverent discussions, Ethan smugly curled his lips.
Just then.
"Ethan!"
Ethan turned his head and saw Harry running towards him, waving his hand.
Beside him was a house-elf.
Seeing him, the house-elf's eyes widened in fear, let out a scream, and popped out of sight.
Ethan touched his face, thinking:
Is the house-elf's aesthetic different from humans'?
Where am I terrifying?
"Ethan!"
Harry ran over, panting, and was about to say something.
In an instant, he was met with countless sharp gazes.
—Why is it Harry again?
Suspicious glances pierced Harry, making his heart drop like a stone into an ice pit.
He was clearly the one who stepped forward to fight evil.
Yet he was always suspected.
Is it because he's a Parselmouth? Harry clenched his fists, but he was too exhausted to utter a single word of rebuttal.
He slowly lowered his head, his excitement and elation gradually cooling down.
Suddenly.
A strong hand rested on his shoulder.
Harry flinched.
He looked up and met Ethan's firm and gentle smiling face.
"Here, Harry, eat something. You must be exhausted."
Ethan said softly.
In his hand, he held a crimson apple, red as blood.
Harry stared blankly at Ethan.
Under the moonlight spilling in from the window, Ethan's face was porcelain-white and flawless.
His smile was perfect.
As if it had been meticulously painted with a brush.
For some reason, it made Harry shiver.
It was like seeing a snake hissing and flicking its tongue.
"—…It's like Mr. Lamp."
Harry shook his head violently, shaking the thought out of his mind.
It must be Dobby telling him a lot of strange things that made him think this way.
Ethan, however, had always been working hard to lead everyone against evil!
"Tha-thank you."
Harry hesitantly took the crimson apple.
It was crystal clear, plump, and round.
As if it had been specially grown to tempt people.
Ethan: "This is a magical apple that can restore all your magic and stamina. You must be exhausted."
"—," Harry gripped the apple, lowered his head, and murmured hoarsely, "Thank you, Ethan."
Ethan curled his lips.
He turned his head to look at the anxious faces, his smile turning cold.
He remained silent.
Until someone couldn't bear it and mumbled an apology to Harry.
"I'm sorry, Harry—"
"I shouldn't have doubted you—"
"We didn't know anything, we were just guessing…"
Amidst the clamor.
Harry stared blankly at the scene.
He stepped forward not for others' praise, but simply to protect everything he cherished from being taken away again.
But everyone wants their efforts to be appreciated.
Just because of one of Ethan's actions, one of his glances.
The tide had turned.
"Just who is Ethan?"
Harry looked at the red apple, suddenly feeling as if he had sold his soul to a demon.
—The feeling was great.
"Look, Harry."
Harry looked up at the sound.
He saw Ethan looking out the window.
His cobalt-blue eyes pierced through the glass, gazing beyond Hogwarts, at the wider world.
"Look, the sun is rising."
Ethan turned back and smiled.
He saw a sliver of dawn breaking on the dim horizon.
The faint morning light cut through the darkness, spreading over the beleaguered ancient castle, illuminating the side of Ethan's face.
Half-lit, half-dark.
—It's like whipping you while adding armor value.
Looking at the unwavering smile on Ethan's lips.
Harry paused, and the knot in his heart vanished.
He also smiled.
He lowered his head and bit into the apple with a crunch.
His eyes lit up!
—Holy cow! Ice!
It was so sweet it made Harry feel like he was floating.
The Chamber of Secrets incident ended smoothly.
After all, the culprit himself had brazenly jumped out.
For the students, the good news was that the final exams were canceled.
However, the members of the Ravenclaw Round Table Council.
Felt like they were on pins and needles every single day.
—Because their President, Arthur, was found in the third-floor girls' lavatory.
On his body, there were clear signs of excessive Dark Arts use.
Or rather, he didn't even look human anymore.
Although due to Arthur's dire condition, the school did not pursue the matter further.
But anyone with eyes could see.
Arthur must not have done anything good.
A dignified President of the Round Table Council, actually involved with evil forces!
Immediately, the Round Table Council became an object of contempt.
Until a few weeks later.
At the final feast of the term.
"Clang."
Arthur, barely restored to a human appearance, staggered into the Great Hall.
He was wrapped in bandages, bearing irreversible injuries.
The Great Hall instantly fell silent.
All the students turned to look.
Ethan was no exception.
He met Arthur's gaze.
Arthur trembled violently, then, under everyone's gaze, he laboriously walked towards Ethan.
This action.
Made the former members of the Round Table Council tremble violently, wanting to cry without tears!
Ancestor! Don't "embellish" my resume any further!
Arthur glared fiercely at Ethan.
In his eyes, there was endless hatred, and a hint of unconcealed fear.
His years of accumulation, his future life, everything was destroyed!
He could only live as a despised cripple.
More painful than death.
You are clearly the culprit!!!
Why, why was everything taken from me?!
Arthur had completely forgotten.
When he fought Ethan, facing Ethan's questions.
He himself had answered with each "yes."