The words had barely fallen.
Ron's smile froze stiffly on his face.
Harry, too, realized what he had just said.
He paused instantly.
Then immediately forced a laugh to correct himself!
"Haha, I was just joking! How could Ethan possibly become the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor? Dumbledore hasn't gone mad!"
"Y-Yeah, exactly!"
Ron nodded desperately in agreement.
Just the mere thought of that possibility made him tremble uncontrollably!
It was as if his very body had been engraved with memories of pain and torture!
Ron stammered, "L-Look at this moonstone, how clean and polished it is!"
"A professor who uses such normal materials must surely be a normal person!"
"Haha, hahahaha!"
The two laughed dryly, quickly changing the subject.
Meanwhile.
The center of their topic, the newly appointed Defense Against the Dark Arts professor—Ethan Vincent.
He was humming a cheerful little tune, flipping through his lesson plans.
"Is wandless magic hard to learn? If it's too hard, just pass away. That way, everyone will surely be more motivated~"
Ethan thought to himself.
To ensure the little wizards could weather the storms of the future...
His burden was heavy, and the road was long!
Heheh~
With a heavy thud, Ethan slammed the massive tome shut.
He licked his canine teeth, his eyes curving into crescents of sheer anticipation.
After buying their school supplies.
Ethan made a suggestion:
Since they were already here.
Why not visit some other attractions while it was still early?
Mr. Weasley chuckled heartily:
"Where do you want to go? To see the joke shop the twins are building? or perhaps to grab an ice cream?"
Ethan: "To Knockturn Alley."
Mr. Weasley: "...Ha, haha, I must have misheard. You mean you want to go to the Pygmy Puff Pet Shop—"
Ethan: "I said, I want to go to Knock-turn-Al-ley."
Mr. Weasley: "..."
His originally cheerful and kind smile.
Instantly turned into a look of terror.
His eyes went wide.
He looked at Ethan in shock!
That calm and breezy demeanor.
It looked less like he was going to a dangerous gathering place for Dark Wizards, and more like he was strolling into his own back garden!
However.
The arm cannot twist the thigh.
Humans cannot outmuscle an Ancient God.
In the end.
With Hermione as the "first defector" leading the way.
They eventually turned toward Knockturn Alley.
passing through a passageway marked by a metal sign shaped like a severed finger.
They arrived in the "territory" of Dark Wizards.
Though, saying that is somewhat biased.
Not everyone gathered in Knockturn Alley is necessarily a Dark Wizard.
But good wizards certainly wouldn't come here.
By then.
It was approaching evening, and the setting sun was like blood.
The crimson and orange fire-clouds were gradually extinguishing, casting distinct, sharp shadows across the ground.
Concealing pairs of prying eyes.
As if danger could leap out at any moment.
It made Harry and the others feel both curious and nervous.
Mr. Weasley acted like an old mother hen protecting her chicks, his arms tightly encircling Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
He scanned the surroundings vigilantly, his mouth not stopping for a second:
"Stay close to me, children! This is no time for games!"
"Oh, Merlin... I must have lost my mind to agree to bring them here..."
Ignoring his son's embarrassed protests.
Mr. Weasley muttered incessantly.
In this dark place where scrutinizing gazes were cast from every direction.
Mr. Weasley felt a strong sense of responsibility rise within him.
—He was the only adult present.
He ought to take responsibility and protect these children!
It was his time to shine!
Mr. Weasley puffed out his chest.
He shouted at Ethan, who was striding ahead:
"Ethan! Don't walk so fast! Keep close to me at all times!"
Ron rolled his eyes dramatically, impatiently trying to break free from the embrace.
Up ahead.
Ethan heard the shout.
He turned his head, looking puzzledly at Mr. Weasley, who was acting as if facing a formidable enemy.
He seriously sensed his surroundings for a moment.
Hmm... aside from the old hag at the mouth of the left alley holding real eyeballs...
And the man walking at the mouth of the right alley who was already a corpse...
As for the rest.
Was there really anything to worry about?
To Ethan.
Does one need to make preparations to stroll through their own back garden?
Oh, true.
Those Dark Wizards needed to be prepared to welcome him.
Ethan summoned the patience of a Ravenclaw toward other houses.
He spoke gently:
"I'm going to Borgin and Burkes. Do you want to come along?"
Ron couldn't wait: "I'll come too—"
Mr. Weasley cried out, losing his voice: "Borgin and Burkes?! Merlin, you really know how to pick a place!"
He ruthlessly suppressed his complaining son.
He stated firmly:
"That kind of place is too dangerous! We'll wait for you outside. Don't worry, I'll guard the door for you!"
"If you run into trouble, just shout loudly!"
"..."
Ethan raised his eyebrows high.
Looking at the solemn vow of Mr. Weasley, he revealed a confused expression.
Dangerous?
He would encounter danger?
He hadn't received any notification that the wizarding world was scheduled to be destroyed today.
Ethan hesitated: "Al————right then, I'll go by myself."
Although, because of his presence...
There were many people around them beginning to stir restlessly...
But since Mr. Weasley was so confident, it should be fine.
Thinking this.
Ethan directly opened a portal.
He transported himself to the end of the line of sight, straight to Borgin and Burkes.
And vanished.
Leaving only Mr. Weasley and the others.
Standing lonely and exposed in the center of Knockturn Alley.
Instantly.
The prying gazes surged violently!
Shadows spread.
Rustling, whispering sounds gradually surrounded them.
Mr. Weasley:
Huh?
Why is there a Phase Two?
amidst the daze.
Ron mocked: "..."
"Oh! This is just great! Without Ethan, we are totally 'safe' now!"
Just as they raised their wands, falling into an ever-shrinking encirclement.
An orange vertical pupil suddenly snapped open from within the shadows!
Borgin and Burkes.
Ding-ling-ling————
The wind chimes at the door rang.
"Don't touch anything randomly."
Mr. Borgin, head lowered as he counted coins, spoke casually.
He didn't even lift his head.
A perfect display of hospitality.
Until a clear, bright voice rang out:
"Wrap up everything I'm not allowed to touch."
In that instant.
It was as if he heard the Grim Reaper calling in his ear.
A bone-chilling cold shot from the soles of Mr. Borgin's feet straight to the top of his skull!
Crash!
The coins he had just stacked tumbled down.
Borgin didn't care in the slightest.
Before his head even lifted, an extremely sycophantic and fawning smile had already piled up on his face.
His spine bent down instinctively.
—A perfect display of hospitality.
"Oh—Merlin! What wind has blown you here, my respected Lord Vincent?"
Borgin cried out exaggeratedly.
He bowed deeply, arms spread wide in a gesture of welcome.
His entire being seemed ready to prostrate itself into the ground.
Ethan: "The spring breeze of revolution."
Mr. Borgin: "..."
The gloomy atmosphere in the shop suddenly turned incredibly red.
However.
Having seen strong winds and great waves, he quickly followed up:
"Oh ho ho ho~ It is truly an honor for this humble one to have you visit my shop. I've recently acquired a batch of new stock that hasn't been shelved yet. I wonder if anything might interest you?"
Ethan smiled a smile that wasn't quite a smile, looking down at the shopkeeper who was rubbing his hands together like a fly:
"Didn't you just say, 'Don't touch anything randomly'? Well, I'm actually quite curious to know how powerful these untouchable things are."
"...That was this humble one having eyes but no pupils! Of course, you may touch and play with anything in the shop as you please!"
A drop of cold sweat rolled down Mr. Borgin's temple.
As a bona fide Dark Wizard, offending this master...
That would truly be a fate more terrifying than death.
"Hmph."
Ethan made a sound through his nose.
It caused Mr. Borgin's body to start trembling involuntarily.
At this moment.
Ethan's usually handsome and gentle face was filled with indifference.
The look in his eyes when he looked at Borgin was no different from how he looked at the surrounding dark magic artifacts.
Perfectly blending into this dark Knockturn Alley.
If Mr. Weasley were to see this.
He probably wouldn't be able to shout the word "protect" anymore.
He would only fall into a vigilant and fearful silence.
Ethan: "I need pigments that can be painted on a 'certain type of skin.' Preferably containing elements of 'change' and 'concealment'."
He wanted to use the face skin that Voldemort had dropped as loot.
To paint a "disguise mask" for changing his appearance!
After all.
He couldn't very well go teach classes wearing this face that everyone knew.
However.
The words "certain type of skin."
Made Mr. Borgin get the wrong idea.
...Heh, is this the "Savior" everyone praises?
Behind the scenes, he plays even wilder games than the Dark Wizards!
Sigh, the wizarding world is finished.
Harboring a sorrowful mood.
Mr. Borgin thought for a moment:
"Perhaps you know of the 'Human-Faced Goldbug'? Powder ground from its hard shell is one of the ingredients for psychedelic potions."
"It's just that it is quite rare, so the price is a bit..."
He couldn't finish his sentence.
His gaze stared, sluggish and greedy, at the golden beans cascading like a waterfall from the gaps between Ethan's fingers.
Soon, they piled up on the countertop.
Rolling onto the floor with a ding-ding-dang sound.
Adamantine.
A "currency" a level above Galleons.
A settlement method that basically no one used anymore.
Only those ancient, conservative Goblin families would hide away such precious metal.
Even the Malfoy family had never used Adamantine to settle a bill.
"Oh.... Oh...."
Borgin couldn't help but reach out his hand.
Obsessively wanting to touch this glistening "Gold Mountain."
Yet in the next second.
Ethan waved his hand, and the mountain of gold was swept clean away.
Including the pieces rolling on the floor.
As if.
What happened just now was nothing more than an illusion.
The "Open Sesame" spell dissipated.
The stone door to the world's treasures slammed ruthlessly shut in front of him.
"No!"
Borgin cried out involuntarily.
His eyes bloodshot, his hands groping futilely at the tabletop:
"P-Please, let me see that supreme treasure just one more time————"
He looked up.
And met Ethan's cobalt-blue eyes, wrapped in a chilling smile.
————In this moment.
Borgin realized with a sudden jolt of horror.
He had been firmly grasped by a demon, and he could never break free.
"..."
After a few seconds of silence.
Mr. Borgin bowed deeply.
Lower than any time before.
His tone lacked the exaggerated intonation from earlier.
He spoke respectfully:
"Please follow me, respected Lord Vincent... Please forgive me, I suddenly realized there is an even better choice than the Human-Faced Goldbug."
Hearing this.
Looking down at this thoroughly subdued merchant of dark magic items.
The corners of Ethan's mouth grinned high like a devil.
He is the "Lamp."
The Lamp that holds the light.
And also, the "Demon King" who uses deeper darkness to swallow the dark!
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