Ethan sat with his legs crossed, perched comfortably upon the back of a prisoner named "Dolohov."
The man was on his hands and knees, frozen stiff, not daring to move a muscle.
His eyes, once a haze of blood-red madness, were now as clear as a fresh graduate's—brimming with intense fear and confusion.
He seemed unable to comprehend how things had come to this.
...Huh? Aren't I a Dark Wizard?
How did I get absolutely destroyed?
Outside the cell, horrific crawlers were everywhere.
Their skin was pale and stained with sticky blood, resembling newborn babes. They were the most blasphemous of creations, wandering the corridors and randomly fusing with the prisoners.
"I allowed you all to witness a 'Fantastic Beasts' show for free..." Ethan drawled. "Why haven't you thanked me?"
He leaned down.
On the upside-down face beneath him, a sincere smile stretched across the prisoner's lips.
Dolohov: !!!
"Th-Thank you, Master!"
"Sob... thank you for your mercy..."
Waves of gratitude echoed from the surrounding cells, voiced with deep emotion and tearful sentiment.
Ethan straightened up and nodded in satisfaction.
He mused silently, I just eavesdropped on the club members' strategy through Professor Norn over there. Hmm, just as I expected.
The members wanted to save "him."
Harry, however, had grown suspicious.
Come to think of it, hiding from the professors to conduct secret club activities... after all the twists and turns, we've circled right back to the original plot.
Only, under the interference of this little butterfly—me—"Dumbledore's Army" had transformed into the "Enlightenment Society."
And the "Pink Toad" they were meant to fight had been replaced by... himself.
Professor Anne Norn.
"How interesting~"
The corners of Ethan's mouth curled up; he was in high spirits.
If the little wizards wanted a tense and thrilling game of cat and mouse, he was naturally happy to oblige.
"Perfect," Ethan thought. "It can even serve as teaching material for Defense Against the Dark Arts."
The location for Harry and the others' secret training was, in all likelihood, the Room of Requirement.
It was shameful to admit, but since he had forgotten the specific location of the place—and hadn't maxed out Dobby the House-elf's affection levels—he had no way of knowing where it was.
Therefore, although Ethan had known about its existence for five years, he had never stepped foot inside.
"I am an open and candid person with nothing to hide. I can paint anywhere in the castle; everyone is so friendly that they always run far away to leave me enough space."
Indeed, there really was no need to go in, Ethan thought.
However, since he could "stalk" Harry and the others, he could naturally use them to open the place up.
After all, the Room of Requirement was tied to many important plot points.
"Speaking of which," Ethan mused, "I wonder what choice Harry will make this time."
As a weak, pitiful, and helpless little painter, all he could do was cleanse people's hearts with beautiful art.
The ones who truly made the decisions... were the students themselves.
"Although, even if Harry falls for the dream just like in the original story and recklessly heads to the Department of Mysteries, I can still cover for him..."
"But, I would be just a tiny bit disappointed."
Ethan shook his head and let out an exaggerated sigh.
He felt like a wilting cabbage in the frost, struggling alone for the bright and beautiful future of the Wizarding World.
He lifted his pencil over the open diary in his hand.
The tip moved like a dragon and a snake.
He used painting to soothe the sorrow in his heart.
As the lines took shape, a wisp of soul essence continuously drifted from Dolohov's mouth and nose beneath him, flowing into the diary.
It was just like young Tom Riddle draining Ginny Weasley's soul in the original story.
"Ah... Aaaaah...!"
Dolohov's eyes rolled back, and his body shook like a sieve!
He looked as if he were being Kissed by a Dementor, causing the prisoners in other cells to tremble in sheer terror!
—Where are the Aurors?! Where did the Aurors go?!
I want to report a Dark Wizard in here!!
Nobody said we'd be locked up with a God of Torture!!
As the drawing continued, countless souls from the pitch-black tower were sucked into the diary like converging rivers.
It was like a greedy maw devouring all living things—several times more efficient than a Dementor.
The glow of the Lamp gradually lit up from within the paper.
"Brainwashing artwork must be practiced slowly..." Ethan murmured.
"During the day, I have to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. I only have time at night and on weekends. I really am diligent~"
Just then, lines of ghostly blue subtitles suddenly popped up!
[The radiance of the Lamp illuminates the hidden place! You have discovered: Dark Wizard Ekrizdis's Secret Treasure!]
[Around the 15th century, the Dark Wizard Ekrizdis was rumored to be the original builder of this fortress located in the North Sea.]
[After being expelled for practicing Dark Magic, Ekrizdis's family declined rapidly.]
[He took his remaining fortune and established this fortress on the isolated island.]
[He used concealment charms and fog to lure passing ships off course, capturing innocent sailors to conduct cruel magical experiments.]
[It wasn't until the 17th century that the then-Minister for Magic, Damocles Rowle, converted this fortress filled with dark power into what is now known as Azkaban.]
[Today, as a prison that turns men pale at the mention of its name, no one remembers or cares to investigate the history behind this ancient fortress.]
[Only late at night, from the mouths of the maddest prisoners...]
[...can one occasionally glean news regarding a "Beautiful Song."]
[Note! This Secret Treasure only manifests for a short period late at night.]
Whoosh!
A golden radiance burst forth from Ethan, condensing into a single line.
It pierced through the floorboards, extending straight down into the depths of the prison!
"Oho!"
Ethan's eyes lit up, and he paused his brush.
—I didn't expect to find a pleasant surprise after being locked up in Azkaban!
"This is truly wonderful~! As expected, Azkaban is a land of good fortune; everyone here speaks so politely. I like this place the best!"
Ethan's eyes curved into a delighted smile.
The Dark Wizard he was sitting on couldn't hold out any longer and collapsed to the ground with a thud, breathing faintly.
"I don't know what Dark Wizard Ekrizdis's Secret Treasure is, but it must be something good!"
"Perhaps it will be of some help to my current artistic creation," Ethan mused.
He stood up lightly, eager to follow the light and investigate.
...The only problem was...
Ethan turned his head to look outside the cell.
Auror Connie Rosier was gripping the bars, staring at him intently, panting slightly.
The pitch-black whip coiled in her hand was twitching, ready to strike.
The only problem was that his warden was a bit too fanatical.
However, they wouldn't just let a "criminal" like him run around freely.
"The Secret Treasure only appears at night. Since I don't know the specific place name, the Anywhere Door won't work..."
Ethan rubbed the shaft of his pencil, thinking.
"I have to leave the cell and follow the light personally. The first thing to deal with is my warden, Miss Rosier!"
The Dark Wizard's treasure hoard was surely full of dangers. Ethan didn't want to be attacked from behind when the time came.
He thought for a moment.
Snap!
Ethan snapped his fingers, the corners of his mouth curling up.
His Ravenclaw-sorted brain had a flash of inspiration.
He had an idea.
—He could use his identity as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor to trap Miss Rosier inside Hogwarts!
"Guarding me here is just Miss Rosier volunteering for overtime. Her real duty is to monitor Professor Norn—who has been listed as a high-profile individual by the Ministry of Magic—back at the school."
"Which is also me."
"Hmm? Why does that feel a bit strange..."
Day and night, isn't she just watching me either way?
Ethan looked deeply at Miss Rosier, feeling that her level of perversion might even surpass Luna's.
She had the shadow of Cho Chang from back in the day.
Plan confirmed.
Ethan lowered his head and held up the diary again.
He crooked his finger at another prisoner.
The latter scrambled over on hands and knees to serve as his chair, thanking him with tears of gratitude.
Scritch, scratch...
The sound of the pencil rubbing against the paper resonated once more.
Azkaban plunged back into its depths of suffering.
It was as if everything was business as usual.
Only Ethan's cobalt-blue eyes flickered with an alien brilliance!
There is still so much to do...
—Wizarding World, await my return!!
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