From WTR-Lab (Hogwarts: this wizard wants to make progress too much)
Chapter 140: Making the Philosopher's Stone
In the speeding mclaren f1, Ethan lay on Nagini's lap, looking at her fair breasts while reading "The Book of Abraham the Jew."
Penelope and Cassandra were talking about something nearby, but from Cassandra's flushed cheeks, it was clearly not a topic they could tell Ethan about.
Three days had passed since they returned, and Ethan had only just managed to appease Cassandra.
The brewing of the Resurrection Potion was mostly complete; the rest was up to time and heat. Ethan only needed to return before the seventh day.
They were now on their way to Scandinavia, the largest peninsula in Northern Europe, located in the northwestern corner of Europe. It borders the Baltic Sea, the Norwegian Sea, and the Barents Sea, with most of its climate being temperate, and the northern tip having a polar climate.
The mclaren f1 was currently in autonomous driving mode. As long as Ethan set the general direction, it could drive itself.
The reason for going to Scandinavia was also because Ethan wanted to make a wand first, starting with one for Nagini, as she didn't have a suitable wand yet.
Buying wands from Ollivander required registration.
There were also many in Knockturn Alley, and Ethan himself had a few, but their compatibility was not high, making them less convenient than one Ethan would make for her.
In Ravenclaw's Chamber of Secrets, there were methods for making wands, for example, all four founders made their own wands.
And while Ollivander's sign stated they had been making wands since before common era, they only truly became widely known and began cooperating with Hogwartsafter the Ministry of Magic was established.
In Ravenclaw's Chamber of Secrets, Ethan also discovered a method of creating wands by engraving magical patterns with Mithril, which was completely different from the current mainstream wands.
Modern wands require a magical plant as the shaft, combined with materials from Animals for the wand core. However, the method found in Ravenclaw's Chamber of Secrets does not require Animal materials. The shaft only needs to be able to transmit magic, and wood, rocks, minerals, metals, and bones are all acceptable.
Ethan had tried obsidian, as well as silver and gold, and found the effects to be quite good.
While still at Hogwarts, Ethan had experimented and found that obsidian infused with about one-third gold was the optimal ratio for magic conduction. Then, using Goblin Mithril to engrave magic patterns, it could very stably amplify the effects of spells.
However, its functionality was not as rich as current mainstream wands, lacking the many specific characteristics suitable for spellcasting, healing, Transfiguration, combat, or the Dark Arts.
It only offered stability and a boost to spells.
There was also no recognition of ownership; anyone could use it. It was currently in Nagini's hand.
To compensate for its shortcomings, Ethan made a choice: a simplified and modified version of the Philosopher's Stone as its core.
Ethan had already learned the craftsmanship of the Philosopher's Stone from Nicolas Flamel, and he had heard Nicolas explain many other versions.
Although it was only a simplified version, it still required a considerable amount of magic. It needed either a large number of magical creatures to be sacrificed or a place with abundant magical content; one of the two conditions had to be met.
Scandinavia was where Ethan chose to create the modified Philosopher's Stone. The environment there was quite primitive, and the magical content was slightly higher than on the European continent.
This also led to a significant number of Animals there, which Ethan could fully utilize for sacrifice.
Trolls originated from here, only later spreading throughout the world.
In addition, creatures like Hocklumps, Bowtruckles, Unicorns, Dragons, Augureys, and Fwoopers all live in Scandinavia.
Ethan had obtained a detailed map from Dennis and his group. This map circulated within Slytherin, as they frequently captured Animals in the area.
Especially the Troll tribes marked on it, their numbers were astonishingly high. They sometimes captured Trolls as well.
Trolls, despite their appearance, can be domesticated. Once tamed, they can be used as security guards; an ordinary adult Wizard is truly no match for them.
A well-trained Troll is worth a lot of money, but not every Troll can be tamed; it requires those with higher intelligence within their tribe.
And on this trip, Ethan was planning to target Trolls.
As an XXXX-level Animal, although it uses physical attacks, it contains a significant amount of magic within its body, and coupled with its large physique, it is truly quite suitable.
"Are we there yet?"
Feeling the mclaren f1 slowing down, Ethan immediately sat up, his head bumping against Nagini's front deck, and Ethan immediately felt a surge of overwhelming power.
Ethan, retracting his gaze, walked to the window. Below was an endless mountain range.
If they hadn't taken a wrong turn, they should be above the Scandinavian Mountains, which divide the Scandinavian Peninsula into Norway and Sweden.
"We're here so quickly? It's only been a little over an hour?"
"We're here. Get ready, you can start fighting now."
Saying that, Ethan walked directly to the driver's seat, personally controlling the car to find the Troll tribe.
Before long, Ethan saw several dark green giants, dragging reindeer, heading in one direction.
Their height was estimated to be around twelve to thirteen feet, slightly smaller than the Troll he saw last time with fake Quirrell. Aside from their body color, other aspects looked pretty much the same.
These were Forest Trolls; the one that appeared in Hogwarts was a Mountain Troll. Besides these, there were also River Trolls.
"Get ready, target acquired!"
Ethan hovered far behind them in the sky, waiting until they reached their tribe to make a move.
Cassandra and the two others immediately took out their wands and stood by the car door. Their purpose for this trip was to gain some practical combat experience.
Trolls move slowly, and besides throwing rocks, they have no other long-range attack methods. Among XXXX-level Animals, they are relatively easy to deal with.
However, Ethan needed them alive for this trip, which placed some restrictions on them; spells like the Fiendfyre Curse definitely couldn't be used.
After about twenty minutes, Ethan finally saw the giant wooden houses in the distance. The wooden houses were quite messy, as if simply piled up with trees, and they were definitely leaky and drafty.
As for the number of wooden houses, there were probably eighty or ninety.
It seems this Troll tribe is quite large!
Opening the car door, Ethan and the three others directly transformed into four plumes of black smoke, rushing out of the car. After circling in the sky, they each found suitable places to land.
Ethan had taught them Voldemort and his Death Eaters' signature variant of the Flying Charm these past two days. It was a very practical spell, and learning it wasn't too difficult.
However, it was inconvenient to cast spells while flying, which was inferior to Ethan summoning crows to carry him. But Crow Storm was very difficult to learn and couldn't be mastered in a day or two, so they would make do with this for now.
Ugh!
The moment he landed, Ethan smelled an intense stench, almost making him vomit his overnight meal.
It was countless times smellier than the Troll he encountered in the Philosopher's Stone's challenge.
The first thing Ethan did after recovering was to cast a Head Bubble Charm on himself.
By this time, the Trolls had also discovered Ethan and his unwelcome guests, and grunting sounds echoed through the Troll tribe.
The ground began to tremble as a large number of Trolls, armed with wooden clubs, charged towards Ethan.
It wasn't the first time their tribe had been attacked by Wizards. Facing these daring Wizards, they had experience: they needed enough tribesmen to drive them away.
Facing the charge of dozens of Trolls, Ethan, rarely, took out his wand.
"Bloodthirsty Wolves!"
As a faint, dark glow flashed from Ethan's wand tip, the shadows behind him began to churn, as if something was struggling to break free from within.
Suddenly, a black wolf, over five meters tall at the shoulder, completely black, with blood-red eyes, burst out from the shadows.
Then came the second, the third, and an endless stream of black wolves rushed out until the thirtieth, when Ethan's shadow finally returned to calm.
With the increase in magic and greater mastery of this spell, the black wolves that emerged were naturally larger and more numerous.
Then, one by one, black wolves, much larger than the Trolls, began a head-on charge against the Trolls opposite them.
Relying on their massive size, the black wolves charged through the Troll crowds, and it often took two or three Trolls working together to stop a single black wolf.
Unlike the modified Trolls that appeared in the Room of Requirement, these black wolves no longer struggled to tear the Trolls' skin; instead, every bite into a Troll's chest produced the sound of bones breaking, and every claw swipe left bloody marks on the Trolls' bodies.
Moreover, their blood was no longer green, nor was it corrosive.
The wooden clubs in the Trolls' hands had no effect on the black wolves other than creating ripples on their bodies; the black wolves' physical resistance was quite strong, and their magic was not so easily dispersed.
However, magic attacks could be absorbed and then split by them, making it a rather troublesome magic that, besides directly eliminating Ethan himself, could only be dispelled by All Spells End.
But for Trolls to be able to use All Spells End would be a ghost story.
Suddenly, a colossal creature at least seventeen feet tall burst out from the Troll crowd in front, followed by two large brutes around fifteen feet tall, each wielding a glowing club, charging madly towards Ethan.
For a moment, three or four black wolves in a row failed to stop its advance.
If he wasn't mistaken, this should be the leader of this Troll tribe, and the two behind it were most likely either leader candidates or some kind of warriors.
But what kind of threat could this pose to Ethan?
He pointed his wand at the ground, and a giant rock suddenly appeared beneath the feet of the three Trolls, directly tripping them as they charged.
Before they could regain their balance, the ground beneath them suddenly came alive, with large amounts of mud erupting upwards and coalescing to completely engulf the three Trolls.
And the moment the wrapping was complete, the material transformed into a single piece of granite.
At this point, the three Trolls could do nothing but groan and snort on the ground.
Chapter 141: Twin Snake wands
Meanwhile, Penelope and the others had also engaged the Trolls, though they faced fewer in number than Ethan.
"Mjölnir!"
Accompanied by the roar of thunder, six or seven Trolls at the forefront instantly fell to the ground, their bodies still twitching uncontrollably, with arcs of electricity flashing across their charred skin.
Frightened by the commotion, the Trolls stopped in their tracks, then turned and ran.
Even with their tiny, snot-sized brains, they knew to fear thunder; they truly could not afford to provoke this woman who could control lightning.
Penelope looked at this scene with satisfaction; she had deliberately increased the area of effect, sacrificing some damage, but it was still enough to knock down Trolls with relatively high magic resistance. If it were a Wizard, this single strike would have certainly finished them.
"Petrificus Totalus!"
Penelope couldn't just watch them run; she immediately cast a grayish-white spell that struck the Troll currently running at the very back.
But the effect was not obvious; nothing happened except for a momentary pause.
"Their skin is really thick!"
Penelope looked at the scene helplessly, then transformed into a puff of black smoke and flew into the sky, heading to intercept the Trolls from the front.
"Powdered Bone!"
"Diffindo!"
"Sectumsempra!"
One offensive spell after another was cast by Penelope, treating these Trolls as mere live targets for spell practice.
After consuming the Potion of Increased Magic Power, Penelope's magic power level was at least twice that of a normal adult Wizard, and for a short period, she didn't need to worry too much about magic consumption.
...
"Impedimenta!"
"Fortify!"
Unlike Penelope, Nagini first stacked up her defenses, probably a lingering effect from her past experiences in the Wizarding War.
Even without those memories, she maintained a habitual caution.
"Thunderbolt Explosion!"
Orange-red flames erupted from Nagini's black and gold wand, instantly covering the entire group of Trolls.
Continuous explosions emanated from within the flames, with occasional dirt, trees, and dismembered limbs being blasted into the air.
The entire process lasted for more than ten seconds before stopping, and during this time, not a single Trollmanaged to escape the area covered by the flames.
When the flames and smoke dissipated, the Trolls that had charged forward were now charred black and sprawled everywhere, with a few unlucky ones, presumably at the center of the explosion, having lost limbs.
But some of them just shook their heads and stood up, abandoning their clubs and turning to run.
Most Animals fear lightning and fire, let alone encountering a situation where so many of their companions are simultaneously knocked down.
Their brains may be small, and they may be truly stupid, but they are not incapable of fear.
Nagini also watched this scene speechlessly, then made the same choice as Penelope, chasing after them with a Flying Charm.
According to Ethan's request, not a single Troll could be allowed to escape.
Having lived as a snake for decades, Nagini had long lost the kindness she possessed when she was human, and now she acted without mercy.
It was just that Cassandra's side was somewhat powerless.
After all, her fire-casting skills, honed for over a year, were sealed, and she could only use some conventional spells to fight.
Only Powdered Bone and Sectumsempra could cause damage.
After again resisting a Troll's club strike with her Shield Charm necklace, she retaliated with a Sectumsempra, causing blood to gush from its waist, then used a Flying Charm to create distance.
Ethan had also finished dealing with the Trolls he faced, and had even controlled the black wolves to rampage through the Troll tribe's gathering place, knocking down all the remaining ones so they couldn't get up.
He then used Levitation Charm and Accio to throw all these Trolls to the edge of the tribe's territory. After doing all this, Ethan did not actively go to help.
Instead, he began drawing an Alchemy array in the open space at the center of the tribe, using mercury mixed with a small amount of Goblin silver. He solidified the mercury onto the ground with magic, so that once all the Trolls were gathered, Ethan would only need to infuse magicand follow a special operating method, combined with the Alchemy array on the ground.
As for the situation of Cassandra and the other two, Ethan did not need to worry.
With the Protego necklace and the Apparition brooch, their safety was guaranteed.
Moreover, when in danger, they would use whatever spell was effective, without needing to consider holding back.
"Ethan, I've dealt with my side. There are twenty-six in total, but I can't bring them over."
Whether she truly hadn't gotten any dust on her, or if she had used a cleaning spell, Penelope still looked as radiant as when they had set out.
"Okay, I'll move them once I've finished inscribing this. You go help Cassandra first."
Ethan nodded, then continued to inscribe the Alchemyarray.
It was normal for Penelope not to be able to move them with a Levitation Charm; few Wizards could do that.
Trolls, while alive, have extremely high magic resistance. For a Levitation Charm to work on a Troll, one needs both ample magic power and a deep understanding of the Levitation Charm.
"I'm going now!"
Penelope walked towards the direction from which the roaring sounds emanated; she knew Cassandra was probably not having an easy time.
About an hour later, Ethan finally nodded in satisfaction. This Alchemy array was quite difficult and large in area, big enough to stack at least a dozen Trolls.
If Ethan hadn't had the double buffs of body and mind, it would probably have taken another hour to complete.
Cassandra and the others had already returned and were sitting nearby, recovering their magic power.
Even after drinking a Potion to restore magic power, it still takes time to recover; it's not an instant boost.
After gathering all the Trolls, whether unconscious or groaning, Ethan directly activated the Alchemy array with magic, and a dazzling red light rose from the mercury.
Ethan controlled the Trolls, throwing them into the array one by one. With magic combined with the Alchemyarray, even the ground was dyed red, and the Trolls were likewise, dissolving at an extremely fast rate in the red light.
Ethan maintained a steady output of magic power while continuously throwing Trolls into the red light.
Only after the last Troll was thrown in by Ethan and dissolved did he withdraw his magic.
After about three more minutes, the red light also dimmed.
All that remained in the center of the Alchemy array was a brilliant, irregularly shaped red gem, slightly larger than a fingernail, with dazzling red light flashing within it.
Compared to the Philosopher's Stone, which was the size of a child's fist, in Ethan's hand, this was far too miniature.
No wonder Nicolas once said that the best option was to find a place where magic converged to create it; using living creatures to create a Philosopher's Stone really wasn't ideal.
This single gem, only slightly larger than a fingernail, required over a hundred Trolls. If it were a complete Philosopher's Stone, it would probably require sacrificing half of an entire tribe.
"Let me see, is it the Philosopher's Stone?"
Penelope strode forward; who didn't know the legend of the Philosopher's Stone!
Transmuting base metals into gold and immortality—these were the ultimate pursuits of many Wizards.
"It only possesses many of the characteristics of the Philosopher's Stone."
Saying this, Ethan directly tossed it into Penelope's hand.
Then, a Mjölnir shattered the entire Alchemy array and the surrounding ground, followed by a Fiendfyre to turn the entire ground into lava.
Now, no matter who came, they wouldn't be able to find any trace.
Returning to the mclaren f1, Ethan went directly to the workbench, placing Nagini's wand and the Philosopher's Stone before him.
Nearby lay a complete piece of obsidian, gold, mercury, Goblin silver, and two small piles of powder.
A wisp of white flame ignited in Ethan's hand, and the wand and Philosopher's Stone simultaneously floated in mid-air, undergoing calcination by the flames. Without damaging the magic patterns inside, Ethan embedded the Philosopher's Stone into the tip of the wand.
After completing this step, the obsidian and gold floated together into mid-air, melting in the flames and rolling until they were thoroughly mixed, then covering the surface of the Philosopher's Stone with the resulting liquid.
The appearance was simply too eye-catching; it was even more attention-grabbing than the opal Lucius had embedded in the tip of his wand. This was a Philosopher's Stone, even if its size didn't quite match.
Next was to activate the connection between the Philosopher's Stone and the wand, making them a single entity.
Ethan found some inspiration for this in 'The Book of Abraham the Jew'.
Two small clumps of powder floated separately into mid-air. The silver and the mercury-gold gradually mixed into a single entity in the white flames. Before it had completely cooled, Ethan mixed the powder into it.
These were Basilisk horn powder and Horned Serpenthorn powder. (Basilisks have horns; Slytherin's wand core is Basilisk horn.)
"Nagini, give me some of your blood!"
After Ethan finished speaking, his attention remained on the two masses of molten metal, controlling them to form while simultaneously engraving Ancient Runes within them.
Until they became two tiny snake shapes, black in color but with gold and silver patterns, Ethan infused Nagini's fresh blood into them, making the snakes' eyes a vibrant red.
Only then did Ethan pick up the wand, controlling the two small snakes to form an Ouroboros, biting each other's tails, and coiling around the base of the wand.
Cassandra and the others watched Ethan nervously from the side, not daring to make the slightest sound to disturb him.
Only when the entire wand ignited with a blood-red glow, forming the illusory figures of two snakes, did Ethan finally let out a sigh of relief; it was finally successful.
For the two Ouroboros, Ethan separately carved the Eh and Lagu runes.
The former represents partnership, confidence, loyalty, progress, and transportation and movement; the latter signifies flow and possessing growing power.
This would allow the entire wand to become a complete individual while strengthening its connection with Naginiand increasing its power.
Originally, Ethan had already carved four Ancient Runeswhile making the wand: Ur, Sige1, and Tyr, representing strength, combat, and victory, as well as Torn, representing attack and defense.
Now, the entire wand directly possessed the power of six Ancient Runes.
The Philosopher's Stone, as the wand core, further increased stability and amplified the casting effects of all spells on top of the original foundation.
It could also be used as a backup magic source; the magicstored within it could be restored by absorbing magicparticles from the air. This was achieved by incorporating the refining method of a construct core, and it could also be restored through the relationship between the wandand Nagini.
This wand, apart from the uncertain elder wand, was definitely much stronger than other wands.
After all, Ethan had not experienced the power of the elder wand, so there was no clear standard.
"You try holding it!"
After checking that there were no problems, Ethan directly handed it to Nagini.
"Mm!"
Nagini accepted it with delight. The moment she grasped it, the illusory figures of two phantom snakes coiled around her.
"It feels wonderful, as if I and it are one, inseparable."
Hearing this reply, Ethan knew it was a complete success.
Next, they needed to continue slaughtering Trolls.
Ethan himself wanted one, and how many would be made depended on how many Troll tribes there were in Scandinavia.
Anyway, Trolls were inherently annoying creatures, not only foul-smelling but also violent.
Chapter 142: See you again, Fleur and Gabrielle
Looking at the bright light outside through the curtains, Penelope nudged Ethan, who was still asleep beside her.
"Wake up, the car has stopped. We should be in the Alpsnow."
"Don't bother me!"
Ethan pulled her directly into his arms, pulled up the covers, and continued to sleep.
Seeing this, Penelope gave up on waking Ethan and simply snuggled into his arms, lying contentedly.
Ethan had been the busiest these past two days; they couldn't help much after their Magic Power was depleted.
From capturing Trolls to carving Alchemy arrays, he did it all alone. And he hadn't slept at all the night before, either hammering Trolls or on his way to hammer Trolls. They only occasionally helped by driving to find Trolls.
Last night, he had also worked hard for most of the night. If she hadn't given out, Ethan probably would have continued.
In the small dining car, Cassandra radiated a gloomy, dark aura, staring blankly out the window, lost in thought.
Nagini, who had finished making breakfast, sat on a chair and said helplessly to Cassandra, "If you can't stand it, go pull them out."
It had been like this since early morning, making everyone uncomfortable.
"So, I'm going?"
Cassandra snapped back to reality.
Although she had forgiven Ethan, and Penelope had taught her a lot of knowledge, allowing her to easily surpass Hermione once she came of age, this wasn't an excuse for Penelope to rub it in her face.
Early in the morning, after waking up, Cassandra felt something was off when she didn't see Penelope. When she went to her room, sure enough, there was no one there, and the bed didn't look like anyone had slept in it the previous night.
With this series of changes, Cassandra knew exactly what she had been up to.
Then she fell into the state she was in just now.
"Go on!"
Nagini waved her hand, finding it unsettling, and let them bicker.
Perhaps she could even find an opportunity to sneak in.
After getting Nagini's support, Cassandra strode forward and went directly to Ethan's door.
Bang!
Bang!
"Penelope, I know you're in there, open the door for me!"
Such a loud commotion naturally woke the two people sleeping inside.
Penelope had fallen asleep again while being held by Ethan, as she had exerted a lot of effort as a female knight last night.
"How about I go out first, and you continue to sleep?"
Penelope threw back the covers and stood up, stretching. Since Cassandra was here, if she didn't go out, she wouldn't give up.
Bathed in the faint sunlight filtering through the sheer curtains, Penelope's perfect curves were exposed to Ethan's eyes. In that instant, he felt the urge for another round. As for what she said, was it important?
"You wait a moment, we can't continue. Cassandra is knocking on the door outside."
Penelope turned her head and, noticing that Ethan's eyes were a bit off, quickly stepped back two paces.
It was still a bit swollen; the next round would at least require two days of rest.
"Alright, you go out first. I'll be out in a bit."
Ethan glanced regretfully at Penelope, whose magnificent figure was fully displayed, and could only agree to her request.
Perhaps it was time to start making some Potions for recovery, otherwise, he wouldn't be able to fully enjoy himself!
Or giving them Magic Blood could also be put on the agenda.
Even without the bloodline sublimation reward from Ethan's achievement, simply drinking Magic Blood could significantly improve physical fitness and greatly enhance recovery speed.
This improved not only Magic Power recovery but also physical stamina recovery.
Otherwise, Ethan wouldn't have been able to continuously produce Philosopher's Stones for over thirty-six hours, which demanded extremely high levels of mental, physical, and Magical Power.
"Penelope, open the door quickly, don't make me blast it open!"
"Coming, coming!"
Penelope shouted towards the door while putting on her clothes.
"I'll be waiting for you outside."
"Got it!"
Penelope also sped up; she couldn't provoke Cassandraany longer, and Ethan's gaze was becoming increasingly dangerous.
Looking down at his still-fiery brother, Ethan sighed.
…
After breakfast, Ethan put away the twelve Philosopher's Stones.
The three largest ones were only the size of the one he had embedded in Nagini's wand yesterday.
The smaller ones were only the size of soybeans.
Each of these represented a Troll tribe.
He wondered how happy the Animals Protection Department here would be when they discovered the situation, as Ethan had cleared out so many potential threats for them.
"Did you send a message to those two half-Veela?"
Cassandra came before Ethan, her expression still quite displeased.
"What half-Veela? They have names, Fleur and Gabrielle."
Ethan's tone was somewhat serious. Half-bloods least wished to be called that, as it carried an insulting connotation.
"I know, I won't say it then."
Cassandra pouted, a bit unhappy.
Ethan could only use the method he used to coax her a few days ago: he grabbed Cassandra's hand, pulled her into his arms, and then kissed her.
Tsk! Tsk!
"What a scoundrel!"
Penelope, sitting aside, watched the kissing couple and shook her head, teasing them.
One, usually so proud, could be handled with just a kiss.
The other was even worse; less than an hour after getting out of bed with her, he was kissing someone else right in front of her. A scoundrel among scoundrels.
After about two and a half minutes, the two separated. Cassandra, her face flushed, wiped the moisture from her lips and leaned against Ethan's chest, panting heavily.
She was as docile as a kitten.
So, as long as you found the right method, dealing with her was incredibly simple.
However, it was still too early to truly "eat" this piece of meat. Fleur, on the other hand, would be ready next year, and Nagini could be anytime.
[Fleur Delacour: Gabrielle and I have already packed our luggage and are ready to depart at any time.]
[Ethan Adrien: Arriving soon!]
After replying to Fleur, Ethan placed Cassandra on a nearby seat and moved to the driver's seat.
The De la Cour family manor was in the Alps, only about two hundred kilometers from Ethan's location, a mere ten-odd minutes' drive.
Originally, Ethan had planned to send them Portkeys for their round trip, using the De la Cour family's Portkey for the return journey, as Ethan believed they wouldn't lack one.
This was also the promise Ethan had made to Fleur and Gabrielle when they parted last summer.
But Ethan had only made one Portkey, which he used when returning from King's Cross Station. It was later taken by Belinda, who visited two days ago, and was now in Cassandra's hands.
The second one was still being rushed and would take a few more days to complete; Portkeys weren't that easy to make.
Instead of waiting for it to be finished and then mailing it, it was better to just drive and pick them up. After all, one could sleep and travel from Scandinavia to the Alps in France without wasting any time…
And from the Alps to Gordric's Hollow, with the speed of this mclaren f1, which Ethan had modified, it would take less than an hour, which was very convenient.
After continuous expansion of the car's interior space, there were now seven rooms, plus a kitchen, workbench, and lounge. Apart from having no place to practice spells, other areas were no different from being at home.
About ten minutes later, Ethan successfully arrived at the entrance of the De la Cour manor.
The trio—a silver-haired married woman, a girl, and a loli—were already waiting at the main gate.
"Brother, you're finally here!"
The moment Ethan got out of the car, Gabrielle broke free from her mother's hand and rushed over.
Ethan also opened his arms and hugged the little loli. "The Portkey isn't ready yet, so I had to come pick you up myself."
"Madame Apolline, long time no see!"
Ethan, holding Gabrielle, came before the two and greeted them.
"It certainly has been a long time. Gabrielle has been talking about you every day at home. You've only met a few times, and I don't know how you managed to abduct my daughter."
Apolline De la Cour covered her mouth and chuckled at Ethan.
"Maybe my charm is high!"
"Indeed, very high!"
Apolline nodded affirmatively. She didn't even know who truly possessed the Veela bloodline anymore.
Not just her two daughters, even she felt a sense of closeness when she saw him.
While Ethan chatted with Apolline, the little loli Gabrielle, held by Ethan, also showed a provocative smile to her sister in a place where the two couldn't see.
See? Brother is holding me now, and you haven't even said a word to him yet.
Fleur gritted her teeth. If it weren't for the wrong occasion, she would have surely picked her up, pinched her cheeks hard, and spanked her bottom.
"My two daughters are now in your hands. You must protect them well."
Finally, casting a glance at Gabrielle, who was still clinging to Ethan's arms, and Fleur, whose soul seemed to be elsewhere, Apolline said somewhat helplessly.
"Don't worry, I will definitely protect their safety."
Ethan immediately made that promise.
The current Great Britain Wizarding World was relatively safe. Lord Voldemort hadn't been resurrected, and the pure-blood families had a decent relationship with him, so they wouldn't provoke him. He couldn't think of any risks.
"Goodbye, Mom!" x 2
Fleur and Gabrielle also said goodbye to their mother and then followed Ethan into the car together.
As soon as they entered the lounge, Cassandra and the other two immediately focused their gaze on Fleur. This half-Veela was indeed a formidable rival.
Then, looking at Gabrielle, who was like a smaller version of Fleur, they immediately raised the threat level of these two sisters by another notch.
Ethan, sensing the awkward atmosphere, could only introduce them.
Fortunately, both sides already knew of each other's existence, and no incidents occurred.
"Brother, when I grow up, you can dump all of them. My age will be just right then, and they'll all be old women."
Gabrielle whispered into Ethan's ear, leaning on his shoulder.
Ethan looked at Gabrielle with some disbelief, then carried her to the other side. If they heard that, Gabriellewould have a hard time later.
Even Fleur wouldn't help her then.
No woman could remain indifferent after being called an old woman.
"Who taught you this?"
"Mom learned it from the books she reads."
What kind of books does your mom read at home?!
Chapter 143: Father's Bone and the resurrection stone
After returning and resting for a night, Ethan left the next day at noon after greeting Cassandra and the others.
The brewing time for the resurrection Potion was seven days. The preceding steps were already complete, but these were all auxiliary ingredients.
Only by adding the main ingredients at the last critical moment, which was tonight, could the resurrection effect be achieved.
Still, I arrived in the Hangleton area in the mclaren f1, then put the car away, preparing to walk.
This is where the Gaunt Old House is located, divided into Great Hangleton and Little Hangleton.
Great Hangleton is where Lord Voldemort's father lived, and Little Hangleton is where the Gaunt Old House is located.
It was convenient to get Lord Voldemort's father's bone along the way, and also retrieve the resurrection stone.
"Tom, do you know where the Gaunt Old House is?"
Ethan was too lazy to search, so he directly released little Tom from the silver goblet.
"I know, I'll take you."
Little Tom floated obediently in mid-air, leading the way for Ethan; although he was just a wisp of a soul now, he wasn't afraid of the sun.
Following little Tom's guidance, Ethan quickly found a house that was faintly visible, hidden among gnarled trees.
From the outside, it already looked quite dilapidated; the walls were covered with moss, many tiles on the roof had fallen off, and the courtyard was overgrown with nettles, tall nettles reaching up to the small windows, which were covered in thick, old grime, and the front door had an S-shaped snake nailed to it.
"Tom, do you know where the resurrection stone is hidden?"
"I know, it's in the hand of a statue in the inner room; the gem on the ring in his hand is the resurrection stone."
Little Tom didn't hide anything.
He was born at school in his fifth year, and he acquired the resurrection stone during the summer holiday of his fifth year, so he shouldn't have known these things, but after absorbing the memories from the diadem, he naturally knew everything. (Previously, I thought the second Horcrux was the diadem, but it was actually the resurrection stone, and the diadem was the third.)
Upon entering the inner room, Ethan first saw a large statue, and indeed, as little Tom had said, there was a ring on the statue's right hand.
That ring was set with a black, diamond-shaped gem, and with just a glance, Ethan's attention was drawn to it.
But Ethan didn't take it off directly; this Horcrux was one of the few that Lord Voldemort had set a trap for, a curse that even Dumbledore couldn't break, and Snape said it could only extend life by one year.
Although Ethan had high magic resistance, he didn't want to experiment on himself.
If he made a cleansing Potion, he could certainly lift the curse, but if he could avoid the curse, why try?
He summoned the VoldyBat; ordinary magic couldn't harm it, especially Dark Arts; it could even take a hit with its face, so Ethan thought it wouldn't be a problem if it took the ring.
According to Ethan's instructions, the VoldyBat floated up, slipped the ring off the statue's hand, and dropped it into the Dragon hide pouch Ethan had prepared beforehand.
As for how to remove the curse, Ethan also had some ideas; he would first try to get some Murtlap and test it.
After obtaining the resurrection stone, Ethan returned the way he came, arriving in front of the valley located between two steep slopes, where there was a small village, and in the center of the village, the church and cemetery were located.
After spending some time, he finally found his target: the tombs of Tom Riddle, Mary Riddle, and Thomas Riddle.
This was a family burial site, and Tom Riddle was Lord Voldemort's father; he used magic to open the tomb, took out a bone, and then restored it.
If Ethan were to replace the bones here at this moment, could Lord Voldemort still be resurrected?
He thought about it and decided against it; Lord Voldemort's resurrection might not be a bad thing for him.
With what he wanted in hand, Ethan Apparitioned directly to Knockturn Alley, and upon landing, he put on the VoldyBat to complete his disguise.
He pushed the door open and entered Borgin and Burkes.
"Look, what do you need?"
Hearing the sound of a customer entering, Borginhabitually spoke his greeting towards the door.
"It's you, please come in!"
Seeing the figure he hadn't seen in a year, Borgin couldn't help but tremble, and quickly scurried forward to greet him.
After such a long time without news of Ethan, there were all sorts of rumors about Ethan in Knockturn Alley, and even now there were many fakes.
And with Borgin's decades of experience, he could naturally tell this was the real one, after all, besides the real one, who else would be so reckless as to wear a VoldyBat?
"Still acromantula venom, do you buy it?"
"Yes, I'll buy as much as you have!"
Listening to that cold and hoarse voice, dared he say no?
"Alright!"
Ethan didn't waste words, directly taking out the pouch containing acromantula venom and handing it to Borgin.
This was nearly a year's worth of his production, quite a lot; he hoped Borgin could handle it.
Otherwise, he would lose his temper.
The reason he came to him was precisely because his prices were high enough, wasn't it?
Borgin, who was continuously taking out acromantula venom, was sweating profusely; the quality was as high as ever, but the quantity was even more than last year!
That time he lost almost seven thousand Galleons, and now he didn't know how much more he would lose; he dared not say that acromantula venom had dropped in price.
It wasn't until the counter couldn't hold any more, and half a shelf was filled, that Borgin emptied the pouch.
Three hundred bottles; he needed to buy them for sixty thousand Galleons, then sell them for a net loss of twenty-one thousand Galleons.
His shop hadn't earned that much Galleons in the entire past year.
"Could you allow me to go to Gringotts to get some Galleons? The ones in the shop aren't enough."
Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, Borgin said cautiously.
When Lord Voldemort used to work for him, he would call him 'boss' when he saw him, but now he had to humble himself before others; he was truly regressing.
"You can also trade with other things!"
"What?"
Borgin's legs were trembling a bit, fearing that Ethan would say to trade with his life, then take away everything in the shop, completing a zero-cost acquisition.
"runespoor eggs, do you have any here?"
To prepare Blood Magic Potion for Penelope and the others, the number of runespoor eggs needed was not small; five eggs were required for each dose of Potion for one person.
During this time, Dennis and his team had only acquired seven, which was still far from enough.
Those seven runespoor eggs were currently stored at low temperatures; Dragon eggs couldn't be kept at low temperatures, otherwise they would become dead eggs, but runespoor eggs could, as they hatched at room temperature, and controlling the temperature could delay the hatching time.
Originally, Ethan had planned to ask the Worre Family for these missing items; perhaps their family had a way to obtain them.
However, coming to Borgin and Burkes also offered more options.
Borgin specialized in illegal trade in Knockturn Alley and was also one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight Families, so the possibility of obtaining runespoor eggs would be even greater.
As for the Worre Family, anyway, they only had one daughter, Cassandra, so all their property would belong to Cassandra in the future, and then it would be no different from his own, so it was better to leave a good impression on them and take fewer things for free.
"I don't have any here, but I can help you buy them; I have connections in the entire Europe black market."
Borgin said hurriedly, it was good that it wasn't about his life, and trading with runespoor eggs, he might even lose less.
"How many bottles of acromantula venom can be exchanged for one runespoor egg?"
According to Dennis and his team, the price of a runespoor egg fluctuated around three thousand Galleons per egg, which was comparable to the price of some Dragon eggs.
"How about sixteen bottles for one?"
Based on the previous acquisition price, sixteen bottles would be three thousand two hundred Galleons; the key was that runespoor eggs were usually pre-ordered, and you couldn't get them without some connections.
Considering that Borgin offered such a high price for acromantula venom, Ethan wouldn't bother with this small matter.
"Okay, I need twenty-three."
As he spoke, Ethan began to pull things out of his pocket: Chimera teeth, Winged Serpent venom, Basilisk venom, Thestral and Unicorn hair, Augurey feathers, ...
Except for the Winged Serpent and Basilisk, which Ethan raised, all the others were products of the Forbidden Forest.
"Do you think these are enough?"
Although Ethan asked this, he had a rough idea of the value of these items in his mind.
"Enough, definitely enough, and there's extra."
Borgin looked at these items with great eagerness; they were all good things!
Thestrals and Unicorns were not common, and he had never even received Basilisk venom, or rather, he hadn't heard any rumors of Basilisks anywhere now.
Winged Serpent venom was also extremely rare; although its effect was similar to the Memory Charm, the Memory Charm damaged the brain, while Winged Serpent venom did not.
To be able to produce so many items at once, Borginsuspected that Ethan either ran a zoo or had robbed Newt Scamander.
"Convert the excess into Galleons for me!"
Ethan didn't intend to take them back; he still had what he needed for Alchemy, and these were all surplus or no longer useful.
Ethan would not sell things like Erumpent horns and Unicorn horns.
"A total of twenty-seven thousand Galleons for you."
He calculated a high price for Ethan, just as he had before, but it wasn't a purely loss-making price like with the acromantula venom.
All things combined, offsetting the small profit he made from finding channels to get the runespoor eggs, the loss was still within his acceptable range.
"Alright, I'll give you the items first. I hope you won't disappoint me, Caractacus Borgin!"
"One month's time, you can come and collect them then; I will definitely have them ready for you."
Borgin wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and promised Ethan.
Being suddenly called by his name meant that he knew his background and wasn't afraid of him reneging on the debt.
The monk can run, but the temple cannot.
The shop could close, but where could the Borgin Family run?
This person had taken down a standard Auror squad in one encounter, without using a wand or uttering a spell throughout.
Bringing such a person trouble to the family, was he afraid the family would prosper, right!
"I'll come back in a month."
Ethan also knew that runespoor eggs were difficult to obtain, especially in such a quantity as twenty-three; a month's time was already shorter than Ethan's expectation.
Just as he stepped out, Ethan felt that he was being watched again.
He really had a bad run-in with Knockturn Alley.
There were four people in total; after Ethan glared at them, two quickly turned against their companions, using Stupefy to knock them down.
Then, carrying their companions, they followed behind Ethan; at this point, many people finally realized that this silent, wandless Imperio was real, he had appeared again.
It wasn't that Ethan couldn't control all four, but mainly to send a signal to the others in Knockturn Alley: open your eyes, don't dare to target just anyone.
The reason these four targeted him was probably because they saw him entering Borgin and Burkes as a customer.
Unfamiliar faces, or those who seemed easy to bully, were their targets; whether these people entered to buy or sell, they would come out with Galleons or valuable items.
But did his current appearance make him seem easy to bully?
[Thanks to the boss The Sorrow of the Sorrowful for the monthly ticket, thank you boss!]
Chapter 144: Resurrection and Ancient magic, Helheim
"Nagini, here, this is yours!"
After returning home, Ethan tossed Nagini a bottle of dark blue Potion.
"This is?"
Nagini looked at the Potion in her hand in confusion, looking at Ethan questioningly.
"Potion of Increased Magic Power, drink it to increase your magic!"
Penelope, who was nearby, explained; she had drunk it at Christmas, and the effect was quite remarkable.
Hearing Penelope say so, Nagini no longer hesitated and drank it in one gulp.
"Brother, where's mine!"
Gabrielle, who was sitting in the living room hugging a Dragon doll, ran over; she remembered her sister also receiving this Potion at Christmas.
"I'll give you another bottle after you start school."
Gabrielle had only experienced a magic outburst last year, and she couldn't control it well now; drinking the Potion of Increased Magic Power would only bring harm.
"Then we have a deal!"
Gabrielle blinked her eyes, looking at Ethan.
"Yes, it's a deal. After Gabrielle starts school, at Christmas, I'll give Gabrielle a bottle."
Ethan touched Gabrielle's head and made a promise.
During the Christmas holiday, the five bottles of Potion of Increased Magic Power that Ethan had Bruno make were already finished.
When he went to Knockturn Alley this time, he also brought the Potions back.
When he sees Luna later, he can give her a bottle then.
The cost was only a little over a thousand Galleons per bottle, which was nothing compared to the Blood Magic Potion.
"I won't be coming out for dinner later. Unless it's something important, please don't disturb me for now."
After comforting Gabrielle, Ethan instructed the others.
He then walked into the Charm practice room, opened his suitcase, and released the four guys who had been eyeing him in Knockturn Alley.
Originally, Ethan planned to experiment with Murtlaptumors and humanoid creatures like Goblins, but since someone walked into his trap, it saved him some trouble.
Then he took out a huge glass jar, which was full of sea anemone-shaped tumors, and they were even pickled.
Dennis and their Murtlap breeding was still ongoing; these Murtlap tumors were originally meant to be exchanged for Galleons, but now Ethan had brought them all here.
He manipulated one of the men to step forward, open the glass jar, and stuff the Murtlap tumors into his mouth one after another, roughly chewing twice before swallowing them.
As he ate enough tumors, purple ear hair visibly grew on the sides of his ears.
After he had eaten about twenty, Ethan made him stop eating and took out the Dragon skin pouch containing the resurrection stone ring, pouring the ring onto the table.
"Ah!"
A shrill scream came from his mouth, and his entire body fell to the ground, convulsing uncontrollably.
A black mist spread from the ring on his right hand, then drilled into his hand, causing his right hand to turn black at a visible speed and spread up his arm.
Ethan was truly startled; after eating so many Murtlaptumors, he could still be afflicted by the curse to this extent.
No wonder old Dumbledore couldn't bear it and had to seek Snape's help.
Fortunately, he hadn't been foolish enough to try it himself, otherwise, his fate probably wouldn't have been much better.
It must be said that Lord Voldemort truly had a knack for curses; the curse on the Defense Against the Dark Arts Class only lifted upon his death.
Even when he had become a remnant soul before, this curse remained effective, and no one could lift it.
However, the curse on the resurrection stone must have been added by Lord Voldemort later; he couldn't have had this level of skill when he made the Horcrux.
Looking at the half-dead Wizard on the ground, Ethan could only have the second person repeat the previous operation.
This time, much less black mist appeared, and the cursed state was much milder.
It was indeed similar to what he had imagined; for an overly powerful curse to remain constantly active and continuously triggered, it was a considerably difficult task.
For example, the curse on the Defense Against the Dark Arts Class was not fatal; it was more like something metaphysical targeting the luck of the teachers in that position.
And within the resurrection stone, the curse Lord Voldemort set had a constant value; the higher the carrying capacity, the more curses would be triggered.
It's highly probable that Lord Voldemort, after learning about Dumbledore's past, specifically prepared this for Dumbledore, aiming to take his life in one go, even if it meant sacrificing a Horcrux.
By the time it was the third person's turn, no black mist appeared on the ring, meaning it had been fully triggered.
Ethan controlled the fourth person to touch it, confirmed there was no problem, and then took it into his hand.
Using the Spirit Expulsion Curse to pull out the soul inside, Ethan, who had already had two practical opportunities, was even faster this time.
He released little Tom and, as usual, fed it to him.
"Their life force and magic, do you want it?"
Ethan didn't want to keep these useless wastes, and two of them were already incapacitated.
"Yes, absorbing magic and life force can maintain a stable state."
Little Tom nodded vigorously; ever since Ethan had imprisoned him in the silver goblet, he had never tasted what life force was like.
"Leave the last one for your resurrection later; the rest are yours."
Saying that, Ethan also walked aside; the achievement system had just flickered again.
Actually, it was within Ethan's expectations; if obtaining the relics of the four founders could trigger the achievement system, there was no reason why the Deathly Hallows wouldn't.
In terms of history and fame, the Deathly Hallows were even greater.
But whether they were truly bestowed by Death is uncertain; who knows if the so-called Death is just a more powerful Wizard.
[Collector: Deathly Hallows - resurrection stone]
Carrying the enigma of life and death, shimmering with the blur of hope and despair, departed figures reappear, yet unable to soothe the wounds of the heart, unable to stop the wheel of fate.
Achievement Goal: Collect the resurrection stone.
Achievement Reward: A random ancient magic.
Ethan drew without hesitation; ancient magic and Potions were never weak, at least not the ones Ethan had drawn.
Looking at this magic, Ethan fell into contemplation.
Its power was not as strong as the Mjölnir and Gungnirhe had drawn before, but its potential was limitless, absolutely a god-tier skill in the later stages.
Helheim, a spell that manipulates souls, casts a curse on the opponent, and if the opponent is killed within the duration of the curse, their soul will combine with their life force to form a puppet that follows the caster, forming an army of undead.
These puppet spirits can exist permanently, possess some of their former thoughts, will not betray, and will only return to the spirit world when they are dispersed or their master perishes.
There is no limit to their number, but their strength is only 80% of their former self.
There is also another effect: swallowing these spirits can instantly restore life force and magic, with no adverse effects on oneself.
This is a magic that can be called an absolute taboo; if exposed, it would likely lead to everyone hunting him down.
Kill enough people, and you'll have enough subordinates, and they're the kind that don't need to be fed, are hardworking, and never betray.
However, carrying these special spirits, even if created, is a problem; he can't just pull out a suitcase during a fight, can he!
And the name Helheim, as soon as you hear it, you know it's related to Norse mythology; all three ancient magics are Norse.
It's highly probable that the ancient runes, runes, and Runic script in this world are all the same writing system, and the source of these scripts is Norse, so perhaps Norse was the most developed region for magic in Europeduring the Middle Ages or even earlier.
Ethan could only come up with this explanation.
Little Tom was also finished; he had now returned to his five-year-old self, looking like a handsome young man.
He was also accompanied by the last intact Wizard, and the three corpses were directly fed to the VoldyBat.
He put little Tom and this Wizard into the box and took them to the Potion brewing room.
Looking at the constantly boiling and steaming liquid in the huge cauldron, it was almost ready.
While there was still some time, Ethan explained this complex resurrection spell to little Tom.
Observing the liquid, at the opportune moment, Ethan instructed little Tom:
"Go!"
Little Tom didn't hesitate and directly jumped into the huge cauldron.
"Father's bone, unwillingly given, can make your son reborn!"
The bones that Ethan had forcibly dug out of the grave were, of course, not willingly donated by Lord Voldemort's father.
The moment the bones fell into it, the diamond-like surface of the liquid cracked, hissing and sparking, and the liquid turned a vibrant blue.
"Servant's flesh, willingly given, can make your master reborn!"
After handing over control to little Tom, the Wizard he controlled directly severed his own hand and threw it into the cauldron.
The liquid in the cauldron now turned fiery red.
"Enemy's blood, forcibly taken."
This was extracted by Malfoy hammering Harry, so it couldn't have been Harry's willing contribution.
He took out a towel, twisted it hard, and bright red blood dripped into the boiling cauldron.
The liquid in the cauldron boiled, and diamond-like sparks flew in all directions, so bright and dazzling that they turned the entire Potion brewing room into a black velvet color.
Suddenly, the sparks on the cauldron extinguished, and a white steam rose from within the cauldron, making the entire area hazy white.
After Ethan used magic to dispel the steam, little Tomemerged from the cauldron, looking exactly like Lord Voldemort in his fifth year.
"How do you feel?"
"This is a beauty I've never known!"
Little Tom closed his eyes and sighed; when he was a Horcrux, he constantly thought about how to possess a body.
Now, he finally got his wish, shedding his identity as a Horcrux and living as a human.
"How do you feel your strength compares to before?"
This was what Ethan was concerned about.
"Stronger than when I was sixteen, probably around the level of a twenty-year-old."
Having absorbed the soul of the diadem, he had all the memories from when he was nineteen, and after resurrection, his magic level was even higher than at nineteen, so saying he had the strength of a twenty-year-old was not an exaggeration.
"Alright, I'll take you to Knockturn Alley later to establish the rudimentary form of a force."
It's better to leave such matters to professionals; anyway, little Tom's life is in his hands, and each future member will also be given a Ghost Servant Mark by him. Under his suppression, they won't be able to cause any trouble.
"I understand."
Little Tom nodded resignedly; even after resurrection, he could still sense that his soul was under Ethan's control.
Coupled with the disparity in strength, he was completely outmatched last time and couldn't gauge Ethan's depth. Even after resurrection, Tom didn't believe he had a chance of winning.
Having gained life, Tom, as a human, no longer wanted to experience being a lonely ghost.
"This wand is yours. With your ability, you should be able to get a suitable wand."
Saying that, Ethan tossed him a wand, one of those from the four guys just now.
Chapter 145: Witch Heart Society
"Have you decided yet, which Animals' blood to use for the Blood Magic Potion?"
Actually, Ethan didn't mind if they all used Dragon blood; Onyxia and Norbert, the two Dragons, should be able to handle it.
"I feel like a Thunderbird suits me better."
Closing the book "fantastic beasts and where to find them" in her hand, Penelope said excitedly.
She was already imagining herself taking the Blood Magic Potion, her physical abilities greatly increasing, and then completely suppressing Ethan.
"Thunderbird is indeed a very good choice. Being able to control storms and lightning will help you master Mjölnirand learn Gungnir."
Thunderbirds' magic resistance, physical qualities, and magic levels are top-tier among Animals, considered distant relatives of Phoenixes.
Don't let the XXXX rating fool you; their combat power is definitely not inferior to Dragons, and they have an absolute advantage when maintaining distance.
"It's just that we don't have Thunderbirds here. Their habitat is Arizona, and they are strictly protected."
Although she felt a Thunderbird was very suitable for her, Thunderbirds are not like Dragons whose blood is sold everywhere.
According to the book, a year after Newt Scamandersaved New York, the then President of the Magical Congress of the United States, Seraphina Picquery, signed a protection order, designating Thunderbirds as a protected species.
"There's a way."
Ethan didn't think this was a problem; at worst, he would go to Arizona and abduct one. With his Animal Affinity, it would be simple.
If that didn't work, he would intimidate a Thunderbird into coming back with him.
After his bloodline was sublimated, Ethan also discovered a hidden ability.
Deterrence, the kind that can affect XXXXX-level Animals. He discovered this by accident; at the time, it nearly scared the Basilisk and Winged Serpent to death, but he can usually keep it restrained.
"I'll use Dragon like you, but I want Onyxia's."
Cassandra had already set her target; Ethan had said that his fire control ability increased after drinking the Magic Blood.
Plus the Dragons' advantage in physique and magic, that's not bad; otherwise, Ethan wouldn't have chosen it.
And Onyxia, this mutated Dragon, was clearly stronger than other Dragons.
"Alright, I'll go draw her blood then."
That's simple; just exchange blood with energy cubes.
"I'll use either a Basilisk or a Horned Serpent."
Since Nagini had lived as a snake for so long, the most suitable and natural choice was a snake-shaped Animal, and perhaps it could even have some wonderful reaction with her snake form.
"Then it's the Basilisk. The Horned Serpent's abilities are invisibility and flight, which are not as useful as the Basilisk's instant petrification."
Ethan made the decision for her directly. For flight, there was the variant Flying Charm invented by Lord Voldemort, and for invisibility, there was the Disillusionment Charm. Neither of these abilities was essential.
"As you say."
Nagini nodded obediently.
"I have Veela blood, so I probably can't take the Blood Magic Potion."
Fleur frowned. She already had the blood of an Animal; could she really fuse with another?
"That is indeed a problem. A person can only have one type of Animal bloodline. If there were two, no one could be sure of the consequences."
Ethan couldn't guarantee what would happen to Fleurafter she drank the Magic Blood. The Blood Magic Potionwas also very precious, and Ethan wasn't so extravagant as to use it for experiments.
Even if he were to experiment, there were no suitable targets. Besides the few people in Fleur's family, the only half-bloods Ethan knew were Hagrid, Flitwick, and Madame Maxime.
"Then forget it. I think my strength is already good."
Fleur smiled, relaxed. She had been so troubled by this issue these past few days that she couldn't sleep well. If she couldn't take it, then she wouldn't!
She already possessed Animal blood.
Hermione and Cho Chang also responded via wizard mailbox.
The former chose the Unicorn. Ethan really didn't know what was so good about Unicorns. They had no special abilities, just good stamina, endurance, and magicresistance. The healing effects came from their hair, horn, and blood. Was it certain that these would be effective on a human?
As for Cho Chang, she chose a Cat Leopard of XXX level. Whether mixed-blood or pure-blood, Cat Leopards were usually kept as pets by Wizard families.
The first thing Ethan thought when he saw this was that Cho Chang chose it specifically for Quidditch. Cat Leopards have an extraordinary sixth sense and reaction speed. These abilities, used by a Seeker in Quidditch, would make catching the Golden Snitch incredibly easy.
The reason they communicated via wizard mailbox was that they were strictly supervised during the summer holidays. Cho Chang's meaning was understandable—her father saw everyone as a yellow-haired person riding a motorcycle—but Hermione should have been able to come out.
However, the result was that she had to return home at night. After spending one day, she didn't come again, not wanting to trouble Ethan with constant pick-ups and drop-offs.
Ethan remembered that in the original story, Hermionespent the summer holidays with Harry and Ron. That should have been the summer of their third year, when she was almost fifteen. He estimated it would have to wait until next year.
He had originally planned to make six bottles for them, but now Fleur couldn't use it, so the extra could only go to Luna. However, Ethan couldn't give it to her so soon; at least not until his third or fourth year.
She was a natural Legilimens, but her awakening wasn't complete enough. She could perceive others' emotions but not their thoughts. Learning Legilimency would likely progress rapidly, but he didn't recommend she learn it now.
The most suitable for her was naturally the Blood Magic Potion made from Cat Leopard blood. She already possessed some characteristics in this regard.
However, being able to see through people's hearts too early, without being able to control it freely, was not a good thing.
Therefore, Ethan would not let Luna take the Blood Magic Potion until her skill level was high enough.
"Alright, if everyone has decided, I'll go inquire about where to get these."
After knowing everyone's goals, Ethan prepared to act. Taking advantage of the summer break, he intended to gather all the Animals.
The main ones were Thunderbirds and Cat Leopards. Ethan already had the others or could easily obtain them.
Cat Leopards were sold in the black market, and there were quite a few of them. You could get them with Galleons.
Unicorns were in the Forbidden Forest. Trading energy cubes with them wouldn't be a big problem.
"Are you going to Arizona?"
"I've never been to the United States. Can you take us to see it?"
Hearing Ethan, Fleur also became interested. The farthest she had ever been was Ethan's place, and she was quite eager to see the scenery of other countries.
"Not necessarily. If I can get them here, then there's no need to go as far as Arizona."
Ethan was also planning to ask Dennis and his group. When it came to Animals, they were the right people to ask.
Thunderbirds were practically treasures from head to tail, which led to the Thunderbird sanctuary in Arizona being frequented by poachers.
The Slytherin Organization might even have Thunderbirds in their possession.
...
Ethan, dressed as a VoldyBat, appeared in Knockturn Alley and immediately encountered little Tom and a few of his subordinates.
"Good day, Boss!"
The moment they saw Ethan, everyone immediately saluted. With that attire, no one in Knockturn Alley dared to wear it now except their own boss.
After nodding to the group, Ethan looked at little Tom.
"Tom, how have things been lately?"
"Not bad!"
Tom forced a smile. Things were indeed okay, but it would have been even better if he hadn't met Ethan.
"Work hard here, and maybe you'll be the second-in-command in the future."
Ethan patted Tom's shoulder and walked deeper into Knockturn Alley.
Tom's mouth twitched slightly. He was already doing the work of a second-in-command; did he really need Ethan to draw him a picture here?
The 'Society' here refers to the Witch Heart Society.
It was established by Tom after consulting Ethan, using Ethan's reputation. Ethan, who had previously taken on an Auror, still had a lot of influence here.
When Ethan showed up and announced he was taking in subordinates, more than a dozen people immediately came to join. After careful selection, Tom kept half of them.
Then Ethan disappeared. Tom presided over everything here, and Ethan would only appear when new members needed the Ghost Servant Mark. There were now about twenty subordinates.
The hastily assembled makeshift team was naturally not of high quality. The weak sought protection, the ambitious wanted to gain prestige, and the inherently cruel wanted to follow a leader who could allow them to unleash their desires.
With such a group gathered, they couldn't just sit idle. Under Tom's leadership, they began collecting protection fees in Knockturn Alley. Both stall owners and shopkeepers had to pay Galleons.
During this time, they even had a conflict with the pure-blood family that managed Knockturn Alley, but Tom, relying on his outstanding strength, achieved the final victory.
Mr. Borgin, on the other hand, immediately led the shop owners to switch allegiance, completely ignoring the other pure-blood families behind the scenes. He had already recognized who Tom was.
Not many people still remembered that face, and he was one of them, but he dared not speak of it.
With Mr. Borgin leading the way, the protection fees were collected like wildfire. If you didn't pay, you couldn't keep your shop open.
Overall, the Witch Heart Society was now a rising dark organization in the Wizarding World.
Entering Dennis's stronghold, Ethan asked directly.
"Dennis, does your organization have Thunderbirds or Cat Leopards?"
"Yes, the organization's headquarters are on a small island in Florida. The organization has a certain relationship with the Director of the American AnimalsProtection Department and is quite active there. They have no shortage of Animals native to America."
Dennis dared not conceal anything and directly revealed the Slytherin Organization's background.
He was also an old member of the organization and had been to the American headquarters many times, so he was quite familiar with the situation there.
"Can I find a way to get into your organization?"
This time, Ethan didn't plan to buy them. Before, it was a matter of strength and time.
Now, he had plenty of time during the summer holidays, and his strength was sufficient. Who would honestly make a trade anymore!
"You can, by providing identification, but it must at least be from a well-known pure-blood family from any country, and you must have enough Galleons."
"Then help me arrange it. For the identity, use Caractacus Borgin, owner of Borgin and Burkes, plus the identity of the Borgin family, one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight. That should be enough, right!"
"I'll go arrange it right away!"