Chapter 210: Ron's Blame Game
"Ron, why did you let Peter go?"
After a moment of silence, Dumbledore's gaze turned to Ron, who had been hiding behind everyone since entering.
He truly didn't understand the reason; had he developed feelings for his pet rat?
Would he, in the future, do something unexpected because of this again?
As for the reason for the fight between Snape, Lupin, and Sirius, Dumbledore didn't even want to ask.
Their entanglements were too numerous; given Sirius's identity, it would be abnormal if Snape didn't immediately attack him after being discovered.
"I... I couldn't bear to see Scabbers sent to the Ministry of Magic to be executed."
Ron said, trembling slightly.
At this moment, Ron was also somewhat dissatisfied with Dumbledore; why was he the only one being singled out?
He knew he had caused a huge mess this time, but his feelings for Scabbers truly prevented him from watching him die!
Besides, it couldn't be his responsibility alone.
If Snape hadn't fought Lupin, if Sirius hadn't helped, Peterwouldn't have dared to speak up and evoke his sympathy, leading him to release Peter.
Even if he had spoken up, with Lupin and Sirius there, they could have stopped Peter from escaping.
And Ethan too, if he had escorted Peter to the Principal's office with them, there wouldn't have been so many problems.
He was indeed wrong, but weren't they also at fault?
This couldn't be blamed on him alone!
"Sending Peter to the Ministry of Magic for execution is what he deserves."
"It is known that he acted as an informant and betrayed the James couple, leading to their deaths, leaving Harrywithout parents. It's unknown how much information he leaked to the Death Eaters."
"Several of your mother's brothers also died during that period; the culprits were the Death Eaters. Do you think it's appropriate that you've now released Peter?"
Dumbledore was no bleeding heart; he knew exactly who deserved to die and who could be allowed to live.
Although he didn't currently believe Peter's escape would be a bad thing—based on known intelligence, Peterwouldn't harm Harry, still held affection for James and their past friendship, and might even play some role later—
He had to understand Ron's psychological process, to know what he was thinking and what he would do in the future.
Otherwise, if Ron stabbed Harry in the back at a critical moment, all calculations would be in vain.
This was something Dumbledore absolutely would not tolerate.
Even if Ron was a child of the Weasley Family, his loyal subordinate.
Conversely, Snape's actions today, while indirectly leading to Peter's escape,
Dumbledore was certain that when necessary, for Harry, Snape could sacrifice his own life.
This was the most fundamental difference between the two.
And upon hearing Dumbledore's words, Ron began to tremble all over.
Since his words written in Lord Voldemort's diary were exposed last year, coupled with Percy's injury, his family's attitude towards him had greatly deteriorated, including his other brothers and his sister Ginny.
Only his parents, although often blaming him, still expressed their concern equally during the summer holidays.
If they knew he had released a Death Eater, his mother would definitely not accept it; she hated Death Eaters and Lord Voldemort the most.
She couldn't know this, and he couldn't take this blame; he couldn't bear it.
"I don't know, and this can't be blamed on me. I only learned all of this today. Scabbers lived with me for three years; I couldn't just watch him die."
"Ethan, he obtained the marauder's map and knew Scabbers's identity as Peter long ago. Not only did he not reveal it, but he concealed it so deeply. If he had told you earlier, we wouldn't have had such deep feelings then, and nothing would have turned out this way."
"Now, Ethan needs to take primary responsibility."
"If it weren't for his greed for the Black Family's fortune, perhaps he wouldn't have revealed Scabbers's identity even today. Any problems should be directed at him."
Ron directly turned his attack towards Ethan.
He already envied everything about Ethan, and later, Ethan would even inherit half of the Black Family's wealth. Even one percent of that would be an amount he could never dream of in his lifetime.
Why was this? Why was he handsome, powerful, talented, wealthy, and popular with most Wizards?
While he himself was despised and disliked by most Wizards.
He now wanted to drag Ethan down and expose Ethan's true colors to the public.
"So, everything is my fault?"
Ethan glanced at Ron and said indifferently.
Without Hermione's assistance, and after being instigated by Tom, Ron's jealousy was even stronger than in the original work, and his dark side was much greater.
"Yes, it's your fault. If you had revealed the truth about Scabbers earlier, without coveting the Black Family's fortune, and directly told the Principal, none of this would have happened."
Ron spoke with increasing confidence, now standing in front of everyone.
His righteous demeanor made it seem as if Peter's escape had nothing to do with him.
"So, I was the one who let Peter escape, and not you, Ron, is that right?!"
Ethan was somewhat speechless.
If he had known this, he should have just let Tom kill Rondirectly, to avoid him being here and disgusting everyone.
"Putting that aside, are you completely faultless?"
Ethan now wanted to open Ron's head and see; was this really Ron?
He probably wasn't possessed by some transmigrator, was he?
Lupin, Sirius, and even Dumbledore looked at Ron with some surprise, not expecting Ron to say such a thing.
They had already set aside the matter of him letting Petergo; what else could be discussed?
Dumbledore was also contemplating his future strategy for dealing with Ron; if Harry associated with such a person, he wouldn't be a savior, he'd probably be completely ruined.
"The marauder's map was originally in Fred and George's hands; they gave it to me. And why would I bother paying attention to you and your rat? Even if I saw the name Peter Pettigrew, who's to say it wasn't your twisted sense of humor that named him?"
"After all, you're just that kind of person—jealous of anyone better than you. And Peter, at least, was a Hatstall and a recipient of the First Class Merlin Order, so perhaps you were just jealous of him and gave your rat such a name."
"As for why I went to Sirius after discovering the truth instead of the Principal, it's simple: I wanted to make money, is that okay? It was a willing transaction. What, are you jealous again?"
"Finally, when you let Peter go, were you also jealous of Harry? Did you not want him to avenge his parents, wanting him to live in pain, while you had both parents, to satisfy your twisted sense of satisfaction?"
Ethan would not show Ron any mercy.
Since he could shift the blame onto him, why couldn't he expose Ron's petty thoughts and even blacken his name a bit?
After all, a person who could even be jealous of Harry, who had helped him so much, truly had a small heart. Ethan never intended to have any friendship with him in the first place.
"You're talking nonsense! I'm not jealous of you and Harry, and I certainly wouldn't have let Peter go because of that."
Ron's face flushed crimson as he vehemently retorted.
But his appearance only further confirmed this point, and even Harry's gaze towards Ron held a hint of disdain.
This reminded Harry of what Ethan had said back in his second year, the day he went home for summer break—that Ron was jealous of him and had written many of his problems in a diary.
At the time, he hadn't paid much attention, even if it were true, what then? But now it seemed he should take it seriously.
If Ron truly valued their friendship, he wouldn't have let Peter, who had caused his parents' deaths, go. That was a mortal enmity.
This meant that Scabbers, the rat, was more important than his friendship with Ron.
And what Ethan said wasn't impossible; he was just jealous of him and wanted to find a sense of superiority, which was why he deliberately let Peter go.
He had considered him his best friend, and this was how he treated him?
Ron naturally noticed Harry's gaze.
Now, he was extremely sensitive to others' looks.
"But why didn't you come here with us to escort Peterlater, instead of going on a date with those girls?"
Ron was still trying to shift the blame.
"Ron, are you jealous that I can go on dates with several pretty female classmates while you're despised by Gryffindor, liked by no one, which is why you're saying this?"
At that time, Peter was already caught. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have caught him. I even put an anti-magic collar on him. Who removed it?"
"If I had known this would happen, I should have let Peter's Thunderbolt Explosion directly kill you in the Shrieking Shack today. That way, none of this would have happened."
"Besides, isn't it more pleasant to be with the little Witches than to see that old man Dumbledore?"
"I think anyone would know how to choose."
Hearing Ethan say that, Dumbledore's face stiffened. He thought he was very popular among the young Wizards, but he didn't expect to be belittled by Ethan, who even called him an old man to his face. This made Dumbledorequite hurt.
On the contrary, Snape, Lupin, and Sirius all agreed with Ethan. What was the point of seeing that old man Dumbledore?
Unless necessary, who would want to come to the Principal's office?
Moreover, if Ron had really been killed back then, there wouldn't have been so many problems.
Ron deserved to die for his actions.
If Ron weren't a Hogwarts student now, and it were still the Wizarding War, Sirius and Snape would have directly killed Ron for his actions.
"And Professor Snape, if he hadn't suddenly jumped out, things wouldn't have escalated to this point. Is he not at fault at all?"
"Is all of this my fault?"
Ethan couldn't be blamed for this, but Ron was unwilling to bear it alone; otherwise, his mother wouldn't let him off when he got home.
So at this moment, no matter how scared he was, he had to make Snape bear most of the responsibility.
"Yes, I do have responsibility, and no small amount, but you…"
"I told you! Professor Snape is the one who bears the main responsibility; he should be held accountable for this."
Before Snape could finish his sentence, Ron interrupted him and shouted loudly.
"Ron, you leave first. You will have detention with Professor McGonagall every night until the end of this school year!"
Before Snape could react, Dumbledore spoke first.
Just now, he felt Snape's strong killing intent. If Roncontinued to speak, Snape might go Gank Ron after leaving.
Although Ron's thinking was problematic, Dumbledorecurrently had no intention of seeing him die. Instead, he wanted to find a way to keep him away from Harry and stop him from influencing Harry.
"Principal, I…"
Seeing that Ron still wanted to say something, Dumbledore immediately cut off his spell-casting.
"Go to Professor McGonagall first. If you have anything to say, come find me later."
Chapter 211: Reversing the Patronus Charm
The matter with Sirius and Peter was temporarily concluded, and Ethan continued to be busy with his own affairs during this time.
For example, the resurrection of Hezper the Vile's Horcrux remnant soul.
Currently, the only usable one he had was little Tom. If Hezper the Vile could also be successfully resurrected, it would undoubtedly be of immense help to him.
After all, this was a Dark Wizard who had stirred up an era, and even now, he was a truly explosive existence.
However, for Hezper the Vile to be resurrected like little Tom using a hybrid spell was simply impossible.
Over two thousand years had passed, and of the enemy's blood, servant's flesh, and father's bone, he could at most only obtain a servant's flesh.
If one were to forcibly create an enemy, it wasn't impossible, but it was hard to say whether it would work. As for the father's bone, it was likely that not even a speck of dust remained.
Therefore, at this moment, he could only seek other methods.
The Philosopher's Stone could also work, but the ones Ethan still possessed were all extremely small, simplified versions of the Philosopher's Stone, and the magic within them simply couldn't meet the requirements for resurrection.
"The method of creating a Wraith has its merits, and perhaps it can be used on me."
"I don't seek to become a complete life like Tom; as long as I can move freely, that's enough."
Inside the Nibelungen space, a bald, white-bearded old schemer sat opposite Ethan and slowly spoke.
The two had been discussing this issue for many days without a conclusion.
Hezper the Vile was also quite eager for resurrection.
For so many years, not going mad from being trapped in this book was already a testament to his resilient character.
But he didn't want to live this kind of life for another day.
"Are you sure this will work? Strictly speaking, a Wraith is still a spirit body, and it's also a forcibly integrated Animal."
"If your remnant soul merges into it, I'm afraid it will be assimilated."
The method Hezper the Vile proposed seemed like nonsense to Ethan.
The soul used to create a Horcrux was only an extremely tiny part, and even if it gained intelligence, it couldn't change the problem of its fragile soul.
Just like Orochimaru in a certain anime, a broken soul was a hurdle he couldn't overcome.
Ethan didn't have any particularly good ways to complete his soul.
Unless, like little Tom, he continuously absorbed the souls from other Horcruxes to strengthen himself.
Otherwise, even the spirit bodies created by Helheimcouldn't repair the soul; they could only restore life and magic, but were powerless regarding the soul.
In his current state, it was likely that his soul would shatter as soon as the experiment began.
Even if it succeeded, he probably wouldn't be able to control the body. Under the influence of Dementors, Boggarts, VoldyBats, and other Animal components, as well as the dominance of the Helheim spirit body, assimilation was basically the only path.
Ultimately, he would probably end up with a Wraith of decent quality.
"I think it's feasible. I have some confidence in the toughness of my soul."
Hezper the Vile was willing to take a gamble; even if it failed, it would be better than his current ghostly appearance.
"Are you sure it will work? Or is it more stable to continue improving the resurrection Potion and see if we can find any substitutes?"
Ethan knew his thoughts, but Ethan didn't want to gamble on such a high-risk situation, as once it failed, the Hezper the Vile's Horcrux he had painstakingly acquired would be destroyed.
"Okay, I'll try."
Seeing Ethan's persistence, Hezper the Vile could only compromise.
There was no other way; he had no autonomy now and could only obey Ethan.
"How are your Basilisk eggs coming along?"
The Basilisk and the Horcrux were both Hezper the Vile's trademarks.
In Ethan's era, very few people knew the method of creating Horcruxes; it was only found in families with long historical traditions.
The Basilisk was no less rare; in the Wizarding Worldnow, besides the one Ethan obtained at Hogwarts, there were probably no Basilisks left outside.
At least Ethan hadn't heard of any Basilisks anywhere. The Slytherin Organization had indeed received commissions to capture Basilisks, but they had never found one.
The last record of a Basilisk was four hundred years ago, but Basilisks live for over nine hundred years, so even if one were found, it would be unknown from which era this Basilisk originated.
Therefore, Ethan guessed that the method of creating Basilisks was most likely lost.
Now, Ethan had directly obtained Hezper the Vile's Horcrux, so he definitely had to put this method to use.
After all, the Basilisk's strength was quite formidable among other Animals.
At that time, whether he tamed it as a combat force or sold it, it would be quite valuable.
"I have already fed ten roosters the Potion for thirty days. They have now stopped taking the Potion. We just need to wait for a night when Sirius is overhead. As long as they look up at Sirius, they will lay a fertilized egg containing magic. After that, it only needs to be incubated by a toad."
Hezper the Vile pointed to ten roosters caged in a large iron cage nearby.
Due to being fed the Potion, these roosters now had extremely vibrant feathers and had expanded several times in size.
However, their eyes were somewhat dull, and they remained motionless in the cage.
As soon as they saw Sirius overhead, they would exhaust their life force to lay a so-called rooster egg.
With the rooster's life force and the aid of the Potion, this egg possessed vitality.
"Alright, you continue to take care of them. I'll come back when Sirius is overhead."
After speaking, Ethan replenished some of the life force and magic contained in the Earth Spirit body for him, then left the Nibelungen space.
During this period, Ethan had been letting Hezper the Vile's Horcrux fend for itself.
Inside the Nibelungen space, he could do whatever he wanted, as he couldn't escape anyway.
The main purpose was to have him research the resurrection spell to see if there were any improvements that could be made, as well as to modify and create some new Dark Arts.
Ethan still wanted to make full use of such an ancient living fossil.
It was just a bit troublesome to have to go in and replenish his magic and life force every so often.
Just like little Tom back then, if he remained still, there would naturally be no consumption.
If he wanted to condense a body, he would need magicand life force, but he couldn't generate them himself; he could only rely on external forces, and this was true even for the main soul.
Otherwise, Lord Voldemort back then wouldn't have been so dependent on his parasitic host.
The moment the host died, he would no longer be aggressive.
After emerging from the Nibelungen space, Ethan appeared directly in the Room of Requirement.
Cassandra and the others were all there.
The reason for being there was to practice spells.
By this time, their Patronus Charm had also been successfully practiced.
Request for fresh flowers
Just as Ethan had thought.
Cassandra's Patronus took the form of a Dragon, a four-legged Dragon just like Onyxia, and its size was quite enormous, exceeding twenty-five meters.
Nagini's was a Basilisk, but it looked no different from an ordinary snake, except for a tuft of hair on its head and a slightly larger body; otherwise, there was nothing else special about it.
As for Cho Chang, it was the image of a cat.
No matter how you looked at it, it was an ordinary cat-shaped Patronus, completely unrelated to Animals.
But today's protagonist was not them, but Ethan.
Ethan had almost completed the revised Patronus Charm, and the final experiment could begin today.
Under the gazes of Cassandra and the others, Ethan stepped forward.
His wand was raised high, and then large swathes of pitch-black mist drifted out from the tip of the wand.
Once the pitch-black mist reached a certain density, all the black mist began to boil and churn.
A massive Dragon, over a hundred meters long with a wingspan exceeding three hundred meters and a robust physique, formed from the black mist, demonstratively showcasing its enormous size.
Like Ethan's Animagus, it had five Dragon heads, each with a different color: white, black, green, blue, and red.
Unlike the traditional Patronus image, which only had a silvery-white color, this massive and robust Dragon's body was adorned with beautiful stripes composed of white, black, green, blue, and red colors.
Just by appearing in mid-air, flapping its wings and staring down at the crowd, Cassandra and the others felt an immense pressure.
They had no thought of fighting it in their minds, as they truly didn't know how to deal with its size.
Ordinary spells would probably only tickle it.
Under Ethan's control, this five-headed Dragon flew a circle in mid-air, then fiercely spewed its breath towards several giant targets.
In an instant, flames, acid, lightning, cold air, and corrosive gas directly enveloped more than half of the room.
Moreover, within this part of the space, explosions continuously erupted, and it was unclear if these different types of breath were reacting with each other.
When everything subsided, the seven giant targets were now completely gone, not even a speck of dust remained.
And both the ceiling and the floor were a mess of pits and holes.
Cassandra and the others watched all this with wide eyes. They could tell that this was not the limit, because the intensity of the subsequent breaths was significantly weaker.
If unleashed fully, it was likely that this single spell could rival a Wizard army.
Ethan then glanced at his panel.
Besides a Patronus Charm (Level 8) display, there was also a Patronus Charm (Level 6) indicator below it.
Apparently, the latter represented the magic Ethan was currently using.
Both were Patronus Charms, but one emphasized defense and represented positive emotions.
The other was for offense, as the best defense is offense, and it represented negative, dark emotions.
However, Ethan felt there was still room for improvement in this spell.
For example, by incorporating the characteristics of the "Pack of Wolves" spell, it could split when attacked by magic.
Or it could actively split, not necessarily being limited to five heads, directly becoming a five-colored dragon, which would offer more flexibility and tactical options.
Chapter 212: Third Year Summer Vacation
Time quickly arrived at the day of the holiday.
The Dementor had been taken away from Hogwarts, and there were no more ripples like in the original story.
After completing the improved Patronus Charm, Ethan planned its magic circulation route, making it more powerful, easier to cast, and simpler to learn.
Finally, he continuously tried to blend the characteristics of the "Pack of Wolves" spell into this Patronus Charm.
At the same time, he also taught Cassandra and others to practice this spell. However, after Ethan's revision, while this Patronus Charm became more powerful, its learning difficulty also increased.
Hermione couldn't learn it at all, while others, after a week, had made some progress, more or less.
But Hermione truly couldn't even produce a wisp of Blackmist. Logically, it shouldn't be like this, as Hermione's talent in learning spells was not bad.
Even if it was Dark Arts, if she wanted to learn it, she would definitely be able to.
Later, Ethan taught Hermione two simple Dark Artsspells, both of which were not very powerful and easy to learn.
Yet Hermione still couldn't learn them. If Hermione wasn't doing it on purpose, then she must have been affected by the Unicorn version of Magic Blood.
While making the Patronus Charm more powerful, it fundamentally cut off her ability to learn and cast Dark Arts.
Ethan felt that this move of hers resulted in a huge loss.
But Hermione didn't show much. She never liked Dark Arts anyway; she was just a little regretful that she couldn't learn Ethan's version of the Patronus Charm.
Cho Chang also gave up learning. According to her, her Patronus form was a cat, and even if she learned it, it probably wouldn't be of much use.
Moreover, in terms of talent for learning spells, she was indeed the worst among the girls.
Even though they all took the Magic Blood potion, she couldn't catch up with Cassandra and the others.
Learning this spell would likely be even more difficult for her.
Ethan did not force the issue.
Also, the Basilisk egg had successfully hatched.
On a night when Sirius was high in the sky, Ethan brought ten large roosters to the top of Ravenclaw Tower and had them produce the eggs, but these roosters died after succeeding.
Afterward, he went to the Animals shop in Hogsmeadeand bought dozens of toads, dumping them all to Hezper the Vile.
It finally hatched two weeks ago, but the newly born Basilisk was so small that it was impossible to tell it would grow to fifteen meters long later.
Sirius also, after that incident, turned into a large Blackdog and stayed with Harry at Hogwarts for a few days.
After that, he returned to the Black old house, and just as Ethan said, he sent a rocket to Harry as a gift before the Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw match.
However, many people thought this was the one Harrybought from Ethan, as this news was widely known at the time.
Harry didn't explain. Sirius was still a wanted man, and Harry couldn't make his existence public.
Nevertheless, during this period, Harry and Siriuscommunicated quite frequently through the wizard mailbox.
The only pity was that Harry still lost the Quidditchmatch between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor.
Although Harry had greater talent in using a broomstick and was brave enough to fight for the Golden Snitchregardless of his life, he was still helpless against Cho Chang, who had stronger perception, better reactions, and higher speed.
Wood's dream of lifting the Quidditch trophy before graduation was directly shattered.
However, they didn't blame Harry, as he went to the hospital wing injured again for trying to catch the Golden Snitch.
Also, Harry and Ron's relationship had become quite distant.
Anyone with eyes could see this; many times when Rontried to talk to Harry, Harry would give him a cold shoulder and refuse to engage.
During meals in the Great Hall, he no longer sought out Ron.
Instead, he became closer to Neville and his other roommates.
Regarding this, while the young Wizards felt some surprise, they could also understand Harry.
It was truly too difficult to get along well with Ron.
However, many young Wizards also wondered what exactly had happened between the two that made their relationship so stiff, considering they used to be the best of friends.
Even when Ron nearly killed Harry with Dark Arts in the Duelling Tournament, Harry could forgive Ron and continue to be his friend.
For this, various versions of rumors emerged, spreading like wildfire throughout Hogwarts.
Harry and Ron did not come forward to offer any explanation, letting the speculation continue.
After all, there were too many unspeakable things involved in Harry's situation; he simply couldn't speak out.
As for Ron, he didn't have the guts to speak. If he were to say that he had released a culprit who killed Harry's parents, and a follower of Lord Voldemort at that, he might be dragged out and beaten on the street.
During the Wizarding War, it wasn't just Ron's mother who lost several brothers; other Wizarding families also suffered significant losses.
If they found out about this, retaliation would be inevitable.
Finally, regarding the House Cup, it still belonged to Ravenclaw this year.
Gryffindor, due to the cross-dressing incident at the beginning of the school year, was directly resented by Snape for an entire year, breaking Gryffindor's own lowest score record.
Professor McGonagall spent the entire feast with a dark expression; due to the powerful low pressure she exuded, the seats on both sides of her were empty, as no one dared to sit next to her.
After all, both of the lowest House point records belonged to Gryffindor, which made her feel ashamed before all previous Gryffindor Deans.
It's just unknown whether Snape's resentment will carry over to the next school year.
Hufflepuff, as usual, scored 422 points this year.
As for Slytherin, it was only seventy points lower than Ravenclaw, which was, of course, the result of Snapearbitrarily adding points to his own House.
If it hadn't been for the Dementor incident that caused Dumbledore to award Ravenclaw two hundred points, the House Cup would have truly been uncertain this time.
Just like last year, this year's Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor did not miss this final evening's feast.
This had truly never happened in the past few decades.
Now, it had happened for two consecutive years, leading many young Wizards, as well as people from various circles outside, to speculate whether the curse on the Defense Against the Dark Arts Class had been lifted.
After all, for two consecutive times, the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor had completed a full year and was still alive and well.
For this, The Daily Prophet even came to Hogwarts to conduct a special interview with Lupin, publishing it as a cover story the next day.
But Lupin still resigned, just as in the original story, only in the original story it was involuntary, due to his Werewolf identity being discovered, whereas now it was voluntary.
He wanted to find Peter's whereabouts and continue his life as a wandering Wizard.
Moreover, Lupin also knew that as long as he remained at Hogwarts for another day, Snape would continue to target him. This year he was lucky; no one discovered his Werewolf secret.
Or perhaps someone discovered it but didn't speak out, but next year, it really might not be the case.
It was better to leave early.
As for the final exams, as usual, Ethan was still the first in Hogwarts' third year.
Only in Divination Class did Ethan get an E, which stands for "Exceeds Expectations."
All his other subjects were O's.
Even so, Ethan was still the top student in the third year.
The only two who could compete with Ethan, Cassandraand Hermione, also stumbled in Divination Class.
They only managed to get an A, which is a passing grade.
This made Hermione extremely unhappy, exclaiming that there was no such thing as divination at all, and Trelawney was just an old fraud.
Thanks to being the top student in the third-year exams, plus Ravenclaw winning the House Cup this year.
Ethan once again completed two achievements.
Just like in previous years, it was a self-selected spell and an increase in magic power.
The latter needs no further explanation; it is a Wizard's foundation. While the quantity of magic power cannot directly determine a Wizard's strength, it can determine the upper limit of what a Wizard can ultimately achieve.
As for the self-selected spell, the Patronus Charm, originally a backup, Ethan had already learned and successfully improved under the high pressure of the Dementor.
Animagus had also been completed by Ethan, and as for the remaining magic, Ethan didn't know what to choose for a while.
So he kept it, and didn't claim it, planning to choose it later when needed.
As usual, they took the Thestral carriage to the station, and then took a train to King's Cross Station.
Only today, Penelope's mood was quite low.
Ethan knew the reason; it was always like this at this time of year. Last night at the Ravenclaw internal banquet, many seventh-year seniors cried by the end.
After they leave Hogwarts today, it's very likely they will never have the chance to return.
Even if they do, it would either be as Ministry of Magicofficials on official business, or to watch some kind of match, but most graduates don't get such opportunities.
However, Ethan also had arrangements for Penelope.
She had always wanted to work at the Ministry of Magic, and Ethan naturally granted her wish.
Ethan's choice back then was perfectly fine; Lockhart's most suitable position was at the Ministry of Magic.
Now, he's thriving at the Ministry of Magic, having already climbed to the position of Office Head in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
A new section, the Defense Against the Dark ArtsPropaganda Section.
It was thanks to his shamelessness and the help of a large group of middle-aged and elderly fangirls that this section was successfully established.
Of course, this also had to do with him publishing multiple novels, organizing the campus version of the Wizard Duelling Tournament, and serving as the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor at Hogwarts without the curse coming true.
As long as he wasn't involved in casting spells, letting him express his opinions and fool people, there was absolutely no problem.
Now, he was really thriving.
It was absolutely no problem for him to bring someone into the Ministry of Magic.
Penelope's grades were perfectly adequate, it was just her birth background that wasn't ideal.
But with someone willing to help her, she could naturally still get in.
Moreover, Ludo, the Dean, was also at the Ministry of Magic, so Ethan wasn't worried about Penelope being taken advantage of while working there.
Chapter 213: The Knight Bus
"When the Quidditch World Cup is on, come pick me up!"
At Platform 9 3, Hermione waved to Ethan, giving her instructions.
"Don't worry, I'll definitely take you with me then."
Ethan immediately agreed.
At the end of this month, the Quidditch World Cup was being held in Great Britain, which could be said to be the grandest event in the entire Wizarding World.
By then, there would be many tourists from various countries.
Even though Ethan wasn't too interested in Quidditch, he was planning to join the fun.
Moreover, according to Europe's old tradition, the scale of betting on this match was quite large, and Ethan was also planning to participate.
It was just a pity that he didn't have the ability to predict, otherwise, he would definitely make a fortune this time.
Ethan didn't remember the other match schedules clearly, and the original story didn't describe them in much detail.
But Ethan still knew about the final: it featured Krum's team, the Triwizard Tournament champion from Durmstrang, and the other team was the Ireland Team.
The final result was also that the Ireland Team won.
By then, he just needed to bet on these two teams; he wouldn't lose money, it was just a matter of how much he would win.
"It's a pity, I'm going back to China next week and won't be back until the end of July."
Hearing Hermione and Ethan discuss the Quidditch World Cup, Cho Chang's eyes were full of envy.
She didn't go back last year, and this year her mother planned to go back to visit relatives and stay with the elderly family members there for a month, which naturally meant Cho Chang was brought along.
Even though Cho Chang really wanted to see the Quidditch World Cup, she couldn't refuse such a matter.
Even if she wanted to take her elderly family members to see the Quidditch World Cup, it would be impossible, as this sport isn't popular in China at all, and few people are interested in it.
Why don't you use a Portkey? You could come over in your free time and catch a few games?" Ethan suggested.
However, Ethan wasn't sure if Cho Chang had a Portkey in China.
But Ethan was certain that a Portkey could travel between Europe and Asia without any problem.
Hearing Ethan's words, Cho Chang was clearly tempted, but after thinking for a while, she shook her head and gave up.
"Never mind, I'll just stay home and keep my grandparents company."
Seeing Professor Lupin and Harry approaching, Ethan didn't continue chatting, as they could always communicate via wizard mailbox.
"You two use the Portkey to go back first, I'm going out for a bit!"
After bidding farewell to Hermione and the others, Ethan turned to Cassandra and Penelope.
They were still planning to go to Ethan's home in Gordric's Hollow; Cassandra, of course, was already there.
Even if Penelope wanted to go to the Ministry of Magic, she would have to wait until after the Quidditch World Cup.
The Ministry of Magic had been busy all year for this Quidditch World Cup, especially Ludo, who spent almost half his time at the venue.
Now that the games were about to start, not only the Department of Magical Games and Sports, but several other departments were also helping out, such as the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, and the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
The main purpose was to ensure safety, provide various protective spells, have patrolling security personnel, and prevent Muggles from discovering the anomalies here by taking various preventive measures.
As for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, that was purely for managing the Animals. Teams from various countries all had their mascots, and these mascots were dangerous Animals, some even XXXX-rated. To prevent riots, they were more worried than anyone else and had to prepare the venue in advance.
During this period, even when the new batch of Hogwarts graduates looked for jobs, no one at the Ministry of Magic was available to oversee that matter.
"Alright, we'll wait for you at home then."
Cassandra glanced at Harry and Professor Lupinapproaching, nodded at Ethan, and then she and Penelope disappeared in a spatial vortex.
They were all aware of the deal Ethan made with Sirius, and they knew Ethan was going to collect his payment.
Once Professor Lupin arrived, Ethan followed directly behind him.
Although Professor Lupin had resigned and was preparing to track Peter, he would do so after watching the Quidditch World Cup.
Mainly, Harry was interested in it, so Sirius booked a top-tier VIP box, planning to take Harry to watch the Quidditch World Cup together.
And Harry had already communicated with his aunt's family, saying he would return after watching the Quidditch World Cup and would bring them gifts.
However, since Sirius was still a wanted man and couldn't show himself, he could only accompany Harry in the form of a large Black dog, which wasn't very suitable; another person was needed.
Professor Lupin agreed to this; after so many years, he also wanted to talk more with Sirius, and as for Harry, Professor Lupin hoped to take care of him more.
"We'll take the Knight Bus later. The address is Grimmauld Place; he's waiting for us there."
Walking beside Ethan, Harry looked around and whispered.
This was the address Sirius told him, which was in the wizard mailbox.
"Harry, have you ever ridden the Knight Bus?"
Ethan had never actually ridden that thing; he either used Muggle transportation or Portkeys and Apparition.
In the original work, Harry had ridden it by this time, when he encountered the large Black dog last summer.
But with Ethan, Harry's relationship with his aunt's family was quite good, so there was no need to stay at the Leaky Cauldron, and Ethan wasn't sure if he had ridden it.
"No, but Professor Lupin has. He said it's just like a regular Muggle bus, only faster, and the driver drives very bumpy and likes to make sudden stops."
Harry had asked Professor Lupin beforehand, which was how he knew this.
"By the way, didn't Sirius give you a Portkey?"
Ethan asked curiously.
Given the status and identity of the House of Black, they would certainly not lack Portkeys.
Using one would be quite convenient.
Portkeys were rarely used in movies and novels, but in reality, they were not uncommon.
"No, and what is a Portkey?"
Harry shook his head; he didn't even know what a Portkey was.
"Doraemon's Anywhere Door, you know that, right?"
A too profound explanation would probably be hard for Harry to understand.
Unless absolutely necessary, Harry would not read extra-curricular knowledge; his leisure time was mostly related to Wizard chess and Quidditch.
In his third year, there was no mention of this aspect, nor of Apparition.
Only simple and easy-to-understand things, like Doraemon, whose anime and cartoons had already come out by this time and were quite popular, also having a significant market in Europe.
Children in the Wizarding World probably hadn't heard of it, but those who grew up in the Muggle world, unless they came from a remote mountain village, had almost certainly seen its manga or anime.
"I know, is it like the Anywhere Door, where you can go anywhere you want after opening it?"
Harry's eyes lit up; he hadn't expected such a tool to actually exist in the world.
The author who drew Doraemon must also be a Wizard!
"Not exactly. A Portkey can be set to a fixed location, and activating it can take you there instantly, no matter where that location is."
"Penelope and Cassandra just disappeared using Portkeys."
"Many of the Wizards you see suddenly disappearing are using Portkeys, and some are using Apparition, which you can only learn after becoming an adult."
Hagrid took Harry to Hogwarts, and Hagrid knew how to Apparate.
By the time Hagrid became an adult, he had already been expelled from Hogwarts and had his wand confiscated.
If any other Professor had taken Harry to Hogwarts, he would probably have experienced the sensation of Apparition.
"That's still very good."
Although not as convenient as in the anime, it was still quite useful.
During this time spent with Sirius, Harry had a long-lost feeling of family affection, completely different from his aunt's family.
It was as if he was spending time with his own father, although Harry didn't understand what it felt like to be with a father, being with Sirius was indeed very good.
Harry knew from Dumbledore that he had a spell cast by his mother on him, and before he came of age, he had to spend some time with relatives each year to ensure the spell remained effective, but meeting Sirius somewhere in between should be fine.
As the two chatted, they had already followed Professor Lupin to the outside of King's Cross Station.
At an empty intersection, Professor Lupin raised his wandat the sky. Accompanied by a deafening "bang," a bus suddenly rushed out from the corner.
Then it screeched to a halt in front of the three, leaving dark skid marks on the concrete.
This was a three-story, brightly purple public bus, with the words "Knight Bus" written in large golden letters on the windshield.
As the bus door opened, Professor Lupin skillfully raised his wand and boarded.
"Three people, to Grimmauld Place!"
After boarding, Professor Lupin greeted the conductor and handed him thirty-three silver Sickles.
During his time wandering the Wizarding World, Professor Lupin didn't often take the Knight Bus, mainly because he didn't have money, but when he was with James and the others, he was quite a regular.
After paying, the conductor led Ethan and the others to their seats. There were also beds here, but Ethan and his companions didn't need them.
Grimmauld Place was in northwest London, not far from King's Cross Station.
If Professor Lupin hadn't been there before, he could have directly Apparated them there.
Mainly, Sirius's relationship with his family wasn't good at the time, and the members of the House of Black looked down on half-bloods and Muggle-born Wizards, so Siriushad never invited friends to his home.
When the bus started, Ethan felt that what Harry said wasn't entirely accurate.
It wasn't about the driver being bumpy or liking sudden stops.
It was that he simply didn't know how to drive at all and definitely didn't have a license.
It careened wildly on the road, driving onto the sidewalk multiple times, but due to magic, whether it was streetlights, mailboxes, or trash cans, they would all actively move out of the way as the bus passed.
When the bus left, these objects would return to their original places.
One could say that without magic, this driver couldn't even be on the road.
In less than ten minutes, the Knight Bus came to a sudden halt.
"Grimmauld Place, arrived."
The young conductor said to Ethan and the other two.
Because the journey was too short, he didn't even want to recommend hot cocoa, otherwise, he would probably have just prepared it for them before they had to get off.
After Ethan and the other two got off, they found a large Black dog lying under the shade of a tree nearby.
Harry immediately scurried over.
Chapter 214: Black Family Home
As the Muggle residences outside parted, the BlackFamily Home at Grimmauld Place number twelve truly revealed itself.
First to catch the eye was a large, scratched, Black-painted door. The silver doorknob was shaped like a coiled snake, and there was no keyhole or mailbox on the door.
Aside from that, other parts weren't much better; the entire house was dirty and messy, and the windows were particularly filthy.
Harry glanced at this so-called Black Family Home, looking at Sirius with some confusion.
This was completely inconsistent with his imagination of an ancient magical family's ancestral home that had been passed down for a thousand years.
However, Ethan dared not underestimate this old house. Being chosen as the Order of the Phoenix's headquarters meant it was definitely filled with many spells.
Sirius also noticed Harry's gaze and felt a bit awkward for a moment.
He wished he had tidied up beforehand; now he was giving his godson the impression that he was down and out.
It was truly annoying, considering this was one of the oldest and wealthiest pure-blood Wizard families in Britain.
Yet, now it looked like a dilapidated household.
This was also his own fault; he had been busy bickering with his old mother at home these past few days and hadn't paid any attention to these things.
To receive Harry, he tried to lock his old mother's portrait in the basement last night, just in case she would scare Harry.
But he failed; he didn't know if it was because of a permanent sticking charm, but it simply couldn't be removed.
Sirius couldn't just destroy the painting; no matter how bad their relationship was back then, this was still his mother.
After bickering until midnight, a helpless Sirius could only cover it with a curtain.
This led to Sirius never tidying up, even after being home for so long.
Kreacher also slacked off; if Sirius didn't order him, he wouldn't move a muscle, and he hadn't actively cleaned for so many years.
Clearing his throat twice to hide his embarrassment, Sirius drew his wand and tapped the silver snake-shaped doorknob.
With a creaking sound, the heavy Black door slowly opened.
Sirius led the way, and Ethan and the others followed, finding that the inside was no better than the outside.
Upon entering, there was a long corridor, and a strong smell of mold wafted over them. The walls were covered with peeling wallpaper, and there was a worn carpet, gas lamps, and a large snake-shaped, cobweb-covered chandelier and candelabra.
On the walls on both sides hung some portraits that had darkened with age, including a huge portrait covered by a moth-eaten, moldy curtain.
At the end, there was a staircase leading upstairs.
As Ethan walked past, he was prepared for the person in the portrait to rush out, but it was all for nothing; there was no movement at all.
Based on Ethan's understanding of Sirius's mother in the original work, if she knew that Muggle-born Wizards had entered her ancestral home and were preparing to take her inheritance, she would probably cause a huge commotion and try every possible way to drive them out.
But now she was completely still, presumably having resigned herself to fate.
Ethan guessed she knew about the unbreakable vow Sirius had made with him.
That's why she didn't dare to act rashly; if Sirius were to break the vow, their family's only remaining heir would probably be gone.
Even though his mother disliked Sirius and even disowned him, he was still her son, and after Regulus's death, he was the family's only hope.
It was probably this sole hope going to Azkaban that led to her dying of grief; otherwise, a Wizard could live quite long without injury or curses, not like her, who died at fifty.
Sirius also glanced at his old mother's portrait in surprise, then didn't linger there, leading Ethan and the others directly up the stairs, preparing to go to the second floor.
Only on the wall by the stairs on the second floor were many House-elf heads hanging.
"Sirius, this… this is…?"
When Harry saw this, the hair on his body stood on end.
Having interacted with Dobby before, Harry had a very good impression of House-elves, and now suddenly seeing these, he was truly startled.
Although Dobby had caused Harry a lot of trouble back then, Harry knew that Dobby was doing it for his own good, so he forgave him and helped Dobby escape his servitude to the House of Malfoy.
"These are all House-elves who once served the Black Family; after their deaths, they left their heads here, considering it the highest honor," Sirius said with a hint of sarcasm.
Under the guidance of his family members, all the House-elves who served his family had incredibly twisted personalities.
At least, that's how Sirius saw it.
Seeing this, Harry didn't ask any more questions.
Harry knew a little about Sirius and his family matters.
And since these House-elves voluntarily left their heads here, Harry didn't feel it was his place to say much.
Harry deeply empathized with the House-elves' unconventional thought processes.
After all, no normal person would use Dobby's method to prevent himself from going to Hogwarts.
Later, to make himself go home, he almost got himself killed.
If he hadn't known Dobby meant no harm, Harry wouldn't have been able to forgive him.
Following Sirius, Ethan and the others went directly to the living room, where the former splendor and elegance could still be seen.
In the front, there was a large window overlooking the street in front of the house, and on the side was a large fireplace, flanked by ornate glass display cabinets.
However, the doors of these glass cabinets were quite dirty, and inside they were filled with various strange Dark Arts objects.
For example, rusty daggers, Animals' claws, coiled snake skins, a decorative crystal vial set with an opal and filled with blood, a silver snuffbox containing wart powder, multi-legged tweezers that crawled like spiders, dusty boxes, and a large gold ring embossed with the Black Family crest…
And on another wall hung the Black Family tapestry, depicting their family tree.
Besides these, Ethan also found more than a dozen Foxes and a Boggart here.
Ethan didn't know how Sirius could live in such an environment.
Not only Ethan, but Harry and Lupin also noticed this, which made Sirius a little embarrassed.
"Adrian, this is one of the conditions I promised you: half of the cash from the Black Family inheritance.
Of course, during this time, I've been using my own share for expenses and haven't drawn from yours."
To divert attention, Sirius could only get straight to the point as quickly as possible.
Whether from Gringotts or the family vault, Sirius had withdrawn half of the Galleons.
As for the arrest warrant preventing him from showing his face, that was completely nonsense to the Goblins; they only cared about Galleons.
Sirius only needed to prove his identity to freely dispose of his family's inheritance.
After all, the Black Family's lineage was dwindling, and many of their properties were managed by Goblins, which allowed them to earn a lot.
Once Sirius died, these properties would definitely be seized by other Wizard families and would never be left to the Goblins, such as those pure-blood families related to the Black Family, which would cause the Goblins to completely lose this income.
It could be said that these Goblins wished for Sirius to live even more than he did himself.
Looking at the dragon-hide pouch in Sirius's hand, Ethan didn't say much and simply took it.
Harry and Lupin also only glanced at it before shifting their gaze.
It was a legitimate transaction; although Peter had escaped, that blame fell on Snape and Ron, not Ethan.
Even though Ethan got a great deal, he and Sirius were both willing parties.
"Kreacher!"
Sirius shouted into the empty living room.
The first transaction was complete, and there were two more to go.
As echoes reverberated throughout the old Black Familyhouse, with a loud 'pop,' a scruffy and very old House-elfappeared before the four.
Wrinkled skin, a bald head, a mass of white hair growing from large, bat-like ears, dull gray eyes, a fleshy pig-like nose, and the tattered clothes on his body—his appearance was truly far worse than Ethan's own House-elf, Hatch.
"Kreacher, why didn't you clean the house when I was away?"
Looking at the House-elf before him, Sirius was instantly filled with anger.
Although he hadn't given instructions, cleaning was still a House-elf's duty.
Moreover, it seemed Kreacher hadn't cleaned since his mother died; what kind of House-elf was he?
Since the House-elf had been completely brainwashed by his mother, he naturally had no good feelings for Kreacher.
Even after being back for so long, Sirius hadn't sought out Kreacher, nor had he allowed him to serve him.
Although Sirius was now the Head of the Black Family, Kreacher still didn't treat him well; he most recognized Regulus.
Naturally, he wouldn't wander in front of Sirius, as according to the rules of House-elves, he had to obey his master.
"The young master, who was expelled from the noble Black Family by the mistress, didn't expect to bring two filthy brats today, and another one…"
"Shut up, Kreacher!"
Hearing Kreacher's words, Sirius's face immediately turned red.
He hadn't expected his old mother not to cause trouble, but Kreacher had pulled this stunt on him.
This was also why he didn't want to interact with him.
Hearing Sirius's anger, Kreacher dared not speak and stood timidly to the side.
"Adrian needs something from you; whatever he wants, give it to him."
"Then clean the Black Family house for me.
If there's even a speck of dust, you can get out of the Black Family; we don't need useless House-elves like you here."
Sirius roared the last few sentences.
If it weren't for his old age and many years of serving the Black Family, he would have expelled him the moment he returned.
Now, to dare speak to him like this, not immediately driving him away was already a sign of his mercy.
Kreacher's body suddenly trembled, and he immediately said loudly:
"Your wish is my command, honored Master."
Sirius's words just now had terrified him; guarding the Black Family was his only reason to live; leaving was worse than death.
Although he didn't fully approve of Sirius, the Black Family was his everything.
Chapter 215: slytherin's locket
"How about Kreacher and I speak alone, in a different place?"
slytherin's locket, although it belonged to Lord Voldemort, could also be considered Regulus's Relics.
Moreover, if they knew it was related to a Horcrux, they would most likely watch Ethan destroy it or hand it over to Dumbledore.
Even if it meant breaking their agreement and sacrificing Sirius's life, he would probably choose that.
The truth was, everyone present, except Ethan, hated Lord Voldemort to their very bones.
To avoid any accidents, it was better to be cautious.
"Alright, you two can go find an empty room to talk."
Sirius agreed without thinking; he wasn't interested in what Ethan wanted to get from Kreacher.
Again, if Ethan needed it, he would even give away Kreacher the House-elf.
What's more, it was just one of his belongings.
Furthermore, if he needed any powerful Dark Artsartifacts, he should have told him earlier; he wouldn't have refused even if they were all added to the agreement, as he didn't need these things anyway.
"Kreacher, let's go, take me to a quiet room!"
After Sirius agreed, Ethan immediately looked at Kreacher.
The rewards obtained after acquiring the relics of the four founders were quite good.
Even Ethan was quite eager.
"Please follow me!"
Kreacher glanced at Sirius, then respectfully said to Ethan, though the expression on his face was still quite displeased.
Clearly, he was not convinced at the moment, but he had been frightened by Sirius's words just now.
He was afraid that Sirius would really expel him from the Black Family.
Led by Kreacher, Ethan arrived at a room on the second floor.
The doorframe had a golden plaque with the name Calidora Black written on it.
Upon entering, he found the room was also covered in dust.
Ethan used a cleaning charm, then found a chair and sat down.
He then closed the door and cast a silencing charm.
"What do you need?"
Without Sirius there, Kreacher returned to his true nature, unable to maintain a polite tone.
"The locket Regulus left behind, the one Lord Voldemortgave him, the thing he died for.
Now, hand it over to me."
"I know it's in your possession now."
Hearing Ethan's words, Kreacher's face suddenly changed, then he looked at Ethan with both fear and anger.
Only he and Young Master Regulus knew about that matter; how did this young Wizard know?
And Young Master Regulus had specifically instructed him to destroy this thing.
After bringing this box back, he had indeed tried every means possible, but he couldn't harm it in the slightest.
But that wasn't a reason for him to hand it over, not even at the command of his current master, Sirius.
Thinking this, Kreacher immediately made up his mind.
"Impossible, Kreacher will not give it to you."
Looking at Kreacher, whose body language was extremely exaggerated, Ethan was a bit confused.
You say you value this thing so much, but later you'll give it to that thief!
Since you can give it to others, is it so hard to hand it over now, following your master's command?
"Regulus wanted you to destroy it; why didn't you destroy it?
Did you forget his dying wish?"
If Sirius's command wasn't working, then he could only try another method.
"No, Kreacher didn't forget.
I can't destroy it; I can't do it; I failed Young Master Regulus; I should have died, it's all me…"
Looking at Kreacher, who was kneeling on the ground, constantly banging his head against the floor, Ethan was speechless; he must have gone insane!
"Give it to me; I can destroy it and fulfill your young master's dying wish."
"No, Kreacher doesn't believe you; you must be with Lord Voldemort, otherwise you wouldn't know these things."
Hearing Ethan's words, Kreacher, who had stood up again, even showed a hint of hatred in his eyes.
Ethan truly didn't know what he had imagined, but since peaceful methods weren't working, he would have to use some other means.
Kreacher, who had been about to say something, suddenly froze in place, a satisfied and happy smile appearing on his face, though combined with his features, this smile was somewhat terrifying.
Without Ethan's command, he directly opened the door and went out, preparing to retrieve the slytherin's lockethe had hidden.
Meanwhile, after Ethan left, Sirius and Harry began chatting.
After all, they couldn't just sit there doing nothing.
"Sirius, why isn't your name on this?"
Harry was now standing in front of the ornate family tree tapestry.
There were many things worth seeing in the living room, but only this one caught Harry's interest; almost everything else was related to Dark Arts.
On this ornate tapestry, Harry saw records dating back to the mid-Middle Ages.
Moreover, many names were followed by the surnames of other pure-blood families; undoubtedly, these were Black Family women who had married out.
Closer to the present were the House of Malfoy, the Lestrange Family, and a bit further back were the Weasley, Longbottom, Crouch, and Burke families.
It could be said that almost all of the more famous families in the Great Britain Wizarding World could be found here.
Even the Potter Family was there; it seemed he really was related to Sirius, though distantly.
He hadn't expected Draco Malfoy and Neville to be quite closely related to Sirius.
However, some names were missing, as if burned away, leaving Black holes where those names once were.
"I used to be on it, but ever since I ran away from here, Mother erased me from it."
Saying this, Sirius pointed to a slightly scorched hole at the very bottom of the family tree tapestry; that was where his name used to be.
Ever since he entered Gryffindor, his relationship with his family had become strained.
Later, because of a quarrel with his mother, he was disowned from the family tree, which led to him having to stay at the Potter's.
He hadn't returned for more than twenty years after that, only coming back to this old house this year.
Hearing this, Harry also fell silent. Kreacher seemed to have mentioned earlier that Sirius was disowned by his mother.
If he had thought it through earlier, he wouldn't have asked, making it awkward now.
"I've long come to terms with it. Look here, this was originally my cousin, Andromeda Black. Because she married a Muggle-born Wizard, she was also disowned by the family. And here, this is my..."
Seeing Harry's awkwardness, Sirius tried his best to express his dissatisfaction with the Black Family and his accustomedness to it.
Listening to Sirius introduce the names on each of these small Black holes, Harry understood why Sirius was disowned from the family.
This family was too extreme. Squibs who couldn't awaken their magical abilities were driven out, those who married Muggle Wizards were driven out, and even if they weren't in Slytherin during the Sorting, that was also a reason to be driven out of the family.
Lupin quietly watched from the side; he had known all of this for a long time.
When Sirius was driven out, he was still studying at Hogwarts, and all of them knew about it and understood the reasons behind it.
Meanwhile, after waiting for a while, Kreacher finally Apparated back with a pop.
He held a small Black box in his hand, and after approaching Ethan, he respectfully handed it to him.
Ethan opened it directly.
Inside was an ancient object resembling a small compass, with mysterious runes carved around it, a snake-shaped S-mark in the middle, inlaid with emeralds, and finally strung with a silver-white chain.
And like other Horcruxes, it had a special, decaying stench. Undoubtedly, this was Lord Voldemort's genuine Horcrux.
However, because it had been made into an evil Dark Arts tool like a Horcrux, Ethan holding it now had no reaction.
Like the diadem, as long as Ethan could pull the soul out of it, it could return to its original state.
After playing with it for a while, Ethan put it back in the box, then opened a corner of Nibelungen and threw the Horcrux, along with the box, inside.
After all, Ethan still had to go to the living room later, and he would be quite close to Harry then.
It wasn't a big deal if they were far apart, but if they were too close, Harry would be able to sense the Horcrux. Although he couldn't discover anything now.
But if he came into contact with Horcruxes later, knew he could sense them, and understood his reaction to them, he would definitely recall today's encounter and come looking for him.
Therefore, to avoid trouble, it was only right to be careful.
After doing all this, Ethan took out a small bottle of light green Potion and handed it to Kreacher.
This was diluted Winged Serpent venom, which could effectively erase memories.
Although Ethan knew the Memory Charm, it had side effects. Unless Ethan specifically wanted to trick someone, he generally chose Winged Serpent venom.
Anyway, he raised Winged Serpents himself, so the venom was quite easy to obtain.
The moment he watched Kreacher drink it all, Ethan seized the opportunity to lift the Imperio.
"I've already brought you to the room?"
"Forget it, what do you need? Speak quickly!"
Kreacher, recovering from his daze, was first puzzled, then asked quite impolitely.
"No need, I've already obtained it."
Ignoring Kreacher, who stood bewildered, Ethan pushed the door open and walked out.
"Did you get what you needed?"
Seeing Ethan walk out, Sirius, who was chatting with Harry, also turned his head.