The last flicker of spells had barely left the classroom walls when Ethan slipped through the arched doorway, drifting into the endless maze of Hogwarts' winding corridors. The stone beneath his shoes was worn with age, echoing softly underfoot as he wandered, not entirely aimlessly. Sunlight poured through high, stained-glass windows, casting dancing colors on the walls, while portraits whispered to one another behind gilded frames and a ghost passed serenely through a closed door, nodding at him in distracted greeting. A month had passed since he first stepped into the castle, and still, the place felt like a living thing, ancient, enchanted, aware. Every creaking staircase, every flickering torch, every unseen breeze brushing the back of his neck seemed steeped in secrets. Hogwarts breathed magic.
And still, despite the allure of its shifting paths and whispered histories, Ethan had something more pressing in mind today.
He reached the Ravenclaw common room just as the bronze eagle knocker asked its daily riddle, something about paradoxes and time. He answered automatically, without much thought, and stepped into the airy tower room, where shafts of gold light poured in through tall windows and turned the worn desks and blue hangings into a scene from a dream. He crossed the room and sat near the eastern window, where the view stretched far across the Forbidden Forest and the distant lake. There, he unrolled a sheet of parchment, dipped his quill in fresh ink, and began to write.
Dear Mum,
It's been about a month now, and I think I can safely say that Hogwarts is everything I imagined, and somehow more. Magic here isn't just spells and potions, it's in the walls, the air, the very rhythm of daily life. I still catch myself stopping mid-step just to watch the staircases shift, or to listen to Peeves cackling three corridors away, or to admire how the Great Hall's ceiling reflects the sky outside.
Classes are going well. We've moved beyond theory and finally begun actual wandwork. Charms was the first, and we started with Levitation. I struggled a bit with the incantation at first as most did, but I got it.
Today in Defense Against the Dark Arts, we learned Lumos. Simple, but the act of willing light into existence with just a word and a flick of the wrist, it's difficult to explain how grand that feels. I've been trying to push it, to see how long the light can last, how much I can vary the intensity. I'm careful, I promise.
The library here is massive. I've been spending most of my time buried in magical texts and history. It's quiet, and I don't have to explain myself to anyone.
I hope everything is well back home. I'll be sending Noctis back with this letter. He's taken to the Owlery quite well, though he doesn't like the smell. I've trained him not to peck the other owls if they get too close, mostly.
And... I have a favor to ask. A strange one, maybe, but I trust you'll understand?
Do you remember the author Gilderoy Lockhart? The one who writes all those books about banishing banshees and defeating dark creatures with just a smile and a swish of his wand? He's wildly popular here. Half the students' parents adore him, and I hear the bookstore in Hogsmeade apparently can't keep his titles in stock. The stories are too polished. Too perfect.
Could you do some digging? Quietly. Look into his past. Find if there are any inconsistencies in his stories, any records that don't match what he claims. Maybe speak to the families of the witches and wizards in his books. If I'm right, and he is lying, I want to expose him.
Anyway. Tell Noctis to enjoy himself when he arrives and take a rest. I'll have another letter ready soon.
Your son,
Ethan.
Satisfied, he rolled the parchment with care, tied it with a narrow strip of ribbon, and tucked it under his arm. The tower was quiet as he slipped out, the common room already becoming more and more emptying as evening settled in. He made his way through corridors bathed in warm torchlight and climbed the long spiral stair to the Owlery.
The air grew colder the higher he climbed, until his breath came out in soft mist. At the top, the scent of straw and feathers filled the space, and the quiet rustling of hundreds of owls greeted him like an old friend. They blinked at him from the rafters, some turning their heads impossibly far to follow his movements.
He found Noctis near the highest archway, the sleek black owl perched like a silent sentry against the deepening sky. Ethan held up the letter. "Message for Mum."
Noctis gave a soft hoot, jumped down and extended a clawed foot, allowing the parchment to be tied with ease.
"Be safe." He told Noctis as he gently stroked his head.
With another hoot and beat of his wings, the owl launched into the air, catching the wind and vanishing into the encroaching dusk.
Ethan watched until he was gone, then turned, the evening chill curling through his robes as he made his way back to the castle. By the time he reached the Great Hall, it was filled with warmth and noise. Laughter echoed from all four tables, candles floated overhead in perfect defiance of gravity, and the enchanted ceiling had turned dark blue, stars twinkling softly above.
He sat down beside the usual pair of Ravenclaws, Helena with her nose in a gossip magazine, Anthony already halfway through his second helping of roast beef. Neither paid him much mind, which suited him just fine. He ate quietly, listening with half an ear to Quidditch speculation and Herbology complaints.
Later, after the noise faded and the castle dimmed, he lay in his dormitory bed with the curtains half-drawn. The others were already asleep. He stared at the ceiling, wand resting on his chest, and exhaled slowly. Tomorrow, he'd practice Lumos some more. But in the back of his mind, he kept one thought sharp.
He had a year to prove Gilderoy Lockhart was a fraud. Next year he didn't want Lockhart teaching Defense against the Dark Arts. It would become a waste of a whole school year of classes to have that man teach. Hopefully, his mother had time to look into this and somehow gather evidence to convict Lockhart of fraud and unlawful use of Obliviate.