"Petrify completely!"
A streak of blue light shot out from the tip of Ethan's wand. The moment it hit the white mouse, the creature froze mid-motion, its fur turning a stiff grayish-white.
But now what? How do I undo this?
Should I wait for the magic to dissipate naturally?
Forget it—whatever. I'll just leave the petrified mouse aside for now. Next up is the Energy Siphon spell.
Boom!
The rat in the box exploded into pieces. However, there was no shield formed, and the power of the next spell wasn't enhanced. After a moment of thought, Ethan understood why.
This rat didn't have any magic power. It couldn't provide energy to siphon—only explode. To fully harness the potential of Energy Siphon, the target must be a wizard or magical creature.
Having tested all the spells he knew, Ethan turned to his textbook as a final resort. He pulled out The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1.
Skimming through the contents, he quickly noted that there wasn't much in the book: Lumos, Alohomora, Reparo, Wingardium Leviosa, Incendio, and Petrificus Totalus.
Reviewing the information in his head, Ethan felt no pressure at all.
He flipped to the page detailing the Severing Charm and read through it carefully, then turned to the Mending Charm.
"Diffindo!"
"Reparo!"
The shattered vase in front of him seemed to rewind through time. All the fragments reassembled, the cracks disappearing seamlessly.
Ethan continued learning the rest of the spells, and before dinner, he had mastered all of them.
Compared to math and physics, learning magic was far simpler. There was no pressure—none at all!
Chapter 8: Cassandra
Several days later, Ethan once again stood at the entrance of the Leaky Cauldron.
This time, it was afternoon, and the tavern was bustling with patrons. The contrast from the last time—when the place was nearly deserted—was stark. But no one paid much attention to the lone young wizard who walked in. Scenes like this happened every day.
Following Professor McGonagall's instructions, Ethan tapped the correct brick three times, and the gateway to the magical world opened once more.
The moment he saw the familiar trash can near the entrance, Ethan felt the itch to cause a little mischief.
Considering the behavior of his "golden finger" (his cheat-like magical talent), he figured a prank might unlock some kind of achievement.
But after two seconds of consideration, he decided against it.
Stepping back into Diagon Alley, Ethan headed straight for his destination: Flourish and Blotts.
Last time, he had been accompanied by Professor McGonagall and purchased the standard first-year textbooks. But they didn't include many of the spells he truly wanted to learn.
For example, the Shield Charm, the Undetectable Extension Charm, and Occlumency. (The Undetectable Extension Charm was supposedly restricted, but Hermione had used it openly—without even referencing a forbidden book—so it was probably a commonly known spell. The restriction was likely a push from manufacturers of magical tents and suitcases. After all, if everyone could make their own, who would buy theirs?)
In addition, with two known Legilimens—Snape and Dumbledore—at Hogwarts, Ethan was concerned. Without knowledge of Occlumency, he felt vulnerable.
As for Dumbledore, his moral compass was more or less reliable. He wouldn't intrude on a student's mind without permission—or so it seemed. He was proficient in Legilimency, but that likely stemmed from his darker past.
Before Ariana's accident, Dumbledore had been more similar to Grindelwald: someone who would use any means to achieve his goals. Afterward, he changed, found a sense of morality, and returned to Hogwarts to become a professor.
Had Dumbledore truly lacked a moral bottom line, certain events in the past might have unfolded differently. For example, during the time Hagrid was falsely accused, Dumbledore was already a professor. Though he tried to protect Hagrid, the lack of evidence meant Hagrid was expelled.
If he had used Legilimency early on, perhaps Tom Riddle wouldn't have gone free, and there might never have been a Voldemort.
The same could be said for Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew. If Legilimency had been used, one wouldn't have had the chance to betray James Potter, and the other wouldn't have suffered over a decade of wrongful imprisonment.
So while Dumbledore seemed like a low-risk concern, Snape was a different story.
Though Snape was a dedicated professor and had his principles, when it came to Harry Potter, he was unpredictable. Who knew if Snape would decide Ethan was suspicious simply due to his connection with Harry, then use Legilimency to probe his mind?
At Flourish and Blotts, Ethan walked straight to the textbook section. Just like before, a dozen young witches and wizards crowded the area. As the only major bookstore in Diagon Alley, it had a total monopoly.
He grabbed Intermediate Transfiguration and Advanced Transfiguration Guide.
Then, Standard Book of Spells for Grades Two through Seven.
Ethan's shopping spree quickly drew attention. It wasn't often someone so young bought books like a collector.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them wasn't very practical, but he picked it up anyway. The version he'd already read had been entertaining—Newt Scamander's style was amusing, and the book was affordable.
Advanced Potion-Making was a surprise—nine Galleons! Easily the most expensive book so far.
"Sir, are you a first-year student?" the clerk asked as the book stack grew higher.
"These books aren't necessary right now. You might end up buying new editions in a year or two."
The clerk wasn't trying to upsell; in a monopolized market like this, he didn't earn a commission. In fact, if Ethan returned the books later, it would just be a hassle.
"Thank you for the reminder, but I need all of these to prepare."
"Well, maybe you're a natural Ravenclaw," the clerk replied with a chuckle, stepping aside.
Ethan moved into the section on magical theory. A title caught his eye: If You've Got the Wand, You'll Find a Way.
Interesting name. Maybe the author had some unique insights. He added it to his cart.
Then came Major Discoveries in Modern Magic, Guide to Medieval Witchcraft, Forgotten Ancient Magic and Zhou Yu, Research on the Development of Modern Witchcraft, The Rise and Fall of Black Magic, and Directory of Contemporary Famous Magicians.
Clickbait titles? Maybe. But compelling nonetheless.
Finally, tucked away in a dusty corner, he spotted it: How to Close Your Mind—his target.
Six or seven copies sat untouched and dusty. Clearly not a popular read.
Truthfully, this book's situation was awkward. Muggles might read it but gain nothing from it. Meanwhile, wizards from magical families would likely be taught Occlumency directly. Buying the book would be unnecessary.
After opting for Flourish and Blotts' free mailing service (one Sickle per book otherwise, or free with purchases over 50 Galleons), Ethan sighed at how fast money disappeared.
He'd spent 127 Galleons—more than he expected—and his stash was now nearly gone.
At Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, Ethan sat at a table near the entrance, listlessly scooping his dessert as he pondered how to earn more Galleons.
He had thought 100 Galleons would be more than enough. Now he had barely anything left.
Hmm?
A shadow fell over his table. Ethan looked up.
A girl sat down across from him without saying a word. Looking around, he noticed the place had suddenly become full. His table—the only one occupied by a solo customer—was the most available spot.
The girl didn't seem to care about Ethan at all. She placed her ice cream on the table and quietly began eating.
Golden, waist-length curly hair. Emerald green eyes. Delicate features. She looked a bit familiar—Ethan had noticed her earlier in the bookstore.
After quickly finishing his ice cream in two bites, Ethan decided to leave.
Florean Fortescue's ice cream truly was excellent—perhaps made from some magical beast's milk. Better than any ice cream he'd ever had.
As he walked away, the girl—previously silent and aloof—turned to look at Ethan.
Back in the bookstore, Ethan's behavior had drawn some attention. She had been nearby, picking out textbooks, and overheard his conversation with the clerk.
She had done something similar—bought all the textbooks for future years.
No—Ethan had only bought some of the textbooks.