But he quickly dismissed the idea—his opponent didn't need a wand to kill him at all.
Before he could comprehend the purpose of Ethan's actions, he suddenly felt a gloomy, chilling magical force invade through his forehead, weaving together with his own magic until it settled around his chest.
Ethan used the same method on the other two.
"This magic is called the Wisp's Mark," Ethan explained calmly to the three of them. "No matter where you go, I can find you through it. I can also summon you or guide you to me at any time."
After finishing the enchantment, Ethan clarified, "Don't call me 'Master.' Just call me BOSS!"
"Master, we will never betray you."
"That's right, Master, we're loyal—"
"Stop!" Ethan cut them off coldly. "'Master' reminds me too much of Voldemort."
The Wisp's Mark was, in effect, similar to Voldemort's infamous Dark Mark. Considering Ethan's aptitude with dark magic—especially the Unforgivable Curses—it would be a serious problem if others mistook him for the Dark Lord's reincarnation, particularly since Voldemort had not yet returned in this timeline.
He questioned the three about their plans moving forward and how they intended to handle their poaching organization.
Taking in three subordinates wasn't a matter of cleaning up their mess—it was about assigning tasks and making efficient use of their capabilities. Ethan didn't fear the organization's recovery or potential retaliation, but it could still become troublesome.
Fortunately, the trio had already concocted a solution. They blamed everything on Kipling, claiming that while they were out seeking buyers, Kipling grew greedy, stole the magical creatures and Galleons, and ran off alone.
With Kipling dead and unable to refute the story, and with the organization in disarray—not just in Britain but possibly in other regions too—it was plausible that the entire structure would collapse. Delaying would only complicate matters further. Letting it die out was the best course of action.
They asked Ethan if he planned to withdraw from the organization, but he declined. There was still nearly a month before the start of school, and there was no reason to waste this time. Ethan figured it would be more useful to let the three continue operating within the group, develop themselves, and keep their ears open.
After finalizing their arrangement, Ethan gave them 230 Galleons and kept the remaining 3,500 for himself—his rightful spoils. He also left them the Murtlap and a box enchanted with an Undetectable Extension Charm. However, he took an extra, smaller empty box with him. Although it had less internal space, it was enough for his needs.
As he stepped out of the two-story building, night had already fallen.
Shadow Stealth activated.
Within moments, Ethan was moving like a phantom through the shadows. In less than half a minute, he had already left Knockturn Alley and slipped into a quiet corner of Diagon Alley. There, he deactivated the magic.
When Ethan finally exited the Leaky Cauldron, the driver was pacing restlessly outside. They had originally agreed Ethan would return in two or three hours—but more than five had passed.
Chapter 14: Platform Nine and Three-Quarters
September 1st.
At King's Cross Station's parking lot, Ethan dragged his suitcase while saying farewell to his parents. The suitcase was mostly for show. Inside were only a few clothes and the real prize—his box with the Undetectable Extension Charm.
That box held numerous books, potion ingredients he'd collected, frozen dragon brains preserved with a Freezing Charm, and even Murtlap corpses.
He also carried his magical creatures: the Streeler and the Flobberworm.
The Streeler was easy to manage. It could curl into a tight ball, slipping neatly into Ethan's pocket. This was its dormant state—used to conceal itself and conserve energy. It emitted no threatening aura, making it virtually undetectable by others.
Its food of choice? Dragon brain. Unlike most creatures, it loved even the frozen variety. Dragon brain, while magical, had no proven use in potion-making and wasn't a popular food source in the wizarding world—making it cheaper than dragon liver at just sixteen Sickles an ounce.
The Flobberworm was more complicated. Though it resembled a cloak, any informed wizard would immediately recognize it. Plus, due to its notorious reputation, it was absolutely not something one could expose at Hogwarts.
To solve this, Ethan had crafted a platinum pendant with a hollow underside and enchanted it with another Undetectable Extension Charm. Due to the pendant's tiny volume, the charm took a long time to complete, but in the end, it created a room-sized space—just enough for the Flobberworm to reside in.
People couldn't enter such a small space physically, but it was ideal for storing the Flobberworm.
Over the past month, Ethan had grown skilled at using the creature as a cloak. As long as it cooperated, it could move with incredible fluidity. At a single command, the Flobberworm would pull its hood over Ethan, covering his face in a mist-like veil without affecting his vision.
The cloak not only concealed Ethan's appearance but also had remarkable resistance to magic, especially dark spells. It could even block incoming curses on its own. If Flobberworms weren't nearly impossible to tame, their cloaks would be among the most sought-after items in the wizarding world.
Aside from magical creatures, Ethan had also focused on his magical studies—especially Occlumency—and the results were impressive.
Name: Ethan Adrian
Age: 11
Bloodline: Wizard
Talents:Excess Soul – Improves learning and casting speed.Strong Physique – Enhances physical and magical endurance.Heart of Darkness – Boosts dark magic usage without emotional dependency.Concentration – Greatly improves learning efficiency.Animal Affinity – Effective even on magical creatures.Spells Mastered:Killing Curse (10), Cruciatus Curse (10), Imperius Curse (10)Occlumency (6), Shield Charm (4), Undetectable Extension Charm (4)Energy Drain (4), Shadow Sneak (3), Ghost Mark (2), Transfiguration (2)Petrification Curse (3), Disillusionment Charm (3), Summoning Charm (3)Levitation Charm (2), Lumos (2), Shrinking Charm (2), Fire Spell (2)Inside the station, Ethan followed the signs toward Platform 9.
He began to notice oddities in the crowd. Some people wore padded jackets on top and shorts on the bottom. Others—a burly man in a dress and high heels, for instance—looked outright bizarre.
"It's always like this today," said a station staff member to another. "You'll get used to it. Kids show up asking about Platform 9¾, and the weirdos start parading through."
"What's so special about today?"
"No idea. Maybe the start of school?"
Ethan ignored them and walked straight into the barrier near them.
A strange compression hit him—then, his vision opened up again.
"Ouch!"
A groan caught his attention. A girl had fallen into a heap of luggage at the platform's entrance.
Why was she blocking the entrance?
Still, Ethan had bumped into her, so he quickly helped her up—and then recognized her.
"Buck teeth, it's you!"
The girl had unmistakable buck teeth and thick, bushy brown hair.
Hermione Granger.
They had met years ago. She had asked the staff earlier about Platform 9¾.
At the sound of her old nickname, Hermione's face immediately soured. The name stirred up bad memories.
"Thank you," she muttered and moved away quickly.
"She still remembers," Ethan sighed.
Three years ago, during a summer camp, they had competed in evening challenges. Hermione was winning until Ethan entered. He crushed her in memory, logic, and reasoning.
At the end, he'd said, "Don't be sad—at least your buck teeth are bigger than mine!"
She'd burst into tears on the spot.
But that was in the past. Ethan didn't care. He boarded the red steam train, searching for an empty compartment.
Most carriages were full. Ethan's travel by car had cost him time—most magical families had already arrived.
Finally, toward the back, he found a quiet compartment with only one girl inside.
"Mind if I sit here?" he asked.
The little witch glanced up from her book, said nothing, and returned to reading.
Taking silence as approval, Ethan entered, stowed his suitcase, and sat opposite her—only to recognize her as the same girl he'd seen at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour weeks ago.
Then, the compartment door opened again.
Hermione again—with a chubby, nervous-looking boy behind her.
"Can we sit here?"
Still silent, the little witch didn't respond. Ethan nodded. The carriage didn't belong to anyone—it was open seating.
Hermione awkwardly entered and sat next to the little witch. Neville, as the boy introduced himself, took the seat beside Ethan.
The silence was palpable. Everyone had their noses in books—except Neville, who looked like he wanted to disappear.
He already regretted following Hermione here. Even sitting on his suitcase in the hallway would've been better.
Suddenly—
"Your toad ran out."
"What?" Neville blinked in confusion.
Even the girls looked up.
"Your toad," Ethan repeated, pointing under the table.
Just moments earlier, Ethan had felt something on his shoe. Looking down, he found a toad clinging to it. If he hadn't known it was Neville's pet, he would've kicked it off.
"Trevor!" Neville exclaimed and dove down to catch it.
The toad squirmed in his hand, trying to escape again. Neville stuffed it into his pocket and clamped it shut.
Hermione stared, curious. The other girl raised an eyebrow in disdain.
"Why bring a toad? Is that common in the wizarding world?" Hermione asked.
She genuinely wanted to understand. Everything she knew so far was just from books.