Amid the pleasant screams behind them, Ethan stood leisurely with Harry, who kept looking back, at the roadside. His gold-tipped walking stick gently tapped the asphalt road.
Before long, a thunderous rumbling sound approached from the night, growing louder as it neared.
"Here it comes." Ethan spoke, his cobalt-blue eyes gazing at a point in the sky.
"That's a... flying car?!" Harry stared at the approaching object in the sky and exclaimed.
The turquoise flying car performed a stylish tail swing in front of them, and a fluffy red head poked out.
Ron Weasley grinned at his dumbfounded best friend and waved proudly: "Get in, Harry... ouch!"
The Weasley twins, George and Fred, grabbed their younger brother's head from behind and called out: "Listening to your tone..." "You'd think you were the one driving!"
"Let me go!" Ron struggled in embarrassment.
Watching their playful scene, Harry felt his blood gradually warming up. He was almost moved to tears. This was the breath of living people!
Harry was bundled into the car along with his luggage. When the car door slammed shut, Harry suddenly noticed Ethan was still outside.
"Aren't you getting in, Ethan?" Harry asked puzzledly.
"No," Ethan said while draping on a cloak that appeared from nowhere and pulling up the hood.
Instantly, most of his face was hidden in shadow. Only his pale chin, slightly curved lips, and one cobalt-blue eye gazing outward were visible.
"I have an appointment with a friend named Luna Lovegood to visit Diagon Alley together and buy school supplies."
Ron was surprised: "At midnight?"
Ethan curved his lips, looking toward the bright moonlight and murmuring: "Sometimes, moonlight is the key to opening hidden places. What we need to do is walk into them at the appropriate time."
Ron stared: "Oh..."
Ethan clarified: "Meaning, to be alone for contemplation without outside interference."
Ron and the twins exclaimed: "Ohhh!"
They immediately widened their eyes in excitement. Someone who could be on the same wavelength as Ethan and be actively called a "friend"... that had never happened before!
The twins wanted to get to the bottom of this right now, but Ethan's smile was like an impenetrable fortress. They had to give up and step on the gas. The old car gradually started with a rumble.
Harry straightened up from the hood, waving his arms frantically and shouting: "Thank you... Ethan!"
Ethan also waved: "I'll send you a replacement birthday present!"
Harry thought grimly: "..." Harry silently sat back down, watching his uncle's family quickly leave behind, and gradually felt cheerful again.
"This is absolutely the best birthday I've ever had!" Harry shouted.
"Brother! Don't speak too soon! There's still a long time ahead!" Ron said with an air of wisdom.
The two looked at each other, and both grinned widely.
"Hey! Bird droppings!"
September 1st, 11:00 AM, King's Cross Station, London, Platform 9¾
After a deep whistle, the deep red steam train slowly began to move. Ethan and Luna sat quietly reading books in a compartment.
Just then... "Whoosh!"
The compartment door opened, revealing Hermione's anxious face.
Ethan looked up from "Harmless Little Hexes: Starting with Tongue-Tying" and asked: "Looking for Neville's toad again?"
Hermione replied urgently: "No, worse. I can't find Harry and Ron anywhere."
She was nearly frantic! What if Harry and Ron couldn't make it to school on time?
"I must tell Prefect Percy. Nothing is more important right now than Harry and Ron missing... hm? Your magazine is upside down."
Hermione's sharp gaze fell on Luna's upside-down magazine.
Luna looked up, wearing those exaggerated blue and pink spectacles that made Hermione frown.
"Oh, hello. I'm Luna Lovegood. Would you like a copy of the new Quibbler?"
Hermione said frantically: "No, no need! What's more important right now is Harry and Ron! They're missing!"
Luna patiently listened to her finish, then said gently: "Well then. Ethan used a new technique in this issue that can transmit the magical effects of artwork through printing..."
Before she finished speaking, Luna felt someone settle heavily beside her. Turning her head, she met Hermione's sparkling eyes.
"Please do give me a copy, thank you!"
Luna looked on with relief as Hermione dove headfirst into "Call of Erised," becoming quiet with a dreamy, dazed expression.
Until the clock hand made half a turn, Hermione suddenly snapped back to her senses. Wait! What was she here for?!
"Harry and Ron..."
Luna interrupted her, gazing out the window and saying softly: "Sometimes, the things we lose come back to us in another incredible way..."
Hermione stared confused: "?"
"Anyway, Harry and Ron couldn't possibly be in the sky... in the sky?!"
Hermione suddenly pressed against the car window, staring in shock at the turquoise car tumbling up and down in midair. And at the two familiar figures in the car.
Hermione's jaw dropped: "What?!"
Ethan's gaze passed over the petrified Hermione to meet Luna's eyes across from him, saying approvingly: "Look, this is the demeanor a club member should have. Although Ron hasn't passed the formal test yet, he's already shown excellent potential."
Luna nodded seriously and raised her small fist: "Yes, I'll work hard."
Hermione thought despairingly: "..." Starting to influence new students even before the term even begins? Truly worthy of Ethan.
At the Hogwarts Feast...
"RAVENCLAW!"
Almost as soon as the hat touched Luna's head, it immediately declared her house.
"I've never seen the Sorting Hat sort anyone into Ravenclaw so quickly." Ethan's roommate Mandy, third in their year, clapped hesitantly beside him.
He said in the tone of someone who'd been at Hogwarts for years: "At this age, you can hardly expect young wizards to have much thirst for knowledge in their heads. Even I made the hat deliberate for a minute or two."
However, Mandy soon stopped talking. He was surprised to see Ethan actually stand up, applauding with a face full of smiles. Not just him... the entire house noticed this unusual scene.
They gradually quieted down, whispering among themselves. Slytherin Prefect Gemma Farley raised her chin slightly with a cold expression. Hermione pressed her lips tightly together, her eyes burning with fighting spirit.
Luna seemed completely oblivious to all the attention focused on her. She removed the hat and politely thanked Professor Flitwick, who was conducting the ceremony. Then she walked with light steps toward Ravenclaw... toward Ethan's position.
"Welcome to Ravenclaw! Luna!"
Ethan opened his arms, warmly welcoming Luna. Students beside him automatically stood up to make room.
"Here, you can learn true knowledge. Explore secrets hidden behind the world, and pursue that brilliant radiance hidden in the depths of the universe!"
His words fell with resounding force. The new students just sorted into Ravenclaw, as well as young wizards yet to be sorted, all exclaimed "Wow!" showing expressions of wonder and reverence.
Ravenclaw sounded pretty good!
Only the older students had somewhat strange expressions, wondering puzzledly: Secrets behind the world? The radiance of the universe? Have we been pursuing these things? Never heard of it!
Whether or not it was due to Ethan's speech, more new students were subsequently sorted into Ravenclaw. This made Professor Flitwick so excited he nearly jumped up.
He had a premonition that Ethan and Luna Lovegood, the new student Ethan favored, were absolutely a pair of hidden talents! They could lead Ravenclaw to unprecedented heights!
After enjoying a sumptuous feast, Dumbledore took the stage as usual to emphasize important matters. However, this year, in addition to the Forbidden Forest and Filch's warning about not casting magic in corridors, he added another rule:
"For everyone's physical and mental safety, if you see a pitch-black doorway anywhere, please do not enter! Please ignore it and walk past normally. It will disappear on its own after some time."
The serious voice echoed through the Great Hall. The new students' expressions turned pale. This... this sounded so terrifying?!
The older students fell silent, while only Ethan smiled brilliantly and cheerfully. As if he'd heard words praising him.
"What happens if you go in?" Ethan heard a new student ask quietly.
He suddenly turned his head, gazing at the new student who had frozen in fright, and said gently: "Nothing much. At most you'd be transported to a sealed chamber, automatically start a challenge course, or enter a brilliant and magnificent wardrobe universe."
"..." The new student stared wide-eyed, trembling in terror. Mama, he seemed to be going on a dangerous journey.
"Additionally." Dumbledore's voice became gentler as he glanced at Ethan at the Ravenclaw table. "Club recruitment will be held next Monday. Club leaders may post their promotional posters on the bulletin board."