"—What did you say?! Hogwarts is really closing?!"
Durmstrang.
The current president of the Round Table Council, Arthur, exclaimed into the two-way mirror in front of him.
He leaned his hands on the table, unable to believe it:
After a year of exchange, he returned to find that even the school was gone!
How could this be?!
In the two-way mirror, the Round Table Council member he was speaking with was filled with unconcealed fear:
"Y-yes! Not only that, this time, the ones attacked were six core members of the club—"
"Mr. Arthur, stop! This is no longer something we can control!!"
"Bang!"
Arthur slammed his fist on the table and paced around the dormitory like a trapped beast.
How could this happen?
Since the Round Table Council was founded, it had never suffered such a heavy blow!
It had never suffered such humiliation!
He gave all the orders.
Now, causing this situation was like a vicious slap, heavily striking his face!
It was his dereliction of duty in command!!
In fact, a deep fear arose in Arthur.
The long-established Round Table Council wouldn't really fall into his hands, would it?
Two-way mirror: "By the way, Arthur—"
"Call me 'Mr. Arthur.'"
Arthur's tone suddenly sank.
"Mind your address."
"...Y-yes, Mr. Arthur."
"What I wanted to say is that Ethan is actively leading all students in training for Defense Against the Dark Arts."
"And with the assistance of Mr. Gilderoy Lockhart—although, strangely, I feel like Mr. Lockhart is more of a hype man."
"I think we, the Round Table Council, should also do something, shouldn't we?"
"Do something? Heh."
Arthur narrowed his eyes and chuckled.
"Do we need to bother helping those foolish people?"
"No, what we need to do is to show those idiots our strength. That's enough."
The member behind the two-way mirror was silent for a moment.
Then he asked a question:
"Mr. Arthur, do you still remember our Round Table Council's earliest and most ancient motto?"
Arthur frowned: "Naturally, it is to gain greater power."
Then.
He waved his hand in annoyance, cutting off the connection with the two-way mirror.
He thought to himself:
"Ethan Vincent, he's just a second-year student at most."
"Far from being my opponent!"
"The only one who can contend with me a bit—"
"Would be the opener of the Chamber of Secrets."
"To cause such a big commotion at Hogwarts is extraordinary!"
Arthur nodded in approval, a hint of fighting spirit igniting in his eyes.
"As long as this mastermind is exposed, other students will naturally know which club is truly worth joining."
"...It seems I have to go back early."
If he didn't go back soon, he might really have no school to return to.
Arthur thought deeply.
"After the Christmas holiday, I'll return to Britain. Before that, I'll finish my research."
Arthur turned his head.
He shifted his gaze to the documents on a nearby desk.
Inside was a clipped newspaper from the Daily Prophet.
It was about the attack on Dark Wizards in Knockturn Alley during the summer holiday.
A photo showed the blood sacrifice ritual pattern on a table!
A blood ritual to sacrifice soul and life to Tom Riddle's diary.
"Heh heh, I've found a treasure."
"This ritual must point to an unknown, powerful existence—"
Arthur thought with certainty.
He obsessively stroked the notes, the ritual he had perfected through his research.
"Those cowards in Britain! Although there's a small price to pay, it will definitely grant me immense power!"
"By then, what Chamber of Secrets opener?"
"All of them will be transformed into brilliant achievements on my personal resume!"
"Haha—hahahahaha!"
Crack!
Lightning flashed and thunder rolled.
Next door.
Listening to the wild laughter from the Hogwarts exchange student.
Viktor Krum, who was maintaining his broomstick, frowned.
What madness was he up to again?
Hmph, he's not even worth a single hair of Ethan's dog.
When will Ethan come to Durmstrang for an exchange—
It would surely be an eye-opener for them.
At the same time.
Hogwarts, Chamber of Secrets.
"Achoo!"
Ethan sneezed, rubbed his nose, and muttered:
"Who wants to kill me?"
Diary: [---]
He had a clear self-awareness.
A certain "unknown powerful existence" was now bleeding profusely, extremely weak.
Ethan: "Can't even last three minutes, what a weakling."
[....
You try bleeding from your main artery for three minutes?!
Tom gritted his teeth.
He now felt that the blood sacrifice ritual back then was successful.
It successfully summoned Ethan Vincent, this demon!!
However, recently, a connection suddenly came from afar.
Like a straw inserted.
Tom seized the opportunity and fiercely sucked in life force!
Then he fed back a tiny bit of magic to control that unknown idiot.
He was recuperating.
As soon as he opened Slytherin's true Chamber of Secrets, he would kill this brat and seize his treasures!
After finishing the great serpent painting, he would hold a funeral for Little Tom—no, a grand art exhibition!
To complete his promotion!
Ethan thought.
Little Tom.
From your "birth" to your death, you'll all become my nourishment.
Ethan curled his lips and blew the snake flute:
[You go back.]
Hiss hiss.....
Feeling the cold, slippery sensation of his subordinate slithering away.
Ethan took off his blindfold.
He looked up at the magnificent painting spread across the canvas.
Like a giant mountain covered in flowing asphalt, the triangular snake head leaped onto the paper.
Even though only the rough shape was outlined, it already exuded a blasphemous malice.
Plus the extra meals Ethan provided for the Basilisk.
Bones and flesh were scattered messily on the ground.
Making this Chamber of Secrets look like some extraordinary evil experiment was being conducted.
In the Basilisk's head, the eye sockets were empty.
Only one last step remained.
And it was the most difficult and crucial step.
The dotting of the eyes.
Ethan swirled the bright, daylight-like pigment "Luminos" in the glass bottle.
Inside, he had already made a plan.
Time to go fishing for a big one.
Not just painting.
He hoped that the Labrador fish's Patronus Charm would bring him a higher level of power!
Enough to perfectly crush Little Tom and maximize his gains.
Don't be afraid, Hogwarts will not close.
Because before that, everything would "end."
Ethan slowly curved his lips.
A joyful light shone in his cobalt blue eyes.
Christmas holiday.
North Sea, Hull Port Market.
Late December, cold winds swirled, and white snowflakes piled up on the road, making it slippery.
Most fishing boats were docked in the harbor, entering a period of rest.
Few went out to sea for work anymore.
Ethan, holding Luna's hand, walked curiously through the market.
He looked at the rows of hung dried fish, and the various seafood spread on plastic sheets or kept in tanks.
He occasionally let out exclamations like a human boy.
Tom Riddle once said: Stupid! Why bring a burden? Isn't it faster to catch fish yourself?
To that.
Ethan's answer was: I have family, don't you?
Oh, excuse me.
I forgot you're unloved by your father and mother, without a single relative or friend.
You're so suppressed you've developed multiple personalities.
Tom: ....
Little Tom never said another word after that.
Luna's father, Mr. Lovegood, followed behind them.
He showed a relieved yet awkward smile.
His gaze was fixed on their clasped hands.
Even though it was pure friendship... why did it feel so twisted inside?
Ethan was good in every way.
Except for that one extra bit.
The only thing that reassured him was Ethan stating they were just there to fish.
Finally, some positive activity.
Recalling the hellish Christmas last year, Lovegood shed tears of sorrow.
"This way."
Ethan led Luna, turning through several winding paths.
The Muggles around them grew fewer and fewer.
Until, they turned a corner.
A narrow alley appeared.
Hearing movement, several gloomy gazes shot at them.
They stared without concealment.
Then, they exchanged glances, grinned, and slowly surrounded them.
Lovegood: ???
What happened to "just fishing"?!
Did Ethan and Dark Wizards attract each other?!
Ethan seemed not to notice the ill-intentioned gazes.
He looked at the vendor's sign.
He walked to the first stall on the left, which had a dead fish head over a meter long hanging from it.
He looked up and said in a friendly and polite manner:
"Hello, are you 'Butcher Jack'? I have some bait I'd like you to help me process."
As his words fell.
From within the stall.
A shadow slowly rose.
Ethan's gaze followed it upwards until the shadow completely enveloped him.
What appeared before him.
Was a "Giant" who looked comparable to Hagrid.
But unlike the naive Hagrid.
This "Giant" exuded a strong aura of malevolence.
Blood was caked on his apron, and the stench of fish and rust assaulted them.
The "Giant" held a cleaver with a handle thicker than Ethan's forearm in one hand.
He looked down at Ethan and scoffed:
"I don't take orders smaller than you, little sprout."
"Go back and drink your milk."
Beside them, Mr. Lovegood trembled with fear.
He clutched Ethan and Luna tightly with both hands.
As if he would Apparate away the next second.
"It's okay, Dad."
Luna whispered, looked up, and smiled at the "Giant":
"We happen to have bait that meets your requirements."
"Right, Ethan?"
The Giant was stunned.
He saw no fear on the faces of the two little kids.
Instead, they exchanged a knowing glance and giggled.
As if his butcher stall, which could stop children from crying at night, was perfectly normal.
Distorting normal perception.
The next second.
"Bang!"
A heavy object like a small mountain landed on his chopping block!
In an instant, there was a crack, and the chopping block broke in half.
Streaks of fresh blood seeped from the wrapped cloth.
Staining the stall.
Jack stared, dumbfounded, at the mountain-like behemoth!
The market fell silent.
The Dark Wizards who had gathered earlier suddenly stopped in their tracks.
Behind the cloth-wrapped Giant object.
Came the boy's unchanged, light voice:
"You see, does it meet your requirements?"
From behind the blood-stained cloth, a delicate and handsome head emerged.
With his cobalt blue eyes, he stared unblinkingly at the stunned stall owner.
On his pale little face, a painted, humanoid smile slowly spread.
Jack: ?!!
Help, help! There are Dark Wizards—!!