Chapter 184: Biological Alchemy
In the early morning, Ethan woke up in the big bed at home, the air filled with the scent of heather, with Penelope and Nagini on either side.
At this moment, their faces held a satisfied smile, but they showed no sign of waking up.
Ethan didn't disturb them.
After taking Magic Blood, the two girls' physical quality improved greatly, especially Nagini; her stamina was now quite strong.
If it weren't for Ethan's bloodline sublimation and physical quality enhancement BUFF, last night would have been difficult to end.
Carefully moving the arms and legs draped over him, Ethan went to the clothes rack, where there were brand new clothes.
After changing clothes and washing up, Ethan finally left the room, gently closing the door behind him.
Cassandra, sitting on the sofa, heard sounds from the stairs and turned her head, quite displeased, glanced at Ethan, then turned back to read the magic book in her hand.
Cassandra was already used to it now, but she just hated why she still had a few years until she became an adult.
In terms of height, she had already met the standard, and her 'front armor' now had some undulation, but her age was still too young.
Ethan naturally saw Cassandra's resentment.
He immediately took her to the dining room, and Hatch, with keen eyesight, brought over breakfast.
Ethan personally fed Cassandra breakfast, which took nearly an hour, including some mouth-to-mouth feeding, before Cassandra was appeased.
At this moment, Ethan felt he was too much of a scumbag, but there was nothing he could do; since he had come to this world, he couldn't let down good girls!
After breakfast, Ethan and Cassandra read magic books together for a while before Ethan left home.
The VoldyBats had been transported back a few days ago, and two more were caught later, so now there were a total of seven.
They were originally supposed to be sent to Hogwarts, but Ethan thought he was about to go on holiday, so he didn't let them do that.
Now Ethan was going to retrieve the VoldyBats and conduct an experiment to see if his conjecture could succeed.
If it could succeed, his makeshift team would have a strong core.
Unlike now, apart from himself and Tom, there weren't many strong fighters.
The Slytherin Organization was similar; the members responsible for poaching outside had some strength, but in reality, they couldn't even compare to Aurors, and only Montgomery Abbott, the former deputy leader who was later subdued by Tom, had the strength of an elite Auror; overall, it was still a bit too weak.
Relying entirely on himself and Tom to maintain appearances, this was completely unacceptable!
It was a bit unpresentable, and compared to Lord Voldemort's team in Azkaban, it was still quite far off.
Using Apparition, he directly arrived at Dennis's stronghold in Knockturn Alley, where Dennis was already waiting.
"Boss, the VoldyBats are ready; I'll bring them up to you now."
The moment Dennis spotted Ethan, he already greeted him, a humble smile on his face.
Dennis was now very grateful for his choice back then; if he had hesitated even a little due to Ethan's age, his grave might be overgrown by now.
How could he be like this, managing the European market because he joined early?
Life was truly quite comfortable, with money and power; even Jim, the current leader of the Slytherin Organization, who was the first to surrender, now had to be polite to him.
"Hmm!"
Ethan was satisfied with Dennis's attitude.
When this guy knelt and surrendered, kissing his shoes, Ethan knew he didn't have much ability, but he knew how to be pragmatic, so Ethan kept him, feeling he had some use.
Now he was doing well, just a bit lacking in strength.
Soon, under Dennis's arrangement, seven suitcases were brought up; after being caught, they were all confined separately.
Ethan directly put them away and then left the stronghold.
Ethan, dressed in a VoldyBat robe, was quite conspicuous walking on the streets of Knockturn Alley; surrounding Wizards frequently cast glances of awe, admiration, and fear.
Ethan didn't care about these and went directly to the Witch Heart Society's stronghold here, a detached villa, which, of course, also had various magic spells set up inside, making the space quite large.
It used to be the lair of a group of Dark Wizards who specialized in illegal activities in Knockturn Alley; after Tom exterminated them, this place was designated as their base.
"Tom, well done!"
Before Ethan arrived, someone had already returned to the base to inform Tom after seeing Ethan.
During this time, the Witch Heart Society was steadily expanding, and its members numbered around fifty.
"This is all part of my duty."
Tom forced a smile; he was ultimately not Lord Voldemort, but a special existence where a fragment of a soul gained life.
Although he once had ambition and his own pride, as a diary that had been silent for decades, now he had gained life and a body.
He cherished everything he had now immensely and didn't want to return to that kind of life again.
Even obeying Ethan's commands had become a habit over this period.
If his strength were greater than Ethan's, he naturally wouldn't be like this; he would have retaliated long ago, then taken Ethan as his dog, rather than being Ethan's dog.
But now there was nothing he could do; he couldn't win, and his life was still in Ethan's hands, so if he wasn't obedient, what else could he do?
Seeing this, Ethan said no more, patted Tom's shoulder, and went directly to the laboratory within the stronghold.
Tom also frequently conducted magic research now, so such a place naturally existed.
Taking out a box that Dennis and others had just given him, he directly opened it; inside was a transparent cage identical to the one Ethan had seen used to confine the VoldyBat on his own body.
He directly opened the cage door, and an Spirit Expulsion Curse was cast directly, making the VoldyBat immediately obedient, floating onto a nearby workbench.
Seeing this scene, the VoldyBat worn by Ethan couldn't help but tremble; it knew exactly what would happen next.
Fortunately, it followed its boss early, otherwise, it would not have escaped such a fate.
He took out a goblin, harvested its life, and turned its soul into a blade.
Ethan took a deep breath before preparing to act.
He was even more cautious and careful than when he had operated on the Dementor, as obtaining VoldyBats was truly not easy.
As the VoldyBat left on the workbench grew smaller and smaller, Ethan's movements became increasingly gentle.
A fine layer of sweat appeared on his forehead, a result of intense concentration.
"It's already been half an hour?"
Looking at the shattered blade in his hand, Ethan realized how much time had passed.
When operating on a Boggart, Ethan had never taken more than ten minutes.
After sacrificing another goblin, Ethan took the blue blade and continued the unfinished task.
Fortunately, this time, before the blade broke, Ethan succeeded.
On the table were only two thin black, cloth-like objects, still permeated with some black aura.
Just like with the Boggart and the Dementor, Ethan still paid homage to the goblin's spirit, replenishing its life force to prevent it from dissipating.
Then Ethan began to draw an Alchemy array on the ground, a type of life Alchemy.
There were quite a few creatures in this area; for example, the textbook Hagrid assigned this semester, "The Monster Book of Monsters," used a relatively simple form of life Alchemy.
The most famous were the Sphinx in Egypt and the Manticore in Greece; these were specially created using Alchemy to guard treasures.
What Ethan was currently drawing was the latter Alchemy array.
Ethan had found information on this aspect from Nicolas Flamel back then.
Over an hour later, and after expending a significant amount of materials, Ethan finally completed the enormous Alchemy array.
It was a huge circular array, with three smaller circles nested in the center, along with thirty-three inverted triangles.
Ethan had pulled the Werewolf Wizard's spiritual bodies out of Nibelungen; the ones he still retained were the elites brought out by Fenrir Greyback.
He directly used the Spirit Expulsion Curse to strip their souls.
As for their bodies, they were left inside the Alchemyarray.
Ethan then placed the brains of the Boggart, Dementor, and VoldyBat, along with the stripped souls, in their respective positions.
Finally, he took out twenty Goblin spiritual bodies and placed them outside the Alchemy array.
When ancient Wizards created these Animals, they used various human tissues and Animals' body tissues to ensure their vitality through biological Alchemy, supplementing them with large amounts of flesh to replenish their life force, with Dragon flesh being the best.
However, what Ethan needed to do now was spiritual biological Alchemy, and for replenishing life force, he would use these Goblin spiritual bodies.
Whether it would work or not, he would only know after experimentation.
As Ethan activated the Alchemy array, it first lit up with a silvery-white glow, which then transformed into a color interwoven with black and white.
During this process, Ethan continuously sacrificed these Goblin spiritual bodies to replenish the life force of the creatures that were about to be born within.
Approximately twenty minutes later, Ethan had already sacrificed fifteen Goblin spiritual bodies.
Only then did the light in the Alchemy array begin to fade, revealing a creature in the center, about two meters tall, wearing a grey-black robe, looking seven parts similar to the Werewolf Wizard from before, just exceptionally thin.
It was indeed a success; Ethan still had control over it, which seemed to be the effect of the Helheim spiritual body inside, allowing him to control them without using the Spirit Expulsion Curse.
However, Ethan had no idea what specific abilities of the Dementor, VoldyBat, and Boggart it retained.
But judging by its current Magic reaction, it was higher than both the VoldyBat and the Dementor, and it was still in a spiritual body state, lacking flesh and blood. Whether it still possessed the spell-casting abilities from its former spiritual body state was something Ethan wasn't very clear on; everything would have to be known after experimentation.
However, since it was successful, there wasn't a better way to handle it.
Ethan decided to deal with the six VoldyBats he had all at once.
With previous experience, the process was now much faster.
With six more activations of the Alchemy array, six more similar creatures appeared next to the first completed one.
All were about two meters tall, wearing black-grey robes, equally thin, with only their faces differing in appearance due to the different spiritual bodies used.
After tidying up the scene, Ethan took the seven Alchemycreatures out of the laboratory and brought them before Tom.
"These are my latest biological Alchemy creations. For a while, you'll take them and experiment with their abilities to see if there's any potential to be unearthed."
Ethan had high expectations for them; both Dementors and VoldyBats were creatures that ordinary Wizards couldn't deal with, so biological Alchemy composed of them should theoretically not be bad.
[Thanks to boss 15902 for the monthly ticket, thank you boss!].
Chapter 185: Lucius's Information
There were three days left until Christmas.
Early in the morning, Ethan still climbed out of Penelopeand Nagini's embrace. After washing up, he went to the dining room to have breakfast with Cassandra.
But Hatch handed Ethan's wizard mailbox to him; the flickering light on the cover indicated that someone was sending him a message.
During the holiday, Ethan had placed the wizard mailboxdirectly in the living room and informed Hatch to notify him if anyone sent him a message.
Of course, Hatch was not authorized to view the messages; the only thing he could do was notify him.
Ethan took it without rushing to open it; after all, it couldn't be anything urgent.
If it were Hermione and them, and they had something urgent to say, they would have just used a Portkey to come over, not bothering with the wizard mailbox at all.
And messages from other people basically never felt urgent to Ethan.
Hogwarts classmates would at most just chat, and little Tom and his group would only report some matters; what was there to be urgent about?
After Ethan finished breakfast, Hatch brewed a cup of coffee, and only then did Ethan sit on the sofa and open the wizard mailbox.
As expected, the first thing that caught his eye was a message from Terry.
The message was sent yesterday evening around ten o'clock, but at that time, Ethan was still happily exercising with Penelope and Nagini.
Even if Hatch saw a message in the wizard mailbox, he wouldn't dare to disturb him, which is why it was delayed until now.
But this wasn't too big of a deal.
Because Terry had earned a lot of Galleons from Ethan, at least more than the pocket money of pure-blood young Wizards from average families.
This also led him to buy many small items in Hogsmeadeto take home; some were for his own consumption and enjoyment, and others, like Ethan's original choice, were for Christmas gifts to other classmates.
But yesterday, their family had a small gathering, and his uncle's seven-year-old son somehow found the Wizardsnacks Terry had hidden in his room.
Among them were Chocolate Frogs, various candies, and Pepper Imps, which led his cousin to put on a nose-breathing fire performance in front of everyone.
At the time, Terry could only bite the bullet and say that these were Magic props he had specially found. Later, his uncle's family and a few relatives didn't question it much, but Terry was still very nervous.
He knew that he couldn't casually reveal Wizarding World matters to Muggles; parents could be considered an exception, but even parents were not allowed to disclose these things to outsiders. Terry's explanation for going to Hogwarts was that he was going to school out of town.
Although he hadn't revealed anything about the Wizarding World or performed magic in front of them, these types of snacks were pretty much like magic.
As a Ravenclaw student, even if he was a bit gossipy normally, he still loved reading books and was quite familiar with the rules and regulations of the magic world, especially regarding Muggles and Wizards.
This time, feeling like he had gotten into trouble, he sent several messages overnight, very worried that Ministry of Magic officials would come knocking on his door.
Ethan immediately replied to him, saying that as long as he insisted it was a magic prop bought from outside, it would be fine, and there was no need to explain anything more.
As long as no magic was used, the Ministry of Magiccouldn't detect it, and the matter would just pass.
As soon as Ethan sent the message, Terry replied, judging by the time, he probably hadn't slept all night.
After comforting him a few more times, Ethan moved on.
This was really no big deal; as long as he insisted it was a Magic prop, what could others do even if they were suspicious?
Next was a message from little Tom, sent this morning.
Last night, a pure-blood family that tried to meddle in Knockturn Alley was taken down, and the Alchemycreatures Ethan created performed quite well.
Although the Witch Heart Society had fought a few pure-blood families to gain a foothold in Knockturn Alley, some pure-blood Wizards would still try small maneuvers from time to time afterward.
If they couldn't do it openly, they would resort to small tricks.
According to the hidden rules among pure-blood Wizards, losing would only result in paying a ransom, similar to the mode of ancient noble wars.
But little Tom, or Lord Voldemort, was not such a person; he was very petty.
If you offended him, you offended him. He would kill you, and all your property would be his.
Regardless of whether the entire family was involved or it was an individual act, little Tom directly marked the entire family.
Yesterday, little Tom took several of Ethan's Alchemycreatures to conduct a raid, directly uprooting this medium-sized Wizard family.
This was already the fourth Wizard family uprooted by little Tom. He didn't know why they didn't learn their lesson, clearly knowing that no ransom was accepted here, yet still reaching out one by one.
One can only say that brainless people are everywhere.
Following that was a series of reports on the abilities of these Alchemy creatures.
They could cast spells wandlessly, use Legilimency, were immune to most spells, and could absorb others' happiness and souls, bringing despair, and even grow stronger in the process.
Tom also gave his evaluation afterward: if one didn't understand their abilities, even an entire squad of Aurors wouldn't be able to take them down.
He also gave them codenames, from January to July, for ease of reference.
Although they were Alchemy creatures and didn't like to speak, they weren't unable to speak and understood how to think. (The Sphinx, for example, could speak human language.)
Little Tom was currently trying to teach them how to use magic, but it had only just begun, and he hadn't yet concluded whether they possessed learning ability.
Upon seeing this, Ethan understood most of it, meaning that besides the Boggart's shapeshifting ability, they had inherited some of the other abilities to varying degrees.
The ability to draw strength by absorbing others' happiness and souls was also a good potential.
It was just a pity that the quantity was too small.
Finally, there was Draco's message, also sent this morning.
Ethan had also added his contact information; usually, if there was something, Ethan would send him a message.
This was the first time he had actively sent a message.
Upon closer inspection, it wasn't Draco who had something to say to him, but his father, Lucius.
A few days ago, the Malfoy family received an invitation to an auction.
A magic book was recently discovered in Greece, a book handwritten by Hezper the Vile himself.
Not only that, but this book was also one of Hezper the Vile's Horcruxes, and like Lord Voldemort's diary, it was a Horcrux that had accidentally developed sentience.
After stirring up quite a commotion in the Balkan Peninsula, it was now obtained by a black market manager there. He had no great use for such an item, and coupled with an already scheduled Christmas auction, he simply added this Horcrux to it.
Moreover, Hezper the Vile's Horcrux was certainly qualified to be a featured item.
Invitations were sent to major Dark organizations across Europe, or to families with substantial wealth and an interest in the Dark Arts.
After Lucius received the invitation, he personally had no interest and no intention of attending.
However, thinking of Ethan, who might be interested in such a Horcrux, and after careful consideration, he finally came to inquire.
Ethan had confronted Lord Voldemort's Horcrux directly and destroyed it, a fact known to those who understood some of the inside story.
Having destroyed Lord Voldemort's Horcrux, Lord Voldemort would certainly not let it go, and the two would clash sooner or later.
To deal with Lord Voldemort, one must first destroy his Horcruxes, and Hezper the Vile was the inventor of the Horcrux magic. His writings and the Horcrux that had developed a mind would certainly be useful in this regard.
Lord Voldemort's resurrection was still unknown, so this was a perfect opportunity to curry favor with Ethan and invest in his side in advance.
If Hezper the Vile's Horcrux was an ordinary one without intelligence, Ethan naturally wouldn't be interested, but now it was different.
This was an ancestral figure among Dark Wizards; both Horcruxes and Basilisks were his creations, and he was also a Parseltongue, famous a thousand years earlier than the four founders of Hogwarts, a genuine figure from before the Common Era.
He immediately replied that he wanted to participate.
As for Hezper the Vile's current state, Ethan also had some guesses.
The Horcrux still being intact indicated that the main soul was likely still present, though its state might not be good.
For such a famous Dark Wizard, it was impossible for him not to cause trouble.
As long as he was alive and capable, he would definitely create some commotion.
However, looking back at the history of the Wizarding World for so many years, there was no news of Hezper the Vile causing trouble, not even a single legend about him in later eras.
Then there was only one possibility: he encountered a genius of an era who sealed him away, and this sealing lasted until now.
Throughout the history of the Wizarding World, every few decades or every hundred years, one or several powerful individuals would emerge, monsters whose strength was simply on a different dimension from ordinary Wizards.
And Hezper the Vile probably fell into the hands of such a person, leading to his disappearance.
Therefore, Ethan wasn't worried about any negative consequences from taking Hezper the Vile's Horcrux.
Even if he broke free, it wouldn't matter; a figure from over two thousand years ago, with only a remnant soul left after so many years, probably hadn't made much progress. Whether he could successfully resurrect, and if his strength after resurrection could defeat Dumbledore, were both still up in the air.
Not long after Ethan sent the message, a reply came back.
It arranged a meeting on Christmas Day, and also invited Ethan to be a guest at Malfoy Manor, and then to take Ethan to attend the auction together.
Ethan naturally agreed to this; the auction was held in the evening, so Ethan could perfectly go to Malfoy Manor in the afternoon.
However, Ethan still had one problem: if the Malfoyfamily could receive an invitation, there was no reason why the Slytherin organization couldn't.
The Witch Heart Society had been established too recently and only operated in Great Britain, so it was normal for Greece not to know about it, but Slytherin was an international organization and was quite active in Greece.
Dennis was currently managing affairs in Europe, so Ethan sent him an inquiry.
The result Ethan received left him speechless: Dennisthought such an item had little value and might even attract Hezper the Vile, so he had someone refuse the invitation at the time.
Just a few days ago, he was saying Dennis was reliable, and this was the result?
Didn't he think to ask?
Ethan immediately decided to deduct a year's salary and half a year's bonus from him, to teach him a good lesson.
[Thanks to boss Xiaopang 001 for the monthly ticket, thank you boss!].
Chapter 186: Visiting the Malfoy Family
On Christmas Day, Ethan still spent it at his home in London; Penelope and Cassandra had both returned yesterday.
After waking up in the morning and feeling an empty space beside him, Ethan still felt a bit unaccustomed.
When he arrived in the living room, his parents were already seated on the sofa.
After greeting them and having breakfast, Ethan Adrien's attention turned to the gifts beside him.
With a wave of magic, the gifts floated into the air, automatically arranging themselves by size.
This year, there were over thirty more gifts than last year, but thankfully, they hadn't exceeded three hundred.
Ethan Adrien was worried that if the number of gifts increased by over a hundred each year, by the seventh year, there would be over a thousand gifts, and it might take a whole day just to unwrap them.
This year's gifts were no different from previous years, mostly similar items.
However, receiving so much candy every year was a headache for Ethan Adrien; he couldn't finish it all himself, and he didn't dare to eat it at all.
Who knew if any potions had been added to it.
Throwing it away wasn't really an option either.
This meant that every Christmas, after returning to Hogwarts, Ethan Adrien could only distribute the candy to other young Wizards.
After having lunch with his parents, Ethan Adrienprepared to leave.
First, he needed to go to Knockturn Alley to meet with Tom, who was bringing seven of Ethan Adrien's Alchemycreatures with him.
After the last battle, these Alchemy creatures had earned a nickname: Wraiths.
This was based on their appearance: they always wore grey-black robes, could float through the air, were gaunt, and exuded an aura of deathly stillness, truly resembling ghosts at night.
This also led many people to assume they were Dementor relatives upon first sight.
"How are they coming along with their magic lessons?"
Upon arriving at the stronghold, Ethan Adrien asked Tomcuriously.
Currently, they only knew the magic they possessed in life. He had heard a few days ago that Tom was going to teach them new spells, and he wondered how it was progressing.
"Although they're a bit slow, they can learn. By this morning, the last one had learned Avada Kedavra."
Tom glanced at the Wraiths behind him, feeling quite satisfied with them.
They might be slow learners, but they could study twenty-four hours a day without sleeping, so their progress would eventually catch up.
Now that they all knew Avada Kedavra, it significantly boosted their strength.
For those who already knew Avada Kedavra, Tom taught them other spells, such as Imperio and Crucio. The Three Unforgivable Curses were Tom's top choices for teaching.
"That's good. The time is about right now; come with me to Malfoy Manor."
"Yes!"
Tom naturally dared not refuse.
Ethan Adrien opened a corner of Nibelungen and directly kicked the seven Wraiths inside.
Then, he placed his hand on Tom's shoulder.
Tom would then Apparate them to Malfoy Manor.
Malfoy Manor is located in Wiltshire, England. This location is no secret in the Wizarding World; pure-blood families generally know its exact whereabouts.
However, Ethan Adrien knew the location but had never been there; Apparition couldn't reach it directly.
But when Tom was still a Horcrux, he spent decades at Malfoy Manor, so he had some knowledge of the place and could Apparate there directly.
Ethan Adrien only learned this after inquiring last night.
As for bringing the Wraiths, Ethan Adrien intended for them to serve as a display. Everyone else brings bodyguards or subordinates when they go out, and Ethan Adrien having nothing would be embarrassing.
Besides, who said that you had to spend money to acquire items at a black market auction?
At that time, double-crossing incidents would certainly not be uncommon, and Ethan Adrien was not incapable of getting involved.
However, with a twist of space, Ethan Adrien realized that Tom had brought him to the study.
Alright! This was indeed Malfoy Manor.
He opened Nibelungen, released the seven Wraiths, and then opened the study door to go find Lucius.
Originally, in their previous communication via wizard mailbox, they were supposed to be greeted at the entrance, but Tom directly brought Ethan Adrien to the study, so they naturally wouldn't encounter anyone.
Stepping outside, after just a few steps, Ethan Adrienencountered a middle-aged, somewhat bald Wizard.
The moment the man saw Ethan Adrien, he drew his wand, but his movements were still no match for Tom. A red light easily disarmed his wand.
If Ethan Adrien hadn't been a guest at that moment, the light Tom cast would have been green.
"I am Ethan Adrien, invited by Mr. Malfoy as a guest. Apparition brought me directly into the Manor. Take me to him."
Looking at the middle-aged man who had fallen to the ground from the Expelliarmus, Ethan Adrien slowly said.
This should be a servant-like character.
"Yes, please follow me!"
The middle-aged Wizard grimaced as he stood up and led the way.
He knew Ethan Adrien was coming to visit today, and since he was utterly defenseless, there was no need to deceive himself.
He just wished the attack had been a little gentler; he almost threw out his back.
With the servant leading the way, Ethan Adrien observed Malfoy Manor, which was in no way inferior to the Worre Family's estate!
Compared to his own home in Gordric's Hollow, it was luxuriously beyond measure.
Along the way were meticulously designed garden paths, with various flowers blooming under the influence of magic.
In the center was a fountain, and the gushing water shimmered golden in the sunlight.
On the garden lawn, a flock of white peacocks frolicked.
Hearing footsteps from behind, Lucius turned his head in confusion. Who would come looking for him at this hour? Didn't they understand proper etiquette?
The words he was about to curse out suddenly caught in his throat.
Why was Ethan Adrien coming from inside his house, and the young man beside him was... was...
Thinking of this, Lucius's legs began to tremble.
Others might not know, but how could he not?
Although he had never met him, his own father, Abraxas Malfoy, and Lord Voldemort were classmates, and Lord Voldemort was a few years his senior. When they graduated, Lord Voldemort had already begun to make a name for himself.
They even had a photo together, which was now in the house, and he had seen it many times; he could never forget that face.
Lord Voldemort had resurrected?
And turned back into his younger self?
And even allied with Ethan Adrien?
As for the seven strangely-dressed Wizards following behind, Lucius completely ignored them.
But according to the information he had received, these two should be enemies.
Moreover, after Lord Voldemort resurrected, why didn't he summon the Death Eaters? Instead, he was with Ethan Adrien, which was clearly not right.
Narcissa Malfoy, who was beside him, also noticed Lucius's abnormality.
0 for fresh flowers
She immediately turned her head, then, like Lucius, trembled with fear, having recognized Tom's appearance.
She knew some of the things her husband had done, which amounted to abandoning his Death Eater identity and betraying Lord Voldemort.
Even if he could be forgiven, punishment would be unavoidable, and Lord Voldemort's punishments were not easy to endure.
As Ethan Adrien approached, he also noticed the couple's unusual state; they were both trembling with fright, cold sweat dripping down their faces.
Ethan Adrien naturally knew the reason for this.
Tom had also been recognized by a few people in Knockturn Alley, but what of it?
Did they dare report it to the Ministry of Magic?
More than a decade ago, the Ministry of Magic was so suppressed by Lord Voldemort that it couldn't lift its head. Anyone who could recognize Tom had experienced that period.
Now, everyone knew what the Ministry of Magic was like under Fudge's leadership, and Dumbledore was growing increasingly old. Faced with a resurrected Lord Voldemort, and a younger version at that...
Did they dare to speak out?
Unless they wanted to die.
If they truly didn't care about their lives, or had such a strong sense of justice, they wouldn't be lurking in Knockturn Alley.
This also meant that even though Tom had been exposed for so long, those who recognized him could only bury the secret in their hearts, only daring to advise their family members not to provoke him, and not daring to say another word.
They were terrified that Lord Voldemort would find out and seek revenge.
This led to Lucius having no information about Tomwhatsoever, only knowing that the Witch Heart Society's general manager was a young Wizard with strong abilities.
Now, suddenly seeing that face, it would be strange if he wasn't afraid.
"Mr. Malfoy, long time no see!"
Ethan Adrien took the initiative to greet him, as Luciuswas probably too flustered to say anything.
"Long time no see, and this is?"
Lucius could only pretend not to recognize him, as he truly didn't recognize this version of Lord Voldemort.
However, seeing Lord Voldemort acting like a subordinate, he couldn't figure out the relationship between the two.
"You can just call him Tom. If there's anything else, let's talk inside!"
"Yes, yes, please follow me."
Lucius was all smiles, completely flustered at this point.
Lucius also knew the name Tom; wasn't that Lord Voldemort's birth name?
His father had told him that Lord Voldemort was known as Tom Riddle when he was at Hogwarts.
Now, with his appearance and name matching, there was absolutely no mistake.
Draco, who was following his parents, looked at them with confusion, wondering what was wrong with them. They seemed even more afraid of Ethan Adrien than he was.
Upon arriving at the banquet hall, Ethan Adrien finally understood why Lord Voldemort chose Malfoy Manor as the Death Eater headquarters.
He hadn't noticed it when coming from another path earlier, but now he knew.
While the area was large enough, the decorations were truly magnificent.
Everywhere were luxurious wooden furnishings, and the decorations, like those in the Ministry of Magic, were all golden, whether plated or pure gold, simply exuding opulence.
Upon arriving in the banquet hall, Lucius directly sent his son away. Originally, if only Ethan Adrien had come, Draco being present wouldn't have been an issue, or perhaps even more appropriate.
But now that there was a suspected Lord Voldemortpresent, Lucius didn't want Draco to get involved.
Chapter 187: The Unregulated Zone of the Wizarding World
"Mr. Malfoy, I'm sure you're very curious about his identity. In fact, he is also connected to you."
"Connected to me?"
Lucius was a little confused.
He was a Death Eater, so being connected to Lord Voldemort was natural.
But besides that, there shouldn't be any other connection.
Ethan Adrien was clearly not referring to his Death Eateridentity now.
So, apart from that, Lucius genuinely didn't know how else he was connected to Lord Voldemort.
"Let me speak!"
Tom had no fondness for Lucius. Although the main soul had entrusted him to Lucius's care,
If Lucius had given him even a small opportunity, he wouldn't have been dormant for so many years, and then met Ethan Adrien, this demon. He might have been reborn much earlier.
"Do you remember that diary?"
"I personally handed it to you, but you were exceptionally wary of it and eventually discarded it onto the Weasley's little whelp."
Tom's face broke into a brilliant smile as he looked at Lucius.
And the cold sweat that Lucius had just managed to stop, started to flow again.
He arrived at a guess: this was Lord Voldemort, but not quite the Lord Voldemort he knew.
"You are the Dark Lord's Horcrux, but now this is…"
Lucius scrutinized him from head to toe, his voice filled with disbelief.
The records of Horcruxes were in the family's collection of books, and he even knew exactly how to make them, but the Lord Voldemort in front of him, who looked like he was still a student, was definitely a person if he wasn't mistaken.
Conversely, those seven things, he didn't know if they were human.
But how could a Horcrux become human? If such a transformation were truly possible, could Lord Voldemortnot create more?
And was the remnant soul that resurrected Lord Voldemort truly Lord Voldemort?
Lucius's mind was in utter chaos now.
"I am no longer a Horcrux. Are you surprised?"
Tom stared at Lucius with ill intent.
"No, I don't mean that, I…"
Lucius truly didn't know what to say this time.
It seemed anything he said would be wrong.
"Alright, you don't need to make things difficult for him. Perhaps we'll have a chance to work together in the future."
Ethan didn't want Little Tom to go too far.
"Exactly, we'll have a chance to work together in the future."
With the opening Ethan provided, Lucius finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Even if it was just a Horcrux of Lord Voldemort, the pressure it exerted on him was still immense.
After all, even if it only possessed a third of Lord Voldemort's strength, it was not something he could contend with.
Moreover, he had no idea how much of Lord Voldemort's memories and magic the other party had inherited. If he possessed all of Lord Voldemort's memories, what difference would there be between him and Lord Voldemort?
Lucius, who only knew about Horcruxes theoretically but had never practiced, understood very little in this area.
As for Ethan, Lucius was becoming increasingly certain that this ship was both large and stable.
He had resurrected Lord Voldemort's Horcrux and taken him as a subordinate, despite being an enemy of Lord Voldemort's main soul.
What kind of ability was this?
Even if it was just a Horcrux, its personality was definitely Lord Voldemort's. One wouldn't take him in without some serious means.
Simply giving a Horcrux life, Lord Voldemort probably didn't even have that ability!
Lucius also knew how Ethan had acquired this Horcrux.
Dumbledore had said that Ethan had gone alone to pursue the controlled Weasley boy, and that was the only time.
However, the torn diary pages Dumbledore had given him were indeed real; he could confirm that much.
One could only say that Ethan's research on Horcruxes and even souls was more profound than he had imagined.
It was even possible that Ethan had created the Horcruxhimself.
The more he thought about it, the more Lucius felt that Ethan's side had more potential than Lord Voldemort's.
When the time was right, he would definitely join this ship. Saying there would be opportunities to work together in the future was not wrong.
Being a Death Eater seemed to have less and less future.
"What's the situation like in Greece? We'll be heading there tonight."
After seeing Lucius calm down a bit, Ethan continued to ask.
"The location is on Crete Island, which can be described as the most chaotic place in Europe. Many Dark Wizards from Asia and Europe gather there to engage in illegal activities. It's essentially a transit hub for three continents."
"When the Ministry of Magic of Greece was established, they also promised not to interfere with its management, which has led to a further deterioration of the situation on Crete Island. It has now become a paradise for criminals, with human trafficking, smuggling of contraband, propagation of cult ideologies, and street robberies and murders being commonplace."
"One could say that you won't find a good person on Crete Island. The situation is more than ten times worse than Knockturn Alley."
If Ethan hadn't wanted to go, Lucius certainly wouldn't have attended that ridiculous auction.
Firstly, Hezper the Vile's Horcrux held no appeal for him.
Secondly, any normal Wizard who understood the situation on Crete Island would not want to go near the place.
Lucius had originally planned to bring more people along for safety, as anything could happen there.
But now that he knew Tom's identity, why bother bringing anyone else?
"Do the Ministries of Magic of other countries not care about such a place?"
"There must be many Ministry of Magic fugitives there, right?"
Ethan was also a bit surprised, not expecting such a lawless zone in the Wizarding World.
Hogwarts' books didn't record any of this.
Ethan knew that Slytherin had been active in Greecebefore, but he hadn't checked the specific situation there.
After all, Ethan hadn't stayed at headquarters for long before leaving, and Little Tom had handled most of the follow-up. He hadn't asked if he knew the situation there.
But Ethan believed Tom should know, as Tom had absorbed the soul fragments from the diadem and gained those memories.
The diadem was found in the Albanian Forest. When Tomwas young and went there, it was impossible for him not to understand the surrounding Wizarding forces.
"Before, Crete Island was just a gathering place for Dark Wizards, but when the Ministries of Magic of various countries were established, the pure-blood families of Europe and West Asia deliberated and specifically left this place untouched. It was meant to be a last resort for those in the family who had committed mistakes."
Lucius didn't hide anything. There were records of this in the family, and the House of Malfoy was also involved.
When the Ministry of Magic was established, they knew that order was coming. Even if the Ministry of Magic was still controlled by pure-bloods, they still had to maintain appearances...
So, to protect family members who had committed Unforgivable Curses, they specifically left such a place for them to live.
But after so many years of development, the situation had long changed. Crete Island was now involved in the interests of countless people, and even if the Ministry of Magic wanted to regain control, it would be virtually impossible due to too much resistance.
Ethan understood. This was the result of the pure-blood families' indulgence. Then he asked again:
"What is the identity of the person who acquired Hezper the Vile's Horcrux?"
"He's the controller of the southern district of Crete Island, but I'm not very clear on the specifics. The House of Malfoy doesn't operate there."
...
Around nine in the evening, after the House of Malfoy's patriarch's banquet concluded.
Ethan, Lucius, Tom, and seven Ghouls went together to Knockturn Alley, found a merchant who could teleport, and traveled to Crete Island.
It was only then that Lucius discovered Ethan also had another identity, Death Eater, and under him was the Witch Heart Society organization.
Tom was the one who managed the Witch Heart Societyon Ethan's behalf.
Lucius knew about Death Eater, who was extremely proficient in the Three Unforgivable Curses, hailed as the next Dark Lord, and whose strength was absolutely beyond doubt.
There were rumors that the Werewolf community had been wiped out by Death Eater and his people, with not a single person escaping.
Compared to Lord Voldemort, Death Eater's methods were not as cruel, and he was active less often. He was too low-key and did not openly defy the Ministry of Magiclike Lord Voldemort.
This disappointed many Dark Wizards.
If Death Eater had been more high-profile, he could have definitely replaced Lord Voldemort's position in the hearts of Dark Wizards.
Now that he thought about it, it wasn't that he was too low-key or not cruel enough; it was simply that he had to attend Hogwarts and didn't have time to build his career, which gave others that impression.
Moreover, the timing matched up; every time Death Eaterappeared was during Hogwarts' holidays.
The impact he received today alone was greater than in the past few years combined. He just learned another piece of information, is this really okay?
"Can I join the Witch Heart Society?"
Walking on the beach of Crete Island, Lucius felt he couldn't wait any longer. He already knew Ethan's hidden identity and Tom's identity.
He also knew the methods of the Witch Heart Societyunder Little Tom's leadership: once provoked, they were just like Lord Voldemort, absolutely ruthless in their pursuit.
He didn't want to experience that day himself, so it was better to join early to avoid living in constant fear.
"You can!"
"I will now plant the Ghost Servant Mark of the Witch Heart Society on you. Its effect is similar to the Dark Mark, but it won't show on the outside."
Saying this, Ethan drew his wand and gave Lucius a Ghost Servant Mark.
Since he volunteered to join, why would Ethan refuse?
"You don't have any specific tasks to be assigned. Just maintain the status quo."
Currently, there was no need to use Lucius. After Lord Voldemort's resurrection, he might be somewhat useful.
Also, when it came time to contact pure-bloods and rise to power, he would be needed.
"Yes!"
Lucius nodded respectfully. With a different identity, his attitude also needed to change.
Chapter 188: I Don't Like Your Gaze
Southern district of Crete Island, the Wizard gathering place.
Ethan and his group had arrived and were now heading to Martin's Pub.
The auction house was underground, and the pub was the entrance. There were five entrances and exits in total, all pubs!
At this moment, Ethan had already put on his VoldyBatcloak, transforming into his Death Eater attire.
Tom and the seven Ghouls had also obscured their faces with dark mist, and Lucius wore the type of mask he wore when appearing as a Death Eater in the original story.
Such a sight was quite common here, usually involving outsiders like Ethan.
Only local Wizards would walk openly, without any disguise.
The surrounding buildings were no different from Diagon Alley, all uniquely styled houses, with many hawkers and shops along the way, though the environment was quite poor.
Conflicts and bloodshed occurred frequently along the way; Ethan witnessed two incidents on his journey.
Upon arriving at the entrance of Martin's Pub.
Unlike the noisy shops and taverns nearby, it was eerily silent inside, and the lighting was quite dim.
Most of the patrons were shrouded in wide black robes, their faces obscured by various means, quietly gathered together, drinking the liquid in their cups.
Another portion sat casually on chairs by the entrance, brazenly observing the pub's customers. They were all dressed as normal Wizards, without concealing their faces.
When Ethan and his group walked in, these people turned their heads in unison, like sharks smelling blood, scrutinizing the sudden arrivals with inexplicable gazes.
Ethan disliked such gazes very much, as if he were the prey and they were the hunters.
Immediately, after giving a slight smile to those who were brazenly staring at him, Ethan and his group sat at an empty small table, while the seven Ghouls stood behind them.
The auction was scheduled to start at eleven, with entry at ten, so there was still some time.
The pub owner, standing at the counter, naturally greeted them with a smile when customers arrived.
After exchanging greetings, Lucius tossed him three Galleons.
Before long, several cups of blood-red wine were brought over, priced at least five or six times more expensive than in Great Britain.
Ethan glanced at the wine, and the next moment, the three cups of blood-red wine on the table suddenly boiled and churned. In an instant, a blood-red mist enveloped the entire pub.
Exclamations and curses erupted around them, and the sound of chairs falling frequently echoed. Some people, reacting immediately, rushed towards the pub entrance.
Ethan remained seated, still able to distinguish five or six languages, along with some incomprehensible gibberish.
Suddenly, a gloomy green light burst forth from the pub entrance.
Accompanied by increasingly loud spells, various colored lights continuously flashed at the pub entrance.
Explosions and screams were incessant.
The customers in the pub had now quieted down, each holding their wand and hiding in corners, on alert. Not a single person dared to rush towards the entrance or approach where Ethan and the others had just been sitting.
Judging by the Avada Kedavra spells flying wildly at the pub entrance, anyone who dared to go near would surely die if even grazed.
And on Ethan's side, someone had just seen the red mist emanating from him. Who would believe that it had nothing to do with that group of people?
Most of the customers here had come from various places with invitations, and they had brought a considerable amount of Galleons.
Their first reaction was that they had encountered a robbery. They knew this place was chaotic, but they hadn't expected it to be this chaotic.
The auction hadn't even started, and someone was already trying to round up all the auction participants!
They were very eager for the tavern owner to step forward, after all, he was the official in charge of the auction.
But the bar owner hadn't said a word since the red mist appeared, as if he wasn't even there.
As the sounds of various colliding spells began to cease, the blood-red mist also started to dissipate.
Ethan also closed the Nibelungen at this time.
He had just acquired more than a dozen spirits, and their quality was quite good.
This blood-red mist was also a modified version of the "Misty Cloud" magic he had chosen in the final elective of the previous school year.
Normal Misty Cloud is a white mist that obscures vision, used to hide one's tracks.
But Ethan could use liquid to speed up this process and even change it directly to black; he had just used alcohol.
As the blood-red mist completely dissipated, the people in the bar, who had raised their wands in combat stances, finally saw the gruesome situation at the entrance.
Blood and severed limbs were scattered everywhere; there were hardly any complete corpses, and their wands and Alchemy items were all gone, as if they had been looted.
Only then did the owner crawl out from under the counter; after glancing at the scene, he didn't even look at Ethan, continuing to wipe the glass in his hand as if nothing had happened.
Outside the door, a group of people in black robes suddenly arrived; after assessing the situation, they said nothing more and immediately began to clean up the scene.
After a few breaths, the bloodstains and dismembered remains at the entrance were completely cleared, and the broken tables, chairs, benches, walls, and doors were also repaired; after finishing, they left without looking back.
Such incidents were common here; among the corpses on the ground just now were many familiar faces, all locals who made a living by targeting "fat sheep" from out of town, planning to act after the auction ended.
Now, they had clearly run into a brick wall, resulting in their complete annihilation.
But as long as it didn't affect the upcoming auction, they wouldn't intervene; after these scumbags died, it would free up a lot of resources.
However, they still had to inform the owner that there was a ruthless character among the guests this time.
Ethan glanced at this group of people and knew they were a professional clean-up crew.
Although the conflict had subsided, the guests who had come for the auction were clearly still not calm.
Some cautiously looked around, returned to their previous seats, and sat down again, but dared not drink any more alcohol.
Another portion adopted a defensive posture and left immediately, not intending to participate in the upcoming auction; whether they could truly leave, no one could guarantee.
At the same time, the atmosphere on site became even more oppressive.
Before, there had been quiet conversations, and the clinking of glasses and sounds of drinking, but now there was truly nothing; everyone sat silently in their seats, and besides looking at their companions, they looked at everyone else with extreme caution and vigilance.
Lucius looked at the empty glass in front of him, a chill running through his heart.
So this is what they meant by "less cruel than Lord Voldemort" and "sufficiently low-key," right?
Just because someone looked at him with ill intent a few times, he sent all of them to their deaths; his heart was even smaller than Lord Voldemort's.
The outside world's perception of Ethan as a Death Eatertruly only saw the surface.
And everything that had just happened, Lucius knew, must have been Ethan's doing with Imperio, after all, the Death Eater's debut battle was made famous by Imperio.
But he had been by Ethan's side the entire time and indeed hadn't detected any trace of Ethan casting a spell, except for the magic he performed on the drinks after sitting down.
It was as if, just like his nickname suggested, he could silently control others' minds.
On this point, Lucius could guarantee that even Lord Voldemort's understanding of Imperio probably couldn't surpass Ethan's.
Just thinking that this person was the same age as his son, Lucius had the urge to go home and hang Draco up for a beating.
The difference was greater than between a human and a dog.
Nothing else happened in the time that followed; none of the local people who had been brazenly eyeing guests like lambs to the slaughter came back.
They were all guests preparing to attend the auction, wearing wide black cloaks that concealed their faces.
The time came to ten o'clock at night.
A door on one side of the tavern opened precisely on time, and six individuals wearing the same Wizard robes as the clean-up crew stood at the entrance.
"Guests attending the auction, you may now enter!"
With that, they lined up, making way for the path in the middle.
As soon as they appeared, some people immediately stepped forward, ready to enter.
After presenting an invitation identical to the one Luciusheld to these black-robed individuals, the black-robed individuals merely made a simple 023 verification of its authenticity, without any identity checks, and simply nodded, letting them in.
Clearly, it didn't matter who the person was; as long as they had an invitation, they could enter, and there was no need to concern themselves with who was going in.
Ethan and his group also arrived in front of the black-robed individuals at this time.
Lucius handed over the invitation, and the two black-robed individuals in front looked at Ethan and his group for a few moments before nodding.
After Ethan and the others entered, a young Witchimmediately came up and made a gesture to invite them forward.
Following behind the Witch, Ethan and his group walked down the corridor and soon arrived at their destination.
This area consisted entirely of enclosed private rooms; she opened the door to a private room labeled 77 and gestured for Ethan and the others to enter.
After Ethan and the others entered, the Witch closed the door and explained the auction rules to them.
For bidding, there was a small golden bell nearby; pressing it would allow them to bid using the golden microphone next to it.
Each bid increase must not be less than one hundred Galleons.
Transactions were completed on the spot.
After a successful bid, someone would immediately bring up the auctioned item and collect the Galleons.
Finally, there were some warning notices and the like.
After speaking, the Witch turned and left, not lingering in the private room, and there were no service personnel here.
Ethan also began to examine the situation inside the private room.
The space was quite large; with Ethan, two others, and seven Specters, it still seemed quite spacious.
The back was a lounge area, complete with sofas, coffee tables, fruit platters, and a wine cabinet filled with red wine and champagne.
At the very front was a huge glass pane, directly facing the auction hall outside; the golden bell and microphone were there, and there were also three sofas for comfortable seating during the auction.
Walking to the glass wall, he saw many black-clad figures moving back and forth below; clearly, the auction was still being prepared.
[Thanks to the big shot "No one loves me, so I'll love myself" for the monthly pass, thank you big shot!].
Chapter 189: Auction Begins
"Good evening, distinguished guests!"
"Thank you very much for coming here today to participate in this auction; it is still I, your old friend Douglas, who will be hosting this auction."
Just as Ethan was leaning on the sofa, idly flipping through a magic book he had brought from home, the auction stage below finally showed some movement.
The black-clad figures coming and going disappeared, and on the already constructed red stage, a white man in his thirties, dressed in a proper tuxedo, stood smiling at the front auction podium.
In front of him was a black table, on which lay a golden gavel and a small hammer made of pure gold.
"Today's auction will definitely not disappoint everyone."
"First, allow me to introduce the first auction item!"
As the host's words fell, a lightly dressed Witch walked onto the stage, carrying a tray with both hands.
The tray was covered with a red cloth, making it impossible to see what was inside.
"The rocket, the latest product in Great Britain's Wizarding World's flying broomsticks, only a few people can obtain it through pre-order."
"As the latest high-speed flying broomstick, it features a streamlined design, a high-quality ash wood handle, diamond-polished, with a hand-engraved registration number; each carefully selected birch twig at the broom's tail is streamlined, giving the broom unparalleled balance and exquisite accuracy, capable of accelerating from a standstill to 150 miles per hour in ten seconds, and demonstrating magical braking efficacy."
While introducing it, the host lifted the red cloth, displaying this rather magnificent and impressive flying broomstick to everyone.
Ethan was quite familiar with the rocket; yesterday, Ethan had sent one to Cho Chang as a Christmas gift, costing five thousand Galleons.
He hadn't expected this item to be auctioned here; he wondered if there was a market for it.
Anyway, in Great Britain, as long as you had Galleons, you could pre-order it anytime, though it took a while; Ethan waited almost three months to get his hands on it.
"rocket, starting bid 5000 Galleons!"
After the host displayed the rocket in his hand, he signaled that the auction had officially begun.
"Five thousand five hundred Galleons!"
"Five thousand seven hundred Galleons!"
…
"Seven thousand one hundred Galleons!"
"Box 131 bids seven thousand one hundred Galleons, any higher?"
Dong! Dong! Dong!
"Congratulations to Box 131 for winning the first item."
With the third drop of the golden hammer, the first auction item was settled.
Ethan sat in the private room feeling somewhat incredulous; this money was too easy to earn!
An overbid of two thousand one hundred Galleons, just for a rocket.
Even when the rocket first came out, having someone purchase it on your behalf wouldn't have cost this much.
According to the Ministry of Magic's salary, taking Arthur Weasley, the head of the office, as an example, his two years of work plus bonuses wouldn't even amount to two thousand one hundred Galleons.
Next, some specialty products from various countries were sold, including flying carpets from West Asia, though Great Britain did not permit the use of such flying tools.
In terms of speed, flying carpets were certainly not as fast as flying broomsticks, but in terms of comfort, flying carpets definitely surpassed flying broomsticks.
As for popularity, flying broomsticks still had the upper hand, as many areas in the Wizarding World had Quidditch sports and Quidditch teams, and playing Quidditch required a flying broomstick.
Because of this, the widespread use of flying broomsticks far exceeded that of other flying tools.
More than ten auction items passed, and Ethan hadn't made a single bid.
Lucius and Tom also had no interest in these auction items.
"Next up is the Potion auction, and first to appear is Felix Felicis!"
As the host's words fell, a Witch walked onto the stage holding a red tray, on which was a transparent glass bottle filled with golden liquid.
Ethan immediately perked up; Ethan naturally knew the effect of Felix Felicis.
Known as a luck Potion, it would bring you good fortune; during its duration, you would find that whatever you did would succeed.
However, it was forbidden in many competitions and examinations.
Moreover, it could not be overdosed, otherwise, it would cause dizziness and make one reckless and arrogant during the Potion's effect.
Due to the overly complex and lengthy production process, Ethan hadn't made it even after getting the recipe.
Bruno had tried twice but failed both times, wasting a lot of Potion ingredients.
So far, Ethan had never taken Felix Felicis himself, nor had he obtained it.
Of course, with Ethan's current connections, he could buy it if he wanted to, after all, there were still a few PotionMasters in Great Britain who could brew Felix Felicis.
This Felix Felicis probably wouldn't be very useful for the system's rewards, but it might be helpful later for magicexperiments or other occasions.
Ethan immediately decided to acquire it.
"This bottle of Felix Felicis contains five ounces, starting bid ten thousand Galleons!"
The host raised the Felix Felicis in his hand, displayed it around, then put it down, signaling the official start of the auction.
"Thirteen thousand Galleons!"
"Eighteen thousand Galleons!"
This time, the price soared faster than ever before!
But Ethan, sitting in the private room, sneered; this amount of Felix Felicis was worth at least thirty thousand Galleons, and all these bids seemed so fierce, were they trying to get a bargain?
But it was unlikely to find a bargain here.
One ounce is 29.57 milliliters, and the best dosage for Felix Felicis is three milliliters; with five ounces of Felix Felicis, you should know how many times it can be taken, so how could the price be low?
"Thirty-five thousand Galleons!"
"Box 19 bids thirty-five thousand Galleons, any higher?!"
The host struck the golden hammer below, shouting loudly to the private rooms above.
Box No. 77 bids thirty-seven thousand Galleons!
Box No. 19 has thirty-nine thousand Galleons.
Box No. 77 bids again, forty thousand Galleons!
Ethan stopped here and wasn't going to add more. A premium of a few thousand was acceptable, but any more would be foolish.
The main reason was that he didn't want to find anyone, as the only person he knew who could make Felix Feliciswas Snape, but Snape definitely wouldn't make it, even if Ethan offered money. To persuade him, besides Dumbledore, it would probably only be Harry.
Finding other people to contact a Potion master either costs Galleons or incurs a favor, which is similar, but this was the maximum price.
Forty thousand Galleons for the second time!
Are there any higher bids?
Forty thousand Galleons for the third time!
Congratulations to the distinguished guest in Box No. 77 for successfully bidding on the Felix Felicis!
With the third hammer strike, the auction of the Felix Felicis concluded.
Soon, it was time for the next auction item, and the door to Ethan's box was knocked.
A ghost opened the door, and then five people entered.
The person in charge conducted the transaction, while the four behind protected the Felix Felicis, quite cautious.
Although Ethan could easily get it for free with Imperio at this moment.
But the main event hadn't arrived yet, so there was no need for that now.
Opening the dragonhide pouch, Ethan took out forty thousand Galleons and handed them to the Wizard in charge.
After he checked and confirmed that the Galleons were fine, he turned to his companions and nodded.
Upon receiving the signal from their companion, the four security guards behind opened the box and handed the Felix Felicis to Ethan.
Taking the golden-colored liquid, Ethan confirmed it was genuine, and the transaction was complete.
After putting away the Felix Felicis, Ethan's attention returned to the auction.
It was still the Potion section, and all the Potions up for auction were relatively rare, including Potions from other countries that Ethan had never heard of.
But in terms of effects, Ethan didn't see anything he liked, so he didn't make a move.
Several Potions went unsold.
Next were Alchemy products. Works by Alchemy masters from various countries could be seen here, and there were quite a few good items.
But for Ethan, these held no appeal. Given time and raw materials, Ethan could produce all the products here.
Ethan did bid twice on the subsequent Animals and some materials from them.
One bid was for ten Runespoor eggs. He didn't know when he might need them, and as long as the premium wasn't too severe, Ethan didn't mind acquiring them.
The second bid was for VoldyBat, two of them, auctioned together, captured in the Albanian Forest.
Seventeen thousand Galleons, which wasn't too expensive.
These things aren't very valuable; they're mostly for wealthy collectors, and even as collectibles, they're not very suitable. If not fed, they'll starve to death within a year.
But to feed them, one needs to know the Patronus Charm, otherwise, they are easily attacked.
Two of them being worth seventeen thousand Galleons was due to their rarity and their status as XXXXX Animals.
Slytherin didn't specifically hunt VoldyBat before. The one Ethan initially obtained was an accidental encounter; since he encountered it, he couldn't just let it go.
It was worth some money, and when it couldn't be sold, it ended up in Ethan's hands.
This time, Slytherin also provided them with some Animals, all sold at a fixed price, not auction price.
Not only Slytherin, but other poaching organizations also provided them, resulting in a large number of Animalsappearing this time.
But they held no appeal for Ethan.
If Hagrid were here, he would probably be excitedly pressing the golden little bell.