Chapter 115: Gordrics Hollow
After the Duelling Club that night, Hogwarts had been snowing heavily for several consecutive days, and there was no sign of stopping even today.
But it still couldn't stop the eager Little Wizardss within Hogwarts; the two-week holiday began today.
Ethan and the others also braved the heavy snow, taking a Thestral carriage to board the Hogwarts Express.
Cassandra, who had just put down her luggage and sat next to Ethan, suddenly said, "After we get off the train, you're coming with me!"
"Where?"
Ethan looked at Cassandra beside him in confusion; even if it was for the Merlin Order medal awarding ceremony, that was still three days away.
Was she inviting him to her house again?
Hermione and Cho Chang, sitting opposite, also perked up their ears, wanting to know what Cassandra was up to again.
"Didn't you say last time you wanted to buy a house in the Wizard World?"
"You still remember?"
Ethan was also a little surprised; he had just said it casually at the time.
Mainly, Lucius Malfoy had given him a large sum of money at that time, and Ethan also had two sources of income: the Baffling Brain Elixir from Hogwarts and the Bruno Potion Alchemy Shop in Knockturn Alley, which was completely enough for his daily expenses.
Animals products from the Forbidden Forest could also be exchanged for Galleons.
This led to Ethan's current funds being in a very awkward position; if you said it was little, his savings already exceeded eighty percent of Wizard families, and it was a height that some Wizard families could hardly even dream of in their entire lives.
If you said it was a lot, it wasn't really; those ancient pure-blood families could all financially crush Ethan, and he was still far from achieving his goal.
As a result, Ethan had the idea of buying a house at that time and had mentioned it to Cassandra and others in the Ravenclaw Chamber of Secrets.
Later, he thought that he wouldn't live there for long in a year, and Muggle houses weren't unlivable, so there was no need for it at all.
Then he gave up the idea and never mentioned it again.
He planned to wait until after graduation (830) and directly get a large manor in one go.
At that time, due to Lord Voldemort's reappearance, many pure-blood families would surely perish; Ethan wouldn't even have to spend a single Copper Knuts to get their millennium-old manors, which would be perfect.
He didn't expect that casual remark to be remembered by Cassandra, and she had even found a house.
"Of course I remember. The location is in Gordrics Hollow, also in Devon, not too far from my house."
When Cassandra heard that Ethan wanted to buy a house in the Wizard World, she immediately contacted her mother.
Although she didn't pay much attention to how many properties her family owned, Cassandra still remembered that her family had quite a few houses.
"Alright! I'll go with you later."
Although he didn't plan to buy a house for now, Cassandra had already prepared everything, so it was hard to refuse; it was nothing more than spending some Galleons.
It was just that Gordrics Hollow was in Devon, which Ethan really didn't know. (Gordrics Hollow's exact location wasn't specified, but both are in the southwest of England)
"Ethan, about the Duelling Club, how confident are you of winning?"
When Hermione said this, she specifically glanced at Cassandra; this was the most discussed topic at Hogwarts recently.
She felt that Gryffindor had no chance for the House Cup this year and didn't need to compete; it was still a show between Slytherin and Ravenclaw, with the other two houses just accompanying them.
Other students mostly thought the same.
But if Slytherin and Ravenclaw wanted to ultimately decide the winner, they would still have to rely on the Duelling Club.
Although Harry and Ron had barely lost any points this semester, and Hermione herself kept raising her hand to answer questions, Gryffindor's score was still in third place.
And the gap between them and the top two was huge, almost three hundred points.
The main reason was the Defense Against the Dark Arts Class and Potion Class; the Professors for these two classes were too peculiar.
One specifically added points for Ravenclaw, and the other specifically added points for Slytherin; Ethan alone had already gained over two hundred points in Defense Against the Dark Arts Class from October until now.
Snape also saw Lockhart constantly adding points for Ravenclaw, so he also started to rack up points.
It was incredibly simple for a Professor to show favoritism and rack up points; a simple question could earn points, which led to both houses' scores already exceeding six hundred, even higher than when the House Cup was usually awarded at the end of a normal school year.
This also made the Little Wizardss of the other two houses very angry, but there was nothing they could do to change it, so it eventually came to nothing.
Professor McGonagall not deducting points from Harryand Ron at the beginning of the school year was already the greatest extent of her favoritism; asking her to wildly add points for Gryffindor in Transfiguration Class was a bit difficult for her.
As for Professor Sprout, there's no need to mention her; she's an honest person and wouldn't do something as shameless as Snape and Lockhart.
"I feel like there's a good chance."
First year, Luna was quite excellent, and her chances of winning were quite high.
Second year, he would be on the field himself, so there's no need to say more about that.
Third year, after Cho Chang and the others drank the Potion of Increased Magic Power Ethan gave her, they should also have a chance of winning.
Fourth year, if nothing unexpected happened, Cedricwould win; among the remaining three houses, there was indeed no one in the same grade more outstanding than him. The Twin were good in all aspects, but they spent too much energy on research and weren't cheat-like players like Ethan who could balance everything.
Sixth year, Penelope's strength should be the strongest now, followed by Percy Weasley.
"When you encounter Cassandra then..."
...
Platform 9 3.
"Your ticket has been booked for you, it's with the driver. You know the license plate number, just go to the parking lot and get it from the driver, then have him take you to the airport. The flight departs at 8:30 PM. When you get to the airport, find a phone and communicate with your family."
Ethan was giving instructions to Penelope, who had just returned from maintaining her grades. He had originally planned to take her to the airport, but since he had to leave with Cassandra, he could only let her go by herself.
He had told his mother in advance using the Wizarddirectory to find someone to book a ticket for tonight's flight.
"Okay, I understand."
Penelope wasn't a delicate young girl who insisted on being sent off; she immediately pulled her suitcase and walked towards the parking lot.
After seeing Penelope off, there was nothing else to say; Hermione and the others all had their parents picking them up.
"Are you done?"
Belinda Worre walked over with Cassandra, sighing inwardly.
She could only tell herself that excellent men always attract women so much.
"Mm, we can leave now."
Ethan nodded somewhat awkwardly; he was already used to it in front of Cassandra, but in front of her mother, it was still quite embarrassing.
"Alright then, Cassandra said you learned Apparition?"
"Mm, I did!"
"How are you using it?"
"My proficiency is quite high."
"That's good. If you can Apparate, I don't need to take you. You can go directly to the manor later, and I'll take Cassandra."
The more people you take, the greater the burden, and the distance from London to Exeter is not short, over three hundred kilometers.
As for why Ethan learned this spell before he was old enough, she didn't want to ask too much; after all, her family wasn't from the Ministry of Magic's Department of Magical Transportation, so why bother with such broad matters.
This was also information she had learned when chatting with her daughter before; otherwise, she would have to drag Amos, who was still working overtime at the Ministry of Magic, over.
"I know the location, no problem."
Last time at the Weasley's The Burrow, Ethan had Apparated back to Surrey; the distance between the two was similar, and Ethan still remembered the location of Cassandra's house.
"Alright, then I'll take Cassandra over first."
After saying that, Belinda Worre took Cassandra's hand and disappeared from Ethan's sight in a distortion of space.
Ethan immediately followed suit and used Apparition, reappearing at the Worre Family manor.
Penelope was already in her sixth year and had turned seventeen.
After returning to Hogwarts for Christmas, she would be taking the Apparition test; with this magic, she wouldn't need planes or trains to travel.
"Young Master Adrian, please come this way!"
Worre Family's House-elf, Russell, appeared beside Ethan with a pop.
He was under orders from Belinda Worre to specifically guide Ethan.
Following behind Russell, Ethan arrived in front of a fireplace, clearly indicating they would be traveling via Floo Network.
"The location is Gordrics Hollow, number seventy-seven; don't mispronounce it later."
Belinda Worre knew the location and could travel directly, but Ethan didn't, so he still needed to use the fireplace.
"I've used Floo powder before, there won't be any problems."
"That's good!"
Saying this, Belinda Worre stepped into the fireplace first, threw in a handful of Floo powder, and vanished in a flash of green flames.
Ethan and Cassandra followed suit.
After the familiar squeezing sensation, Ethan arrived in what appeared to be a living room.
The space was quite large, and the first thing he saw were various Animals specimens, large and small, hanging on the walls, truly eye-catching: Dragon skulls, Winged Serpent, Sphinx, Mooncalf, fairies...
The floor was covered with fine carpets, and a bronze magic chandelier hung from the ceiling; all other necessary furniture was also present, and there wasn't a speck of dust anywhere, making it look quite good.
"This house was mortgaged to the Worre Family eleven years ago by a pure-blood, but he has been missing for many years.
According to the original mortgage agreement, this house now belongs to the Worre Family.
See if this one is suitable for you."
Belinda Worre stepped forward and introduced it to Ethan.
If he wasn't satisfied, they had many more houses like this, and they could always find a suitable one.
Some were built by the Worre Family themselves, some were seized, and many were acquired through mortgage or purchase.
This particular house was considered very good among them; the original pure-blood who mortgaged it hadn't moved anything, mortgaging everything at once.
He had intended to redeem it, but unfortunately, something unexpected happened, and he disappeared within a few years, most likely deceased.
[Thanks to the big shot 'Tiger Mercury Too' for the monthly ticket, thank you big shot!]
Chapter 116: This Soft Rice is Truly Fragrant
"Oh, and there's a House-elf here too!"
Saying this, Belinda Worre clapped her hands, and a House-elf quickly descended from the second floor to stand before the three of them, bowing so low his head nearly touched the floor.
Ethan couldn't clearly see his face, but the clothes he wore were decent, so he shouldn't be one of those abused House-elves.
"This is Hatch, originally the House-elf of this house's owner.
The moment he was mortgaged to the Worre Family, his ownership transferred to Amos and me.
Now he is yours."
The Worre Family's estate already had House-elves, and with their magic, they could keep the house in perfect order; one was enough, so they didn't need other House-elves at all.
As a result, Hatch had been living alone in this house for so many years, waiting for a new master to arrive.
"Hatch greets master!"
Hearing Belinda Worre's words, Hatch immediately turned and bowed to Ethan, his strange large eyes filled with tears.
House-elves had been bred with an extreme sense of obedience, taking pride in serving their masters, but Hatch knew he wasn't needed and could only guard this empty house, perhaps until the day he died, still a House-elf without a master.
Now, with a new master, it was equivalent to finding - the value of life.
"Get up, prepare dinner!"
Ethan quickly embraced his role as master, giving Hatchhis command.
It was almost dinner time, and they were probably supposed to dine at the Worre Family estate, but trying the House-elf's cooking now wasn't a bad idea.
The role of a House-elf was that of a servant; they not only had to be skilled in various household chores but also in kitchen skills, and they could even double as gardeners.
But did he just acquire a House-elf just like that?
Ethan remembered that they were a rare and valuable asset, with demand far exceeding supply; many pure-blood families didn't even own a House-elf, and many people wanted to buy one, but no family would ever sell them.
"Yes, master!"
Hatch responded and then disappeared in front of Ethan using Apparition.
"It seems you're quite accustomed to using House-elves."
Belinda Worre said to Ethan with a smile.
In the past, some naive Wizards believed that House-elves were not servants but partners and wanted to free them, which, of course, ended in failure.
"Isn't the purpose of House-elves' existence to serve Wizards?"
Ethan knew from history that House-elves were not always servants of Wizards; they were once an independent and powerful race, just like Goblins and Centaurs.
But when Wizards and House-elves waged war, the Wizarding race emerged victorious, and the surviving House-elves became spoils of war, eventually undergoing centuries of domestication to become what they are today.
As for Hermione's naive ideas, Ethan would never entertain them.
House-elves had good strength, and their magic abilities were innate; they could even cast spells wandlessly, which already made them stronger than many Wizards today.
Once they were freed from their servant status and awakened their own will, it would undoubtedly be a disaster for the Wizarding World.
Belinda Worre then took Ethan on a tour of the house, starting with the second floor.
This was the living area, with over thirty rooms of various sizes, a large library, and three independent studies.
Each door had a movable eyeball on it, which would automatically open and close the door.
It was like a Muggle world lock, only it was a magicversion; after giving a command inside the room, the door would lock, and Alohomora wouldn't be able to open it.
The books in the library were still there, but they weren't as extensive as the ones Ethan had seen at the Worre Family estate last time, and the area was much smaller.
Back on the first floor, there was the living room, a magictraining room, a Potion brewing room, an Alchemy room, a reception room, a kitchen, and a dining room.
The basement was used as a collection room, but there was nothing valuable left inside.
"Master, dinner is ready, there's steak, roasted chicken, sausages, mushroom soup, potatoes, bread... I hope it satisfies you."
Such high efficiency?
"Madam Belinda, shall we have dinner first?"
"Alright, let's see how his cooking compares to Russell's."
Belinda Worre naturally wouldn't refuse; the dinner prepared at home could just be given to Amos to eat by himself.
As for waste, Wizards never cared about such things; with magic, many resources were in surplus.
Ethan, Cassandra, and Belinda Worre went to the dining room together, where dinner had already been laid out.
House-elves were not allowed at the table and could only wait nearby; Ethan and the others, however, enjoyed their meal.
Hatch's cooking skills were probably learned from nearby France, which was a plus.
"Do you like this house?"
The three, full and content, sat in the living room resting, and Belinda Worre asked for Ethan's opinion.
"I think it's pretty good, I'll take it!"
Ethan didn't have much to pick from; compared to a Wizarding estate or the old Black residence, it certainly wasn't as good, but if compared to houses in various Wizarding communities, this was already quite excellent.
"Alright, I'll transfer the house to you in a couple of days!"
It was good that Ethan liked it, saving them the trouble of having to go see other houses again.
"How many Galleon does this cost?"
"What Galleon, it's a gift!"
"And the House-elf too."
Belinda Worre glanced at Ethan, then looked at Cassandra.
She only had one daughter, who would inherit the Worre Family's assets sooner or later, so was there any need to collect Galleon?
"A gift?"
Ethan looked at Belinda Worre, a little bewildered.
Even if house prices in the Wizarding World weren't high, a house with so many magic spells cast on it would definitely be expensive, not to mention the books inside that were still there.
It even included a House-elf.
Now it was being given away for free, wasn't he becoming a kept man of a rich woman?
But honestly, this soft rice was truly fragrant.
"The Worre Family doesn't lack houses.
Come on, I'll take you out to see, Gordrics Hollow is quite famous."
As soon as they stepped out of the courtyard, they noticed that the house behind them had changed dramatically, becoming an ordinary two-story building; this was also the effect of a protective magic spell.
"Gordrics Hollow is famous because it is the birthplace of Gryffindor's founder, Godric Gryffindor.
After the International Statute of Secrecy came into effect, Wizards began to live in Muggle villages, and Gordrics Hollow was one of them."
On the way, Belinda Worre walked and introduced the history of the place to Ethan.
"The Dumbledore family also lived here, and of course, the Potter family, who defeated You-Know-Who here."
0 Please give flowers 0
Before long, they arrived at the center of the village.
This was a small square with a monument resembling a war memorial, and nearby were several shops, a post office, a pub, and a small church.
As Ethan and the others approached, the monument also changed; it was no longer an obelisk covered in names, but instead transformed into statues of three people.
A messy-haired man wearing glasses, a long-haired, beautiful-faced woman, and a baby boy sitting in his mother's arms.
"You should be familiar with this baby; every year, many people come to visit this place, thanking their family for their contribution to the Wizarding World, and bowing deeply to this statue."
Belinda Worre then led Ethan to the back of the church, and through a narrow door, they arrived at a graveyard.
Belinda Worre did not offer an introduction here, as Ethan had already seen many pure-blood family names.
Ethan also saw the tombstones of Dumbledore's mother and sister, and the Potters.
"How does it feel?"
Leaving the graveyard, Belinda Worre asked Ethan.
"A very ordinary little country village."
Except for a few places where magic was cast, everything else was so normal, without any special features.
"Ordinary is right.
According to the International Statute of Secrecy, Wizards must be completely hidden, so they naturally cannot expose themselves in front of Muggles."
"However, no matter how careful they are, the Muggles living here will discover some peculiar places, so the Ministry of Magic dispatches Memory Charmers to be stationed here permanently, to clear the memories of those who glimpse a corner of the Wizarding World."
"You know, Memory Charm has some side effects, which also leads to the Muggles in Gordrics Hollow generally having poor memory."
Amos Worre was the Head of the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, and his subordinate department included the Memory Charm Headquarters, so she was naturally very knowledgeable about this area.
Ethan's mouth twitched involuntarily; wasn't this exploiting Muggles?
Neville often lost things and was slower than others in learning because he had been subjected to a Memory Charm when he was young; otherwise, he would definitely be a very excellent young Wizard.
They walked back to the starting point.
"Mom, I'm staying here today.
I'll go home when Ethan goes to receive his medal!"
"You... alright!"
Given the situation, Belinda Worre didn't want to interfere too much; too much interference might even have a counterproductive effect.
After Belinda Worre left, only two people remained, but Ethan couldn't do anything; she was only twelve!
Back inside, Ethan first sent a message to his parents via email, saying he would be back in a few days.
Then he went to the Potion brewing room and took out the purifying Potion that was still brewing, along with the cauldron.
It would take more than three months to succeed, and it needed to be stirred every so often, with repeated additions of dittany and fluxweed, which certainly wouldn't work at Hogwarts.
Later, he would also need to create portkeys; Ethan planned to seal the fireplace because as long as you used Floo powder and said the exact name, you could go anywhere connected to the Floo Network, and Ethan didn't want his house to become a sieve.
And the Fidelius Charm also had to be arranged, otherwise, the spell he drew would just gather dust!
[Thanks to the big shots blackwo and AmazonsNEO for the monthly tickets, thank you two big shots! Three]
Chapter 117: Arriving at the Ministry of Magic
After two consecutive days of making Portkeys,
on the third day, Ethan was informed by Amos, who had Apparated, that he needed to go to the Ministry of Magicfor his investiture ceremony.
Amos also handed him a silver badge, which was mandatory for outsiders entering the Ministry of Magic.
The Fidelius Charm had already been set up by Ethan. No one could reach the specific location unless the Secret-Keeper informed them.
However, Ethan had set himself as the Secret-Keeper and had informed the Worre Family couple on the night he set it up, stopping by for dinner with Cassandra.
The Secret-Keeper of the Fidelius Charm was crucial, and since he could set himself as the Secret-Keeper, he naturally chose himself.
Though there wasn't anything particularly valuable at Ethan's place to be coveted.
James Potter in the original story, for some reason, didn't set himself as the Secret-Keeper.
In that situation, as long as he was the Secret-Keeper and stayed inside the house, Lord Voldemort wouldn't have been able to find them.
Bill Weasley did well in this regard; he was the Secret-Keeper for his Shell Cottage, and nothing went wrong even after Lord Voldemort's resurrection.
"Remember, the location is Ministry of Magic, Room 008."
In front of the Worre Family's fireplace, Amos Worreinstructed Ethan.
There were several ways to get to the Ministry of Magic, but he usually used the Floo Network.
The Ministry of Magic's fireplaces could connect to any place linked to the Floo Network, but to reach the Ministry of Magic's fireplace, one had to use specially authorized fireplaces.
Ethan nodded in understanding.
He remembered Harry going to the Ministry of Magicusing a red Muggle phone booth, and he had to insert Muggle coins to make a call before he could go through the phone booth. Ethan had been prepared to experience that, but it turned out to be the fireplace instead.
Amidst green flames, Ethan stepped out of a gilded fireplace.
Ahead was Amos Worre, who had arrived a step before Ethan.
The two stood in the magnificent main hall, where the dark wooden floor was polished to a reflective sheen, and the peacock-blue ceiling was inlaid with glittering golden symbols that constantly moved and changed.
The walls on both sides were also inlaid with glossy, dark wooden panels, with rows of gilded fireplaces embedded within them.
On the left, where Ethan had just arrived, every few seconds, with a soft pop, a Wizard would step out.
On the right, several people were queuing in front of each fireplace, waiting to leave.
The Ministry of Magic's staff was truly numerous.
Was such a large staff needed for a miniature society?
"Follow me!"
After greeting acquaintances, Amos turned to Ethan and said, then led the way.
They soon arrived at the central area, where there was a fountain with a group of statues, either pure gold or gilded, standing in the middle of a circular pool.
The tallest one was a Wizard, holding his wand, pointing straight up at the sky.
Surrounding him were a beautiful Witch, a Centaur, a Goblin, and a House-elf.
The Centaur, Goblin, and House-elf all looked at the two Wizards with adoring eyes.
Seeing this, Ethan understood the Ministry of Magic's intention: to display the Wizards' wealth and status, even though the Goblins were the ones in charge of finance.
Walking through the crowd, Ministry of Magic staff members occasionally greeted Amos, while others looked at Ethan with curious and appraising eyes.
They naturally knew that Ethan was the main character today, here to receive the Merlin Order Second Class.
"Eric, I'm troubling you!"
Amos Worre led Ethan to a table with a "Security Check" sign, where a Wizard with a peacock-blue robe and an unshaven beard sat.
"Alright, Amos, leave it to me!"
Hearing the voice, Eric looked up and greeted Amos, then put down his copy of The Daily Prophet and picked up a slender but flexible golden rod, walking towards Ethan.
Fortunately, he had left the Winged Serpent and VoldyBat at home today, along with his Alchemy tools; otherwise, it would have been truly troublesome.
"No problem. Now I need to check your wand!"
After putting down the golden rod, Eric extended his right hand to Ethan.
Ethan handed his wand to him, and Eric placed it on a strange-looking brass machine that resembled a single-pan scale.
Once the wand was placed, the machine vibrated, and a narrow strip of parchment was spat out from an opening at the bottom.
"Fifteen inches, Thestral tail-hair core, yew wood, used for a year and a half, correct?"
Eric looked down at the parchment and said to Ethan.
A strange wand core; he had worked for over ten years and had never seen one like it.
"That's right!"
"Then it's fine, go ahead!"
After returning the wand to Ethan, Eric hung the parchment on a small brass peg.
Having passed the security check, Amos once again led Ethan back into the crowd, arriving at a side hall with at least twenty elevators.
Amos and Ethan went to an elevator with a golden nameplate; only Ethan and Amos were inside, while the other elevators were packed full.
As the elevator doors slowly opened, Amos led Ethan into the second basement of the Ministry of Magic. Unlike the lavishly decorated main hall, this area appeared more formal and solemn.
Suddenly, several light purple paper airplanes flew past Ethan, each stamped with the Ministry of Magic's seal.
"These are the paper notes used for communication within the Ministry of Magic. They'll be retired in two days."
Amos pointed to the paper airplanes and said to Ethan.
The first, and largest, procurement was by the Ministry of Magic. With the wizard mailbox, which allowed for timely communication, these slow-flying paper airplanes that even required an elevator ride were naturally phased out.
Just as paper airplanes had previously phased out owls as the internal communication tool for the Ministry of Magic, back then, when owls flew around the Ministry of Magic, it truly rained droppings.
At this moment, a broad-figured, square-jawed middle-aged Witch with short gray hair, wearing a monocle and a magenta robe with an exquisite silver 'W' emblem embroidered on her left chest, walked over.
"Mr. Adrian, welcome to the Ministry of Magic!"
The second basement of the Ministry of Magic was her domain.
"Madam Bones, hello!"
Ethan stepped forward to greet her, getting acquainted.
Amelia Bones, born into the Sacred Twenty-Eight Bonesfamily, was also a powerful figure in the Ministry of Magic.
She was Susan Bones's aunt, who was in the same year as Ethan in Hufflepuff, and one of the few Ministry of Magic officials who weren't prejudiced against Muggle-borns, as well as a staunch anti-Lord Voldemort faction member. Unfortunately, she didn't meet a good end after Lord Voldemort's return.
"My niece told me about you, a Ravenclaw genius, and you have a good relationship with Hufflepuff."
"When do you have time to visit the Bones family?"
Her niece had indeed told Amelia about Ethan; she wasn't just making it up.
"Amelia, I'm still here!"
Amos stepped forward to assert his presence.
Now, who in the entire Ministry of Magic didn't know that Ethan Adrien was the son-in-law he favored?
Although pure-blood families collectively controlled the Ministry of Magic, infighting behind the scenes was inevitable.
"Just kidding, but they're both young people, so they can certainly interact more."
A young Wizard whose future could already be seen—who wouldn't want to invest in him? Now Amelia Bonescould only blame her niece for not being more assertive.
But building a good relationship was also fine.
"Your wizard mailbox is very useful, especially for Aurors and Hit-Wizards. If you're interested in working at the Ministry of Magic after graduation, you can talk to me."
When Amos applied for the Merlin Order for Ethan, she also lent a hand.
Because the wizard mailbox was truly invaluable to her Auror Office; timely communication, whether for arrests or providing support, was incredibly convenient and could reduce their losses.
For this alone, he deserved the Merlin Order.
"Thank you for your recognition!"
"Alright, I won't disturb you two any longer."
After Amelia Bones left, Amos continued to lead Ethan further inside, introducing him to many Ministry of Magicofficials along the way.
These included various department heads, office directors, Wizengamot members, and recipients of the Merlin Order.
Throughout the journey, Ethan's face was almost frozen from smiling.
Soon after, Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic, also arrived, wearing a golden badge with a green ribbon on his chest, followed by a group of Wizards.
The most striking among them was the short, plump, ugly woman next to Fudge, wearing the same magenta robe as Amelia.
The addition of these two instantly lowered the prestige of both the Merlin Order and the Wizengamot.
Since he was to be awarded the Merlin Order Second Class, Ethan had naturally looked up information on it.
The Merlin Order was an organization founded by Merlinin the Middle Ages. He believed that Wizards and Muggles should coexist peacefully, and the Merlin Orderalso served the British monarchy.
However, after the International Confederation of Wizards implemented protective laws in the late fifteenth century, the Merlin Order's position became awkward.
Until now, it had lost its practical significance and was more like an honorary title for Wizards.
And the award of the Merlin Order required the approval of Wizengamot members.
But in the year Fudge became Minister for Magic, he directly awarded himself a First Class Merlin Order, claiming he had contributed to the magical society as Minister for Magic.
And Umbridge was even more impressive; purely by fawning, she rose from an intern to her current position as Head of the Department, and was also a member of the Wizengamot.
"Ethan, thank you very much for your outstanding contributions to the Wizarding World!"
The moment Fudge saw Ethan, he showed a very enthusiastic demeanor.
"Hello, Minister!"
Ethan once again put on a smile and shook hands with Fudge.
Then he pulled Ethan and began introducing him to the group of Wizards behind him:
"Ethan Adrien, the youngest recipient of the Merlin Order."
[Thanks to big boss Mo Xiaoshuangzi for the monthly ticket, thanks big boss!]
Chapter 118: Investiture Ceremony
After dealing with another group of Ministry of Magicmembers, Dumbledore also walked in with several Wizards wearing magenta robes and a 'W' emblem embroidered on their left chest.
As the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, Dumbledore's presence was mandatory today.
And Dumbledore immediately drew all eyes; Fudge was almost ignored.
Ethan, standing next to Fudge, could clearly see his expression change in an instant.
Although he quickly recovered, he probably hated Dumbledore to death in his heart.
And he smiled and stepped forward to greet Dumbledore.
As a politician, he had self-awareness; in terms of connections, prestige, and power, he was no match for Dumbledore in anything.
Dumbledore could even, if he wished, support another person to seize his Minister position.
He still had to bow his head when necessary.
Soon, several elderly Witches, the youngest probably over sixty, wearing Wizengamot robes or elaborate gowns, pushed Fudge aside and surrounded Dumbledore, just like Lockhart's fans.
He didn't expect Dumbledore, at one hundred and ten years old, to still have these fans. Although these fans were older, they were still like little fangirls compared to Dumbledore.
Fudge, who was pushed aside, also walked away with a chuckle, not daring to mind the disrespect of these elderly Witches towards him.
Most of these were pure-blood family grandmothers, revered within their families. If they united to cause trouble, he wouldn't fare well.
"Ethan, long time no see, how have you been recently?"
Lucius Malfoy, dressed in a magnificent ceremonial robe, greeted Ethan first upon entering.
As the head of a pure-blood family, he could attend even without holding a position in the Ministry of Magic.
"Not bad at all. Thank you very much, Mr. Malfoy, for your Erumpent horn!"
Originally, Ethan only intended to get some Erumpent horn powder, but Draco directly brought a whole horn. For such a generous patron, he naturally showed more enthusiasm.
Our family just happens to have these collections, it's nothing!"
Although he felt a pang of heartache, Lucius Malfoy still feigned an indifferent expression.
"Lucius, I was just about to introduce you two, but it seems there's no need."
Fudge, who had been constantly observing the scene, immediately went to shake Lucius's hand upon seeing him arrive.
Every pure-blood from a prominent family was someone he wanted to win over, even Lucius Malfoy, a pure-blood with a Death Eater identity.
After all, when the reckoning happened, it wasn't him who declared Lucius innocent because his crimes were committed under the Imperius Curse, but the previous Minister.
Moreover, his family was genuinely wealthy and truly supported his work with real money, so he was considered a major patron.
"My son Draco and Ethan had some minor disagreements at school, which have now been resolved, and that's how I got to know him," Lucius explained with a smile.
"It's good that it's sorted out. Oh, by the way, why didn't you bring your son to see the world?"
"That troublesome child, it's better not to bring him out to make a fool of himself."
As the two chatted, Lucius suddenly noticed a red-haired man who had just come from Dumbledore's side; it was Arthur Weasley.
The smile on his face immediately vanished, and his eyes fixed on him.
Arthur Weasley, sensing something, also turned his head and stared intently at Lucius, neither of them willing to look away first.
If they were in any other place, without so many prominent figures from the Great Britain Wizarding World around, the two would surely have come to blows.
Ethan felt that these two were somewhat like an adult Draco and Harry; they could spot each other in a crowd, immediately disliked each other upon meeting, and wished they could just start fighting.
Fudge noticed Lucius's unusual behavior, turned his head, and saw the familiar red hair, instantly knowing what was going on.
He didn't intervene, simply left on his own, leaving the situation to them.
They wouldn't actually fight anyway, so why bother with their grudges?
As more and more people arrived, the medal ceremony was about to begin, and the venue quieted down as everyone took their seats.
Several cameras were set up, and staff from well-known Wizarding World newspapers and magazines were present to record the moment.
Dumbledore walked onto the stage and cast a Sonoruson himself.
"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to this investiture ceremony."
"Over the past period, some Wizards have made contributions to the Wizarding World that are clear for all to see. They have protected our lives with courage and wisdom, bringing tremendous change to our world..."
Dumbledore looked at the script in his hand, which detailed the deeds of Ethan and the other two honorees.
"Now, Ethan Adrien, Ashbourne Cole, and Myriam Clara, please come to the investiture position."
Ethan left his seat and strode onto the stage.
Accompanying Ethan were a man in his forties with thinning black hair, and a beautiful blonde woman in her thirties.
Ethan only learned that he wasn't the only recipient that day when he went to tell the Worre Family a couple of days ago about the location of his cottage after casting the Fidelius Charm.
Ashbourne Cole, a clerk in the Ministry of Magic's Beast Office, resided in Upper Flagley, Yorkshire.
Half a month ago, while resting at home, he prevented three Werewolves from going on a rampage, saving multiple families. After a series of internal operations by the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Animals, he was ultimately awarded the Third Class Merlin Order.
Myriam Clara, a attending physician at St. Mungo's Hospital, two months ago rushed into a ward and stopped a patient who had fallen into a frenzy due to a mental breakdown, saving twenty to thirty patients on the same floor.
At the joint request of all St. Mungo's Hospital staff, she received the Third Class Merlin Order.
It was only decided a few days ago that the three of them would participate in this investiture ceremony together, as it's not easy to gather members of the Wizengamot.
After Ethan, Ashbourne Cole, and Myriam Clara ascended the stage, Dumbledore took a golden badge with a purple ribbon from a box on the stage and approached Ethan.
"On behalf of the Wizengamot and the Wizarding World, I award Ethan Adrien the Second Class Merlin Order."
With that, he helped Ethan fasten the Merlin Orderbadge.
Ethan also shook Dumbledore's hand.
Immediately after, he proceeded to pin the badge on the next honoree.
Only he or Fudge, as the Minister, could perform this task.
The Merlin Order badge is golden, and the ribbon varies by class: First Class has a green ribbon, Second Class has a purple ribbon, and Third Class has a white ribbon. (It was changed in the previous chapter; the grading is not based on the color of the medal, but on the different ribbons for different classes.)
First Class is the most difficult to obtain, requiring only significant contributions. Dumbledore received a First Class Order for imprisoning Grindelwald in Nurmengard.
Peter Pettigrew was awarded a First Class badge because he supposedly used his life to stop Sirius, the villain who betrayed the Savior's family—of course, this is what the Wizarding World believes.
Cornelius Fudge simply awarded it to himself to glorify his image.
Examples of Second Class recipients include Newt Scamander, who was awarded Second Class for his outstanding contributions to the protection of Animals.
Damocles Belby was also awarded a Second Class badge for inventing the Wolfsbane Potion, which improved the living conditions of Werewolves and contributed to the harmony and stability of the Wizarding World.
There are many Third Class recipients, such as Lockhart, who writes novels boasting about how many dark creatures he has subdued, and now Ashbourne Cole and Myriam Clara, who have dealt with dangerous individuals or saved Wizards. As long as there is a notable deed and some maneuvering, a Third Class Order can be obtained, which is not uncommon.
As the three wore their respective Merlin Order badges, the atmosphere in the venue reached its peak, and Wizards applauded and cheered without reservation.
Only when the applause and cheers completely subsided did Ethan and the others take turns to deliver a speech.
Ethan's speech was prepared when he was still at Hogwarts, covering his original intention for inventing the wizard mailbox, as well as some dreams and views on the Wizarding World—of course, these were embellished.
The other two were similar to Ethan, mostly talking about working harder, contributing more to the Wizarding World, and their dreams.
After their speeches, the three took a solo photo, which needed to be hung up.
Then they took a group photo, representing those honored in the same ceremony, followed by photos of the three with various important figures. After all this was done, the entire investiture ceremony concluded.
The whole process wasn't long; it had only been two or three hours since Ethan left home, but maintaining a smile throughout was truly exhausting.
"Ethan, you're free now. You can tour the Ministry of Magic or go straight home. I have a meeting shortly, so I won't accompany you."
Amos, who had brought Ethan to the Head of Department's office on the third basement floor, had long noticed Ethan's impatience.
"I'll just head back. There's nothing much to see at the Ministry of Magic."
If he could enter the Department of Mysteries, Ethan might have some interest.
"Alright then, go to where you arrived. The fireplaces on the right are all usable. Don't Apparate; it's not quite suitable here," Amos reminded him.
It was fine to break rules in private, but in public, especially at the Ministry of Magic, getting caught would be a slap in his face, and the consequences would be severe.
"Yes, I know!"
With that, Ethan bid farewell to Amos and took the elevator down to the eighth basement floor.
Just as he stepped out of the elevator, Ethan sensed a small creature crawling on him—it was a beetle.
In the Chamber of Secrets at Ravenclaw, Ethan had found an interesting spell.
The "Hyper-Perception Charm," whose effect was to enhance a Wizard's senses.
[Thanks to My King (Attendant) for the Request Ticket, thank you, great one!
Thanks to the great one, A Little Snow Chirp, for the monthly pass, thank you, great one!].
Chapter 119: Rita Skeeter's Fear
"Ethan, what are you doing?"
"I caught a very interesting beetle. It crawled onto my clothes while I was at the Ministry of Magic and hasn't gotten off since."
After declining Belinda Worre's lunch invitation, the first thing Ethan did upon returning to the cottage with Cassandra was to cover the beetle on his body with a glass cup, transfer it to the desktop, and cast a "Sticking Charm" on the glass cup.
If it were someone else, they might have been fooled, but Ethan knew that Rita Skeeter, the popular editor of The Daily Prophet, had an Animagus form of a beetle.
Her favorite thing to do was to transform into a beetle to snoop on other people's privacy and publish it in The Daily Prophet. Not only that, but she also loved to fabricate and distort people's words; in short, she was an unscrupulous reporter.
Even the book "The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore" was written by her, which shows how daring she was.
It was only natural for her to target Ethan, the youngest recipient of the Merlin Order badge. Digging up even a little bit of information and then re-editing it would be enough for her story to make tomorrow's headlines.
Furthermore, Animagi have a characteristic: some human features are reflected in their Animagus animal form.
For example, Peter Pettigrew's missing finger, Professor McGonagall's glasses, and this beetle also had a glasses-like pattern around its eyes.
"It followed you back from the Ministry of Magic?" Cassandra frowned.
It was snowing heavily outside; could there be beetles in this weather?
There shouldn't be any in the Ministry of Magic either!
At least her father had never mentioned bugs in the Ministry of Magic.
And what kind of bug wouldn't run away after experiencing a fireplace transfer and the recent Apparition?
"We'll deal with it later. Hatch, go prepare lunch."
With the Sticking Charm applied, the beetle couldn't escape, so Ethan wasn't in a hurry.
In Animagus form, there is no spell-casting ability; one can only choose to revert to human form or fight in animal form.
If she chose to revert to human form, Ethan wanted to see the showdown between the glass cup with the Sticking Charm and the Wizard's flesh and blood—who would burst first.
"Is this an illegal Animagus?"
Cassandra heard from Ethan's words that this beetle was unusual, and a little speculation led her to the conclusion.
The only things that could do this were Transfiguration and Animagus, and Transfiguration didn't need to be treated this way, making no sense, so it could only be an Animagus.
There was no beetle form among the registered Animagi, so this could only be illegal.
"Yes!" Ethan nodded in confirmation, then immersed his gaze in the panel.
The moment he received the Second Class Merlin Order, the achievement notification arrived.
It made sense; receiving the Merlin Order was the highest honor in the Great Britain Wizarding World.
[Honorary Inheritance]
A symbol of wisdom and courage, legend flows through the ages. Time passes, glory is inherited, continuing brilliance until eternity.
Achievement Goal: Obtain the Merlin Order (1/1)
Achievement Reward: Talent: Steadfast (Increases Physical Resistance, magic Resistance, Mental Resistance)
After such a long time, he finally gained another talent.
Upon receiving it, Ethan found it was growth-oriented: the better his physical condition, the higher the physical and magic resistance bonuses from this talent, while mental resistance was related to willpower.
Overall, it was quite good. Ethan had already received rewards for physical enhancement, and his Upper limithad also been raised. Now, with the "Steadfast" talent, his magic resistance would probably be comparable to Hagrid's.
Once the Magic Blood potion was successfully brewed, his magic resistance might even increase further, reaching the level of XXXXX-rated Animals, which would probably not be a dream.
Just after Ethan and the others left the room, the beetle began frantically slamming against the glass.
She now knew she had messed up; the young Wizard had discovered her long ago and had deliberately brought her back.
As for news, she had indeed dug some up: the youngest recipient of the Merlin Order badge disregarding Ministry of Magic rules by learning Apparition before reaching the required age—this would definitely make headlines.
And as for Ethan and Cassandra's story, she could write a week's worth of short essays to publish in the newspaper, and sales wouldn't be bad.
But now, whether she would even have a chance to get out was another matter. She had just heard Ethan Adriencast the Sticking Charm.
As long as he didn't remove the cup, she would die here.
Ethan didn't care what the beetle was thinking. He took Cassandra to the dining room to wait for Hatch to prepare lunch.
The two chatted about the investiture ceremony at the Ministry of Magic that day, and Cassandra burst out laughing when they talked about Lucius and Arthur Weasley.
Both of them were fathers, yet they were still so childish.
After finishing lunch and resting for a while, Ethan finally took Cassandra back to the room where the beetle was confined.
The beetle was now lying on its back on the desktop, motionless. Was it playing dead?
Even an ordinary beetle wouldn't die so quickly; the oxygen in this glass cup would definitely be enough for such a small creature.
Immediately, Ethan transformed the parchment on the table into an opaque black basin and used it to cover the glass cup.
In the dark and confined space, one couldn't even feel the passage of time, and fear would be infinitely magnified.
Ethan planned to use this to add some spice.
The moment darkness fell, Rita Skeeter regretted it.
She had originally planned to play dead to trick Ethan into opening the glass cup, then revert to her human form and cast a Memory Charm on him and the Worre Family girl, but she had messed up.
In this confined space, facing the darkness and silence, her heart was filled with endless despair.
Perhaps this young Wizard can not only use Apparitionbut also Legilimency.
...
The next day, after breakfast with Cassandra, Ethan returned to the room.
He lifted the black basin from the glass, and the beetle inside, which had been crawling, suddenly flew up the moment it saw the sunlight, but it violently crashed against the glass wall.
After the crashed beetle got up, it crashed into the wall again and again, until it could no longer get up at all.
She must have gone crazy playing with it!
Ethan was well aware of the importance of public opinion. Although Rita Skeeter was not yet the chief reporter of The Daily Prophet, she was among the most popular ones, so keeping her as a dog would still be useful.
Immediately, Ethan opened the glass.
Rita Skeeter flew into the air and transformed back into her original form, pointing her wand directly at Ethan.
In less than twenty-four hours, she had come to hate Ethan to the extreme. If there were no opportunity, then so be it, but if she could find a chance, she would never let this young Wizard go, even if he was tied to the Worre Family.
After torturing him, she would clean up with a Memory Charm, and who would know it was her doing?
But before Rita Skeeter could utter the spell, she felt a piercing pain, and her entire body collapsed to the ground, curling up. Her wand slipped from her grasp and rolled under the sofa.
She kept groaning in pain, wanting to beg for mercy, but she couldn't even move, and no sound other than painful groans could escape her mouth.
Crucio, this was definitely it, no mistake.
Rita Skeeter had also experienced the Wizarding War and had interviewed many victims of the Unforgivable Curses. The descriptions of victims who had been hit by Crucio were very similar to what she was experiencing now.
If it had been in the past, her first thought would have been to publish it in The Daily Prophet: 'The recipient of the Merlin Order, a second-year student at Hogwarts, publicly used an Unforgivable Curse on a Wizard—is this a distortion of human nature or a degradation of morality?'
But now, under the pain, she couldn't think at all, only wanting to beg for mercy, to ask Ethan to forgive her this time.
Ethan and Cassandra watched all of this with cold eyes. Cassandra didn't care at all what magic Ethan used.
The pain of Crucio is something almost no one can withstand; it's a double torment of mind and body, and it cannot be endured by sheer willpower.
Several minutes later, Rita Skeeter finally recovered a little. She huddled against the wall, leaning, her eyes filled with fear as she looked at Ethan.
A silent, wandless Crucio, suspected Legilimency—with this combination, Apparition wouldn't even work to escape. There was no chance at all, and her wand wasn't in her hand.
"Rita Skeeter, at your command."
This was the only chance she could think of to stay alive.
No one knew she was here, so even if she died, at most it would be an unsolved missing person case. And although Ethan was young, would someone who could use an Unforgivable Curse be afraid to kill?
"At least you have some brains, otherwise it would have been a meal for it!"
Ethan sat on the chair, smiling, pointing to the Winged Serpent that had flown in.
When it came to recycling corpses, Ethan was definitely a professional.
Rita Skeeter shivered violently twice. She did not want to experience the taste of having her brains sucked out while alive.
Immediately, she scrambled to Ethan's feet, intending to kiss his boots.
Ethan did not stop her. Anyway, this was not the first time this had happened, and the national conditions of Great Britain Wizarding World were just like this; Ethan had no choice.
"Look up!"
Hearing Ethan's voice, Rita Skeeter instinctively lifted her head.
Then she saw a wand pressed against her brain. What spell was this going to be?
Rita Skeeter wanted to dodge, but she didn't dare to make the slightest move. She could only close her eyes and wait for doom to descend.
Soon, Rita Skeeter felt a cold, eerie magic flow from her forehead into her body, intermingling and pulling with her own magic until it settled in her chest.
"A small magic, similar to Lord Voldemort's Dark Mark. Even if you turn into a beetle and escape to Africa, burrowing into cow dung, I can still find you."
After hearing this, Rita Skeeter was filled with despair. She had been prepared to agree to any of Ethan's conditions, intending to escape and then stay far away from Ethan forever, but now everything had become a bubble.
"Rita Skeeter, from now on, I will follow your instructions."
Rita Skeeter knew she would never escape in this life.
If she dared to defy him, he would definitely come for her, torture her with Crucio, and then feed her to a Winged Serpent. Perhaps even her family and friends wouldn't escape.
This was the second Lord Voldemort—no, even more evil than Lord Voldemort.
"It's simple. First, report extensively on my affairs to increase influence. Then, for the product sale the day after tomorrow, you'll go to the store for an exclusive interview. I'll contact you later if I need anything. Any questions?"
Rita Skeeter's role was limited to these things; one couldn't expect her to fight!
"Yes, absolutely. From now on, whatever your command, I will fulfill it."
Rita Skeeter immediately promised. Writing reports was her strong suit.
Although she would be controlled by someone from now on, at least her life was saved, and she wouldn't have to do things she couldn't do.
"Alright, then you can leave. I hope to see your report as soon as possible."
"I'll go prepare right away."
Rita Skeeter struggled to her feet, picked up her wand, and tottered out the door.
There were simply too many hot news topics here, but as long as she wanted to live, this was not a donkey she could expose.
[Thanks to Boss 18810 for the reward and monthly ticket, thank you, Boss!]
Chapter 120: Christmas Date
On Christmas Day.
Ethan woke up and came to the living room, where he still saw a mountain of gifts.
This was Ethan's home in Surrey. The Wizarding cottage in Gordrics Hollow had a Fidelius Charm on it, so the owls outside couldn't find it at all.
All the gifts could only be sent here, and the young Wizards at Hogwarts also knew this address.
Ethan had only returned about three nights ago.
The main reason was to buy Christmas gifts, such as various candies, books, and so on. For those with good relationships, he also needed to give them wizard mailbox covers and parchment inside. Ethan didn't need to make these himself anymore; Diagon Alley had already started selling them.
A total of five Potions of Increased magic Power were also sent out, one of which was added later and urgently rushed.
They were given to Cassandra, Hermione, Cho Chang, Penelope, and Fleur respectively. Ethan felt it was a bit insufficient, so on the day of pickup, he placed another order for five Potions to keep on hand, to see if there would be any targets to give them to next year.
On that day, just for shipping through the owl post office, over a hundred gifts cost more than thirty Galleons, and this was after a discount due to the large quantity. Among them, Fleur, Gabrielle, and the Nicolas's were the most expensive.
The post office had hidden international services. Where pure-blood families made money, they didn't need to care about any laws.
All the goods that needed to be transported internationally were gathered together on that day, then smuggled across using a Portkey, and then delivered by local owls. The speed was much faster, but the postage was quite high.
This year, Ethan was not in a hurry to unwrap the gifts. First, he had breakfast with his parents.
No matter how busy they were, they were always home on Christmas Day.
Only Philemon had a long face throughout, still thinking about his car.
Yesterday, when Nidia asked Ethan if he needed a few more, Philemon's eyes lost their luster. Fortunately, Ethan refused, otherwise, he might not have been able to eat breakfast today.
After breakfast, Ethan came to the living room and randomly unwrapped gifts.
Most of them were still candies and chocolates, with a small portion being books and Alchemy tools.
Among them, the most valuable gift was from Hagrid, the rich man: four Chimera fangs.
However, the number of gifts this year was even more than last year, estimated to be over two hundred.
Last year, he sent out dozens and received over a hundred.
This year, he sent out over a hundred. Ethan had records of those who sent him Christmas gifts last year, and he returned gifts this year, but what he received today was over two hundred.
What about next year?
Choosing gifts every year is not an easy task, and it keeps increasing year by year, right?
He really didn't know how Dumbledore spent Christmas. With so many fangirls, old friends, and students who remembered him, the number of gifts would probably fill the Principal's office.
By the time Ethan finished unwrapping and organizing the gifts, the morning had passed.
After lunch, Ethan went directly to the courtyard and took out the mclaren f1, which he had already modified, from its box.
Yesterday, Ethan had already contacted Penelope and the others via wizard mailbox, agreeing to go shopping in Diagon Alley together this Christmas afternoon.
The reason was that two days ago, when Cho Chang was shopping in Diagon Alley, she heard a shop assistant say there would be an event on Christmas Day, and it wasn't just their shop.
After learning this news, Cho Chang told Hermione and the others about it.
Yesterday, under the combined request of the main girls, Ethan had no choice but to agree to accompany them to Diagon Alley.
"It looks no different!"
When Ethan took out the mclaren f1, Philemon also came here.
The silver-white paint, sharp and unique headlight design, smooth and dynamic body lines, low-slung body, and wide wheels complemented each other perfectly. Everything was so perfect, but unfortunately, it was no longer his.
"Come inside and you'll see!"
Saying this, Ethan pulled open the car door.
Ethan hadn't made any changes to the exterior; he had merely used Alchemy to replace some materials inside the shell, carved some magic patterns and magic lines. The real changes were in the interior space, as well as various functions and power.
"I want to see what you've done to my car..."
Philemon, who had just entered and was about to sit in the car seat to observe, was speechless. It looked normal from the outside, but as soon as his body entered the car door, he found that the seat was still two meters away from him.
Although there were still three seats, with the driver's seat in the middle and passenger seats on either side.
But the space behind this two-meter-wide aisle was even larger than his own living room, and it had been transformed into a lounge area.
After looking around, Philemon backed out with only one thought.
Fortunately, the Wizarding World and the Muggle world were separate, otherwise, if Wizards joined the ocean freight industry, he would probably go bankrupt in minutes.
After greeting his dad, Ethan drove straight up into the sky and pressed the invisibility button.
The moment Ethan stepped on the accelerator, the mclaren f1 immediately let out a sonic boom.
Normally, the mclaren f1 accelerates to 100 kilometers per hour in 3.2 seconds, but after Ethan's modifications, with the burst of magic, it could break Mach 1 in as fast as 3.2 seconds, with a top speed of Mach 1.8, completely pulverizing this year's new Firebolt 2001. Next year's rocket won't even qualify to eat dust.
Compared to current high-end fighter jets, it's still a bit inferior, as they can already break Mach 3. The key is that the magic source isn't up to standard; if the Philosopher's Stone were installed, it would make fighter jets eat exhaust in minutes.
As for Arthur Weasley's modified car, it basically hadn't had many parts replaced, only some magic patterns and magic lines added. The car's hardware simply couldn't withstand Ethan's speed, and the output power was insufficient, reaching its limit at around a hundred kilometers per hour.
In just over ten minutes, Ethan drove from Surrey to Penelope's doorstep in Plymouth according to the address, parked it on the road, disguised it as a normal sports car, and then deactivated the invisibility mode.
He took out his Wizard communication book and sent a message to Penelope. A few minutes later, he saw her come out, pulling a suitcase.
After leaving with Ethan today, she didn't plan to return for the rest of the holiday, as there were only a few days left anyway.
Behind her followed a middle-aged, slightly plump woman, a half-grown boy, and a six or seven-year-old girl.
Ethan got out of the car directly and handed the small gifts he had prepared beforehand to the three of them.
Penelope's mother was quite enthusiastic and wanted to invite Ethan in for a sit-down, but Ethan was in a hurry and could only decline.
Her brother kept trying to run towards the car. Anyone interested in cars would know this newly released mclaren f1-XP4 this year.
Unfortunately, he was mercilessly suppressed by Penelope. Even if it hadn't been modified, it wasn't something her brother should be exposed to; given their family's situation, they wouldn't be able to afford it in this lifetime.
Penelope's sister, however, was giggling, amused by Ethan, calling him 'big brother' repeatedly.
After bidding farewell to her family, Penelope skillfully opened the car door and lifted her luggage inside.
Although she hadn't taken a ride in this car, she had been inside many times when Ethan was modifying it.
"The Potion you gave me is really effective; my magicpower has increased by a lot."
Penelope was quite excited after getting into the car. The increase in magic power meant an improvement in strength, and she would be able to achieve better results in the N.E.W.T.s exams next academic year.
"The raw materials for this Potion alone cost over a thousand Galleons. How are you going to repay me?"
"I'll give you my whole self. How about that for repayment?"
"That works!"
In their casual chat, they soon arrived at the Worre Family's manor.
Cassandra and Penelope weren't too far apart. Finally, they returned to London to pick up Cho Chang and Hermione.
However, Cho Chang's father still watched him like a thief, admonishing her to come home early that night. Her mother, on the other hand, didn't say much.
The group still entered through the Leaky Cauldron; there wasn't much business today, just a few drunks sitting in the corner loudly saying something.
Arriving in the backyard, they skillfully tapped the bricks on the wall. The moment they entered Diagon Alley, the foot traffic was indeed a bit heavier than usual today.
"Ethan, look, business is still so good even on Christmas."
Hermione pointed to a small shop nearby.
It was located right at the entrance from the Leaky Cauldron to Diagon Alley, an excellent location, and it was the shop Ethan cooperated with the Worre Familyon.
When Hermione came to buy Christmas gifts a few days ago, there was already a queue here. She didn't expect that it was already Christmas, and the gifts had all been given out, yet people still needed to queue to buy.
"Perhaps someone used it and found it very convenient, so they came back to buy more."
For Christmas gifts, you certainly couldn't expect to give out many parchments.
The cover sold for ten Galleons, and one sheet of parchment sold for two Galleons, which was not cheap.
Ethan's original pricing was half of that, but he was convinced by Amos. It was an exclusive business, and both the parchment and cover, if cared for, could last for several years. To make money, they had to sell at a high price, and they could only be bought from their own shop.
When Ethan gave gifts, he also gave one cover with ten sheets of parchment. Others probably did something similar, or perhaps even less, like five sheets or so.
When actually used, five sheets wouldn't be enough for communication with friends, let alone family, so they would definitely have to come out and buy more.
Ethan also saw Rita Skeeter interviewing nearby. These past few days, she had indeed listened to Ethan's words, bringing in a large wave of traffic.
"That's true!"
Hermione nodded in understanding. They didn't have this worry; when they were at Hogwarts, Ethan had already given each of them several copies.
Afterward, Ethan was pulled by them to stroll around Diagon Alley. Especially after entering Madam Primpernelle's Potion Shop, the girls were all very excited, constantly moving between bottles and jars.
Sure enough, women, regardless of age, couldn't resist these things. Then they went to the Tailor Shop des Beaux Arts, Quidditch Supplies, and other places.
"Ethan, I want that!"
Passing Florean Fortescues Ice Cream Parlour, Cassandra pulled Ethan.
Although she first saw Ethan in Flourish and Blotts, their first real meeting was here.
Ethan looked at Cassandra confusedly. Although the snow had stopped today, was she sure she wanted cold drinks in this weather?
Cassandra nodded affirmatively. Only then did Ethan walk over, and he had to queue to buy it.
[Thanks to big shot Chengnan Rishi and big shot Yizhi Xuejiujiu for their monthly tickets, thank you two big shots!]
Chapter 121: Norbert and Onyxia
The second day after the Christmas holiday, back at school.
Deep in the Forbidden Forest, by a diversion of the Black Lake.
As soon as Ethan arrived, he felt a fierce wind assailing him from above, and his entire body was covered by a shadow.
Ethan was not surprised by any of this. He looked up to see a gray Dragon diving down from the sky, in a standard hunting posture.
If it were any other Wizard, they would have already started reminiscing about their life.
About nine meters long, with a wingspan exceeding seventeen meters, this size was considered enormous among Dragons.
Boom!
The giant Dragon swooped down and landed, causing a huge roar and splashing large amounts of snowmelt.
"Norbert!"
Ethan hugged the Dragon's head, which was burrowing into his arms, and rubbed its Dragon horns a few times.
Although it was raised by Hagrid, it was much closer to Ethan than to Hagrid. When it was young, it always liked to bump into Ethan's arms every time they met.
After it grew up, Ethan didn't dare to take the impact directly. That would be deadly, even if Ethan's physical quality was much higher than ordinary people, he wouldn't dare to use his bare body to withstand a diving giant Dragon!
After a few training sessions, Norbert also learned to brake suddenly!
Dodging Norbert's slobbery big tongue, Ethan pulled out a handful of Energy Cubes from his pocket and stuffed them into Norbert's mouth.
Watching Norbert happily narrow its deep red eyes, its huge Dragon mouth constantly refused, and its tail wagged back and forth, Ethan immediately said to Norbert:
"Norbert, you're quite lonely here by yourself. I found a companion for you. What do you think?"
"Woo!"
"You agree?"
"Woo woo!"
"I know you agree, no need to get excited!"
Ethan patted Norbert's head. In reality, he understood nothing. Animal Affinity doesn't come with a translation function, and Parseltongue can only communicate with snakes.
"Alright, alright, don't get excited. I'll let her out to accompany you in a bit."
Ethan looked at Norbert's constantly shaking big head and said soothingly.
Anyway, no matter what response you make, I just won't understand.
Norbert was now a year old. Originally, due to various external factors when it was still an egg, Norbert was weaker than other Dragons from birth.
But with the Energy Cubes provided by Ethan and Hagrid's care, it had recovered.
Now it was developing quite well, its size was even more robust than a Ukrainian Ironbelly of the same age, and its fire-breathing and flying abilities developed earlier than normal.
At about nine months, Norbert was already able to fly quite skillfully.
After accompanying Norbert for a longer period, Hagridchose to let go and returned to live in his hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
Norbert had grown up and could fly. Staying in its old location increased the chance of being discovered. If it was caught in the act while Hagrid was with it, Hagridwouldn't be able to explain himself.
If Norbert was discovered alone, it could be said that it flew in from elsewhere, and then it would be fine. After all, there were many Animals migrating to the Forbidden Forest.
It also had the ability to hunt alone and no longer needed to be fed. In the wild, a Dragon of this size would have been driven out of the Dragon's nest long ago.
Cerberus, too, went out to work before it was even a year old, so Hagrid had no regrets. They were both in the Forbidden Forest, and they could meet anytime.
It was roughly after Halloween that Hagrid placed Norbert in the location he had chosen for it to live, which was where Ethan and Norbert were currently.
This was a diversion of the Black Lake, with no shortage of water, plenty of large fish and various aquatic Animals, and abundant animal resources. At the same time, being deep in the Forbidden Forest ensured its secrecy, making it an excellent habitat.
The Chimera that originally lived there, under Hagrid's friendly persuasion, chose to move, relocating deeper into the Forbidden Forest to reside, yielding this territory to Norbert.
When Ethan first heard Hagrid talk about it, he didn't think much of it, until a few days ago when he received Hagrid's Christmas gift.
Inside were four Chimera Fangs, and they were quite fresh, still stained with blood. At that moment, Ethan realized how Hagrid had persuaded it.
The Chimera, an XXXXX-rated Animal, with the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and the tail of a Dragon, was a very bloodthirsty and violent Animal.
In this Forbidden Forest, it was considered a local overlord; generally, no one dared to provoke it.
Its territory, according to Ethan's estimation, adding another Dragon shouldn't be a problem. The fish in the Black Lake, the Animals and beasts in the Forbidden Forest, resources were quite abundant; it certainly wouldn't starve.
Onyxia, Ethan originally planned to release her when she grew to ten meters, but now she was almost nine meters, already a large size among Dragons.
Ethan didn't visit the Room of Requirement as frequently now, so it was better to release her earlier.
Basilisk, Winged Serpent, VoldyBat, Nagini, these didn't require much space and could be kept by his side. But a Dragon couldn't. During this holiday, Onyxia, confined in the box, was almost developing a rage disorder.
So, after drawing a pint of Dragon blood yesterday, Ethan came to the Forbidden Forest today, taking advantage of having no classes in the morning.
Ethan was also expanding the Undetectable Extension Charm box, but its current area was still far from enough to keep a Dragon. By the time he graduated, the area inside would definitely be sufficient for a Dragon to live, and then he would take it with him.
By then, he would probably reach the level Newt was at when he was expelled from Hogwarts. He mostly focused his energy on Animals and the box, but Ethan couldn't.
"Onyxia, come out!"
Opening the box that had the Undetectable Extension Charm applied, Ethan shouted loudly inside, then stepped aside.
After about four or five seconds, a dark figure darted out, flew a circle in the air, and then landed to Ethan's left, its eyes fixed on Norbert.
And Norbert's deep red eyes were also fixed on Onyxia, its mouth wide open, in an attacking posture.
As the saying goes, one mountain cannot hold two tigers, unless one is male and one is female.
"Roar!"
Onyxia let out a dissatisfied howl at Ethan. Although he didn't understand the words, after spending so much time together, he could still distinguish her emotions.
"Woo!"
Norbert was not to be outdone; it also disliked this Dragon.
"Roar!"
"Woo!"
The two Dragons roared closer and closer, their heads almost touching.
If Ethan hadn't been there, the two Dragons probably would have fought.
As the saying goes, one mountain cannot hold two tigers, unless one is male and one is female.
But both these Dragons were female, so they would need to get used to each other to coexist peacefully. Ethan could only try to appease them, feeding one some Energy Cubes and rubbing the other's chin a couple of times.
The activity areas for Dragons in Dragon sanctuaries and farms were not as large as in the wild, and many were co-housed. They could still coexist peacefully; their wildness was not as strong as pure wild ones. At most, they would have a few more fights, and they would get used to each other.
The two Dragons were similar in both length and wingspan.
It was just that Onyxia was about half a year younger than Norbert; she hatched in June.
Their lengths were similar, but their horizontal builds were different. Norbert's belly and body looked somewhat round, which wasn't from being overweight, but because the Ukrainian Ironbelly species was like that. While large, their flying speed wasn't fast.
Onyxia, on the other hand, had an extra pair of forelegs, a more slender build, and her wings and tail were different from typical Dragons.
If they fought, Onyxia would have a certain advantage, with faster flying speed and an extra pair of forelegs suitable for close combat.
After feeding each Dragon a large handful of Energy Cubes again, Ethan specifically gave Onyxia some instructions before turning to leave.
Animals are like that; whatever they say, you don't understand. At most, you can grasp the meaning behind various actions and sounds, but Animals can understand what a Wizard says, especially those of XXXXX-rating or above.
0 for fresh flowers
Having just turned and walked only a few hundred meters, Ethan heard a roaring sound from behind him, as well as flames illuminating half the sky, with Onyxia's black flames and Norbert's orange flames.
After a brief thought, Ethan decided to ignore it. Living together, they were bound to fight, unless the two had grown up together, which would be different.
With Ethan's instructions, plus the fact that Dragons are inherently very strong in terms of stamina, recovery, and magic resistance, they could heal themselves from non-fatal injuries in a short time.
Arriving at Hagrid's hut, after stroking Fang's dog head, which was circling his feet, Ethan pushed the door open and went in.
Hagrid was by the fireplace, baking his large cakes, which were rock cakes.
He patrolled the Forbidden Forest every night, so in the mornings when he had no duties, Hagrid usually woke up quite late, and it was common for him to eat breakfast and lunch together.
Hearing the door open, Hagrid turned around and, seeing it was Ethan, immediately said with a smile:
"Ethan, how was your Christmas holiday? I saw your photo from the investiture ceremony, you looked quite good!"
"It was very good, and I really liked the gift you gave me."
Ethan sat directly on the sofa nearby and poured himself a cup of tea. He had been there so many times that there was no need for formalities.
"Your gift was also very good, very useful to me!"
Speaking of this, Hagrid was quite excited; he hadn't received such a good gift in a long time.
The last time was when he received Sirius's motorcycle. He wasn't good with flying brooms, so Sirius gave him the modified motorcycle, fulfilling his dream of flying. Although he now despised Sirius and even wanted to return the motorcycle to him, he was indeed very happy when he first received this gift.
Ethan gave him a powerful crossbow modified with Alchemy. Once a bolt was placed, it would automatically string itself, and it could fire ten bolts continuously, with even greater power.
Both the bolts and the quiver were enchanted; after being fired, they would automatically return.
Hagrid loved it after using it once.
"Rock cakes, fresh out of the oven, want to try some?"
Hagrid placed a large plate of rock cakes on the table and sat directly opposite Ethan.
"No, thank you. I just had breakfast at Hogwarts."
If eaten with soup, rock cakes were fine, but eating them dry first thing in the morning, Ethan estimated he couldn't handle it.
"Then I'll eat by myself, I haven't had breakfast yet."
Saying that, Hagrid picked up a rock cake and started eating. Their relationship didn't require any formalities.
After Hagrid finished breakfast, Ethan finally brought up the main topic.
"I know a Dragon that has nowhere to live. I'll put it in the Forbidden Forest, with Norbert."
Another Dragon?"
Hagrid's eyes widened at the words. Among all Animals, Dragons were his favorite. If he could, he would welcome turning the Forbidden Forest into a Dragon-rearing ground with open arms.
"If there are only two Dragons, they'll fight!"
Soon, Hagrid became worried again.
Except for a very few breeds and individuals, Dragons were all extremely hot-tempered creatures.
"I've already spoken with them both. They'll definitely fight, but it shouldn't be a big problem. With their recovery ability, a little dittany will heal them in a few days. Once they get used to each other, they won't fight anymore."
"Alright, then!"
"I need to go see them, lest they get into serious trouble!"
With that, Hagrid quickly got up, ready to run into the Forbidden Forest.
"Hagrid, that Dragon is called Onyxia, she's a mutated Hebridean Black Dragon, and her temper isn't very good. Just go check on them often, and if they fight, as long as it's not too serious, you don't need to interfere."
"I understand. I'll go see them now. A Hebridean Black Dragon, that's a rare creature."