"What did you say?! Hogwarts is really going to close?!" At Durmstrang, Arthur, the current president of the Round Table Council, shouted into the two-way mirror before him. His hands pressed against the table, unable to believe it: After a year abroad as an exchange student, there might truly be no school to return to! How is this possible?!
The Round Table Council member speaking through the mirror couldn't hide his terror: "Y-Yes! Not only that, but this time those attacked were six core club members... Mr Arthur, please stop! This is beyond our control!"
"BANG!" Arthur slammed the table hard, pacing angrily around his dormitory like a caged beast. How could this happen? Since the Round Table Council's founding, it had never suffered such devastating losses! Never been so humiliated! All the orders came from him. The current situation was like a vicious slap across his face! His leadership had failed!
Arthur even felt deep fear. Would the historically prestigious Round Table Council truly fall into his hands?
Two-way mirror: "By the way, Arthur..." "Call me 'Mr Arthur'." Arthur's tone suddenly turned cold. "Watch your address."
"Yes, Mr Arthur. What I wanted to say is, Ethan is actively leading all students in Defence Against the Dark Arts training. With Professor Gilderoy Lockhart's assistance... though strangely, I feel Professor Lockhart acts more like a cheerleader. I think our Round Table Council should also do something?"
"Do something? Ha." Arthur narrowed his eyes with a laugh. "Do we need to exhaust ourselves helping those fools? No, what we need to do is show those idiots our strength. That's enough."
The member behind the mirror fell silent for a moment, then asked, "Mr Arthur, do you remember our Round Table Council's original, most ancient motto?"
Arthur frowned: "Naturally, it's to gain greater power." He then waved dismissively, cutting the two-way mirror connection.
Thinking: "Ethan Vincent is merely a second-year student. Far from being my opponent! The only one who could match me... Would be that Secret Chamber opener. Anyone who could cause such chaos at Hogwarts is no ordinary person!"
Arthur nodded approvingly, battle intent kindling in his eyes. "Once I root out this mastermind, other students will naturally know which club is truly worth joining. Looks like I need to return early."
If I don't return soon, there really might be no school left. Arthur thought grimly. "After Christmas break, I'll return to Britain. Before that, let me finish my research."
Arthur turned his gaze to documents on his desk. Among them was a clipping from the Daily Prophet about the Dark Wizard attack in Knockturn Alley during summer vacation. A photo captured the blood sacrifice pattern on the table! A blood ritual offering souls and lives to Tom Riddle's diary.
"Hehe, struck gold. This ritual must point to some unknown powerful entity..." Arthur thought with certainty. Obsessively stroking the ritual notes he'd researched and perfected. "Those British cowards! Though it requires a small price, I'm certain it can grant me powerful abilities! When that time comes, whatever Chamber opener. All will become brilliant achievements on my personal record! Haha... hahahaha!"
Crack! Lightning flashed and thunder roared.
Next door, Viktor Krum, who was maintaining his broomstick, frowned at the maniacal laughter from the Hogwarts exchange student. What's he raving about now? Hmph, not worth a hair on Ethan's dog. When will Ethan come to Durmstrang for exchange? That would surely open their eyes.
Meanwhile, at Hogwarts, in the Chamber of Secrets... "Achoo!" Ethan sneezed, rubbing his nose and muttering: "Who wants to kill me?"
Diary: [...] Clear self-awareness. The "unknown powerful entity" was currently bleeding steadily, weak to the extreme.
Ethan: "Can't even last three minutes; what a weak dog." [...] Try maintaining arterial bleeding for three minutes yourself! Tom gritted his teeth. He now felt the blood sacrifice ritual had been successful. Successfully summoning the demon Ethan Vincent!
But recently, a connection suddenly came from afar. Like inserting a straw. Tom seized the opportunity to greedily suck life force! Then fed back a tiny amount of magic to control that unknown fool. Conserving strength. Once Slytherin's true Chamber opens, I'll kill this brat and seize the treasure!
After finishing the great serpent painting, I'll hold Little Tom's funeral... no, a grand art exhibition! To complete my advancement! Ethan thought. Little Tom. From 'birth' to death, you'll become my nourishment.
Ethan curved his lips, blowing the snake whistle: [Go back.]
Hiss... Feeling the cold touch sliding away from his hand, Ethan removed his blindfold. Looking up at the magnificent artwork spread across canvas. Like a massive mountain covered in flowing tar, the triangular snake head leaped from the page. Even just roughly sketched, it already emanated blasphemous malice.
Combined with the extra meals Ethan brought the basilisk; bones and flesh lay scattered on the ground. Making the Chamber look like some terrible evil experiment. The basilisk's head had empty eye sockets. Just one final step remained. The most difficult, most crucial step. The finishing touch.
Ethan swirled the glass vial containing "Luminous Essence", bright as daylight. His plan was already set. Time to catch big fish. Not just painting. Hopefully that Remora fish's Patronus Charm can bring me even greater power! Enough to perfectly obliterate Little Tom and maximise benefits.
Don't worry, Hogwarts won't close. Because before that, everything will "end". Ethan slowly curved his lips. Pleasant light shone from his cobalt-blue eyes.
Christmas Break, North Sea, Hull Port Market...
In late December, cold winds swirled as white snow accumulated on roads, making them slippery. Most fishing boats docked at port, entering maintenance periods. Few still went to sea.
Ethan pulled Luna along, curiously walking through the market. Looking at rows of hanging dried fish and various seafood spread on plastic sheets or kept in tanks. Occasionally letting out boyish exclamations of wonder.
Tom Riddle had commented: Stupid! Why bring dead weight? Wouldn't catching fish yourself be faster? To this, Ethan's response was, 'I have family.' Don't you? Oh, sorry. Forgot your father doesn't love you, your mother doesn't care, and you don't have a single friend. So repressed you developed multiple personalities.
Tom: [...] Little Tom never spoke another word after that.
Luna's father, Mr Lovegood, followed behind them with a relieved yet awkward smile. His gaze fixed tightly on their clasped hands. Though it's pure friendship... why does my heart feel so twisted? Ethan's a good boy in every way. Just has an extra appendage.
The only thing that put him at ease was Ethan's statement they were just going fishing. Finally some positive activity. Remembering last year's hellish Christmas, Lovegood shed tears of grief.
"This way." Ethan led Luna through winding turns. Fewer and fewer Muggles around. Until, turning a corner, they entered a narrow alley. Hearing movement, several sinister gazes shot toward them. Openly sizing them up. Then, exchanging glances and grinning, they slowly surrounded them.
Lovegood: "???" You said it was "just fishing"?! Do Ethan and Dark Wizards attract each other?!
Ethan seemed oblivious to the malicious stares. Checking vendor signs, he walked to the leftmost stall displaying a dead fish head over a metre long. Looking up, he said friendly and politely: "Hello, are you 'Butcher Jack'?" I have some bait I'd like you to help process."
As his words fell, a shadow slowly rose from the stall. Ethan's gaze followed upward until the shadow completely engulfed him. Before him appeared a "giant" rivalling Hagrid in size. But unlike naive Hagrid, this "giant" radiated a thick murderous aura. Blood caked his apron, stench and rust hitting them immediately.
The "giant" held a cleaver with a handle thicker than Ethan's forearm. Looking down at Ethan mockingly: "I don't take jobs smaller than you, little sprout. Go home and drink milk."
Nearby, Mr Lovegood shook uncontrollably. His hands desperately gripped Ethan and Luna. As if ready to Apparate away the next second.
"Dad, it's okay." Luna whispered, looking up at the "giant" with a smile: "We happen to have bait that meets your requirements. Right~ Ethan."
The giant paused. Seeing two little ones show no fear, they even exchanged knowing glances and giggled. As if his child-terrifying butcher stall was perfectly normal. Twisted normal perception.
The next second... "BANG!" A mountain-like weight crashed onto his counter! Instantly, with a crack, the counter split in half. Streams of blood seeped from the wrapped bundle. Staining the stall red.
Jack stared dumbfounded up at the mountain-like massive object! The market suddenly went quiet. The Dark Wizards who'd been converging stopped dead.
From behind the cloth-wrapped giant thing came the boy's unchanged cheerful voice: "See, doesn't this meet your requirements?"
Behind the blood-stained cloth, a delicate, handsome head emerged. With those cobalt-blue eyes, he stared unblinkingly at the stunned vendor. On his pale face, he slowly formed a painted-on, human-like smile.
Jack: "?!" Help... help! There's a Dark Wizard here!