The Hogwarts Express slowly pulled into Platform 9¾.
Ethan didn't have much luggage.
Most of his things, like his easel, were packed into a leather bag enchanted with an Undetectable Extension Charm.
Michael Corner, his roommate, had once teased him about it, saying he "could live purely by absorbing the essence of painting."
Ethan figured that wasn't an impossible goal to work toward.
He casually helped a young wizard with his luggage.
"Thank you!"
The young wizard had just expressed his gratitude when he looked up, saw it was Ethan, and immediately froze in place, his face turning deathly pale.
Being overly admired by others could be a real hassle.
Ethan thought this with a touch of embarrassment as he strolled leisurely through the aisle, pulling his suitcase behind him.
Along the way, students parted for him one after another.
There were even some who had just opened their compartment doors, intending to step out, but upon seeing him, they slammed them shut and retreated back inside.
Stepping onto the platform, Ethan adjusted his collar and scanned the bustling crowd for Luna's figure.
Just then, a cool voice sounded from beside him:
"You're welcome to visit our home anytime this summer, Ethan. The Farley family would be glad to have you—just send a letter in advance."
Ethan turned his head and saw the icy-faced Gemma Farley standing rigidly beside him.
At that moment, she was dressed in a neat, exquisite vest and a pencil skirt, paired with black leather shoes and knee-high socks.
Her smooth long hair cascaded behind her, making her look like a young lady from a wealthy family who had just stepped out of a private high school.
As she spoke, Gemma's eyes weren't fixed on Ethan but stared straight ahead.
It was as if she hadn't been addressing him specifically at all.
Ethan nodded, about to respond, when he heard a light, cheerful voice:
"Ethan—"
Luna squeezed through the crowd like a bouncing fawn, waving her arms as she ran to his side.
Her blue eyes curved into crescents as she smiled and said:
"I've been waiting for you forever! Come on, Dad's waiting for us outside the platform!"
With that, Luna grabbed Ethan's wrist, intending to pull him toward the brick wall.
She looked up and noticed Gemma Farley staring at them expressionlessly.
"...Oh, sorry." Luna released Ethan's wrist, met Gemma's gaze, and whispered, "I interrupted your conversation, didn't I?"
Gemma lowered her eyelids, scanning Luna from head to toe, her gaze lingering for a moment on the string of Butterbeer corks hanging around her neck.
Then, she slightly curled the corners of her mouth and said slowly to Ethan:
"What a lovely little sister."
"Well then, don't forget to write to our family, Ethan."
After speaking, she lifted her chin proudly and walked away without looking back.
Luna watched Gemma's retreating figure, blinked, and said, "I think she definitely wouldn't like a roasted rainbow fish feast."
"Haha," Ethan chuckled, amused. "Definitely not."
They lined up to exit the platform, chatting animatedly.
In almost the blink of an eye, they reached the brick wall by the ticket gate.
A gaunt old guard stood there, allowing students to pass through in twos and threes to avoid attracting Muggle attention.
Entering King's Cross Station, Ethan spotted Ron and Hermione.
Hermione saw Luna, raised her eyebrows in surprise, and then her competitive spirit ignited.
With a serious expression, she declared:
She would memorize all the textbooks for the next semester in advance during the summer holidays!
It seemed she viewed Luna, who got along so well with Ethan, as a strong rival.
Ethan also caught sight of Harry being whisked away by the Dursley family.
"I've never seen anyone so rude," Hermione said. "I just hope Harry will be okay—"
"It's fine," Ethan replied thoughtfully. "As a fellow club member, I'll help Harry escape his misery."
From the side, Ron leaned back in horror.
"Escape his misery" didn't mean getting rid of the "misery" altogether, did it?
Not long after arriving at Luna's house, Ethan, who was tidying up the small living room with her, received a letter delivered by an owl.
"Ugh, what's that smell?"
Ethan sniffed, pulling the letter away in disgust, as if someone had doused it with an entire bottle of perfume—it could probably be smelled from miles away.
"Sent by Gilderoy Lockhart? Hmm? I remember he's going to be the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor next term."
Luna leaned over and said, "That very famous author? Oh, his novels are on par with the Daily Prophet. I read them to the gnomes in the garden."
"I hope they don't vomit after listening," Ethan said with a smile.
He opened the letter and quickly scanned it.
Excluding most of the self-congratulatory fluff, Ethan raised an eyebrow:
"He wants to invite me to handle a Dark Wizard fraud case—interesting."
Ethan curled the corner of his mouth.
He hadn't expected the curse on the Defense Against the Dark Arts position to kick in so quickly. Someone rushing headlong toward their doom was a rare sight.
Ethan had read about this commission in the Daily Prophet.
It mentioned that someone had wandered into Knockturn Alley by mistake and been scammed out of a hefty sum of Galleons by a group of Dark Wizards, receiving a pile of worthless junk in return.
They were hoping someone could go and deal with them.
—So, your legs just carried you into Knockturn Alley all on their own, and the Galleons flew out of your pocket automatically, is that it?
However, the reward for the commission was at least sixty Galleons, so it seemed the client was indeed quite well-off.
If there was evidence of the Dark Wizards being thoroughly trounced, the reward could even be doubled.
In terms of pay, it rivaled gathering herbs or catching creatures in remote mountains.
"And the confiscated contraband could be secretly kept—"
"Knockturn Alley... I haven't been there yet. I'm really curious."
Ethan flashed a brilliant smile.
He immediately wrote back to Gilderoy Lockhart, the letter containing only two simple words:
"Time, place."
He didn't want to write a single extra word.
Watching the owl fly away, Luna propped her chin on the table, gazing into the air, and whispered:
"He's a thief, stealing others' experiences and memories—and now, he wants to steal yours too."
Ethan was no longer surprised by Luna's keen insight.
The most popular wizard, Gilderoy Lockhart, had stolen all his extraordinary exploits from others.
His only real talent was the Memory Charm.
Alas, why another Ravenclaw!
Why did Ravenclaws always produce villains? Was it bad luck?
Ethan couldn't help wringing his hands, feeling it was necessary to set the record straight for Ravenclaw's excellent academic reputation.
"Don't worry, Luna."
Ethan ruffled Luna's fluffy hair, his eyes curving as he whispered:
"Of course, I have to properly entertain our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor."
"To the point where this master of the Memory Charm will wish he could cast Obliviate on himself."
On the agreed day, following a sign marked with a finger stained in reddish-brown liquid, Ethan passed through the archway and arrived in Knockturn Alley.
He was wearing a clean black hooded cloak over a white shirt and straight black trousers.
At his collar, he sported a dark blue thin ribbon tie, centered with an oval moonstone the size of a fingernail that shifted colors under the light—very beautiful.
His well-groomed black curly hair, pure and curious blue eyes, and fair face made him look exactly like a rich young master.
In Knockturn Alley, that also meant he was known as a "fat sheep."
"Need any help, my dear?"
A withered hand suddenly grabbed Ethan's shoulder.
Ethan turned his head, looked at the wrinkled witch with her unnatural grin, and politely replied:
"Thank you for your kindness, but I'm waiting for someone."
Without waiting for her to respond, he continued enthusiastically:
"This is my first time in Knockturn Alley, and I've instantly fallen in love with it!"
"Look at those dilapidated, dirty gray-black brick walls, the withered branches reaching into the sky like dead fingers, and all you lovely witches and wizards."
"I truly regret that I've never come here before!"
The wrinkled witch: ?
Something wasn't right.
Why did this kid act like he'd come home?
She looked around, seeing only ugly, dirty, and malevolent faces.
Not a single one could be described as "lovely."
Gazing at Ethan's innocent smile, for some reason, the witch suddenly shivered.
The hand that had been gripping his shoulder tightly loosened involuntarily.
It seemed she'd provoked some terrifying presence...
The witch swallowed, her mouth and throat dry, and she couldn't help but take half a step back—just then.
"Ethan Vincent! Hey! You nasty old hag! Stay away from that poor child!"
"Otherwise, I, Gilderoy Lockhart, will show you a thing or two!"
Ethan and the witch turned to look.
They saw a flamboyantly dressed blond man, waving his wand rapidly at them from eight feet away.
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