"Ahhhhhh!"
Amid the clamor, Luna tilted her head and smiled at Ethan. "Shall we go back?"
"Mm."
Ethan nodded, not bothering with the first-year's recklessness. He was eager to head back and examine what that "dead branch" truly was.
"Portal."
A dark doorway appeared from beneath their feet. In everyone's sight, the two vanished in a flash. Ethan truly was as still as a mountain and as swift as lightning...
A student stared, stunned. His figure looked desolate in the cold wind.
Hermione pursed her lips, staring intently in the direction where Ethan had disappeared. It was as if she was facing a problem she could never solve.
Ginny glanced at Hermione. She raised her hand and patted her shoulder comfortingly.
Ron, standing nearby, shook his head repeatedly, remembering Scabbers, who had been taken by Ethan. My best pet, only you wouldn't betray me! Ethan, quickly return my treasure to me!
On the other side, Harry took out the Marauder's Map, wanting to see what everyone was doing.
However, when his gaze fell upon a name on the map, Harry's breathing hitched. Sirius Black. He was running toward him quickly.
?
Harry snapped his head up, looking startled and alert in the direction of Sirius's name.
As a result, what met his eyes was a spotted dog running toward him. His best, most loyal animal friend.
...What?
Harry froze.
Perhaps seeing the Marauder's Map in his hand, the spotted dog suddenly screeched to a halt halfway. On its furry face, a human-like panic actually appeared.
Then, it turned its head and ran...
"Harry?"
Hearing his good friend Ron's voice, Harry jolted, snapping back to reality. He quickly looked at the map. But on the map, the name "Sirius Black" had already disappeared...
Perhaps the map was just malfunctioning. Anyway, a fugitive couldn't possibly be a dog. Harry thought so.
However, a hint of doubt couldn't help but surface in his heart. It was hard to dismiss.
...He remembered, this "spotted dog" seemed to have been lent to Hagrid by Ethan...
Hogwarts, Salazar Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets.
Compared to how it initially was, enveloped in a faint green mist and echoing with the slithering of the Basilisk, now the Chamber of Secrets was even more eerie.
At the manhole-shaped entrance, at this moment, a skeleton enchanted with an Engorgement Charm was set up. Like an embrace, its ribs surrounded the doorway, and its massive skull hung down. It watched every person who entered with its dark and empty eye sockets. Guaranteed to give them a welcoming experience.
The four walls were covered with bizarre paintings. "Nightfall," black with countless eyes growing within; "Landscape of the Horizon," with an endless crimson surging at its end... And a portrait of a girl with pale hair and light blue skin. Sometimes, a chilling cold could be felt from that painting.
Headless, gray-white sculptures stood in the four corners. Signs were posted on them saying, "Please do not stare for long, they get shy."
Besides that, there were many other artworks. All slowly collected by Ethan.
"When the eyeball grapes ripen, we can consider a public art exhibition."
Ethan stroked the unripe grapes, muttering lovingly. This was an experimental variety he and Neville had cultivated together. In his fingertips, he could feel the crystalline lenses rolling beneath the skin.
With these bright artworks around, the Chamber of Secrets was utterly silent. Even the tiny crawling insects had moved out in a hurry, fearing that one day, they would be painted by that terrifying bipedal beast.
In the center of the Chamber of Secrets, however, several comfortable, soft sofas and a coffee table were set up.
"Thank you."
Luna took the poured hot milk from the skeleton hand on the coffee table. She expressed her displeasure that Ethan had ventured out without her.
Ethan: "I hope you can grow a bit older and stronger."
Luna glared, puffed out her cheeks, and said, "I'm capable of protecting myself! If I miss out on those interesting adventures, there won't be another chance!"
"Next time, for sure."
Ethan smiled, ruffling Luna's fluffy head.
This tried-and-true comforting method, however, failed today.
"Pat."
Luna picked up a book and gently pushed Ethan's hand away. She snorted softly, stuck out her tongue at Ethan, and made a face: "Anyway, next time I'll stick to you so tightly you won't be able to shake me off!"
Ethan: "Haha, then I'll look forward to it~"
After settling down, Ethan eagerly took out the "dead branch" and examined it.
This time, however, the information didn't appear immediately.
[Performing historical appraisal...]
[Knowledge Level Three, appraisal passed]
[You will uncover more hidden history]
There were even conditions!
Ethan raised his eyebrows.
If it weren't for his usual diligence and Professor Snape teaching him a lot of valuable potions knowledge, he really wouldn't have passed the appraisal.
Now, Ethan's interest grew even stronger.
[Name: Remnant of the Blazing Sun]
[One of three remnants left behind by a high-level entity called the "Blazing Sun," which shattered approximately four hundred years ago during a war known as the "Battle of Overthrown Stones" —]
[The Setting Sun's Remnant]
[You have learned a hidden history]
[The Lamp in the Skull is lit]
[You have gained: Spirit Vision Lv1]
[Shh — close your eyes, you will glimpse the truth of the world. Whether you want to or not]
The moment the text appeared, Ethan felt his eyes suddenly brighten. It was as if his eyes had been washed with a spiritual spring, cleansing away the inherent impurities and barriers of humanity. They became incomparably clear.
Ethan closed his eyes. He opened his "inner eyelids." He saw a brand new world.
Like clustered fireflies, white specks of light gathered together. They danced and hovered on his hands and body. As if feeding on his thoughts.
Ethan turned his head to look. Across from him, he saw a blurry figure. Inside, a faint blue glow lingered, and white flying insects more densely intertwined around the figure's head.
Until a voice spoke: "Ethan, you finally see them~"
Ethan opened his eyes. He met Luna's smiling blue eyes... "Mm, I see them."
Ethan smiled. For the first time, he felt like he had caught up to someone else.
"Those are Wrigglers."
Luna said cheerfully. As if she was talking about the most ordinary thing.
"When people think, they cling on even more, flying into their brains and messing up their thoughts."
Luna leaned closer to Ethan, saying mysteriously: "The strange thing is, Slytherin's Crabbe and Goyle never have Wrigglers on their heads. I'm investigating this."
"Haha," Ethan couldn't help but chuckle, and he also lowered his voice to match, "They must be strange."
After all, having such empty heads was quite uncommon.
Ravenclaw expressed disdain.
Having gained a "new perspective," Ethan curiously played around with it.
He tried to look up. From the endless sky, he vaguely saw a surging mist.
However, he couldn't see it clearly.
—Perhaps, when the Spirit Vision skill level increases, he will be able to see more.
Ethan thought.
He remembered the string of eyeball bubbles that appeared when he used the silver key. They were definitely not creatures of this world.
And there was the attendant, the Girl in the Mirror, who brought the chill of deep winter:
"Phew... It seems there are many hidden things in this world, many things I don't know."
Ethan took a deep breath. A light of eager curiosity shone in his eyes.