That night, on the last day of the third-year term.
In Hogwarts' Chamber of Secrets.
Ethan was resting his head on Luna's lap, his body sinking into the sofa.
His feet were crossed and stretched out over the armrest.
His posture was utterly relaxed and carefree.
Summer vacation would begin tomorrow, and the castle was buzzing with excitement.
Only in this hidden underground Chamber of Secrets could one find a bit of tranquility.
"Do you want to enter the Gallery?"
Yes.
Ethan replied silently.
Feeling Luna's fingers gently combing through his hair,
his consciousness gradually drifted deeper.
"You have arrived at the Gallery."
"Here, you can view all the extraordinary paintings created so far."
Ethan opened his eyes.
What met his gaze was a pure white space.
On walls so white they almost blended into the background, vibrant paintings hung.
The first was the sketch of Lily that he'd given to Professor Snape.
The word "Always" was engraved in gold foil on a plaque beneath the painting.
Next came "Portal," which seemed to connect to another dimension, and "Erised's Call," emanating a dazzling light.
Ethan's fingers traced over each painting.
Memories flooded back from the three years since he'd arrived in the wizarding world.
"With me here, the wizarding world will burst forth with new vitality."
Ethan sighed, a small flame of ambition igniting in his eyes.
"I truly look forward to the day my art sweeps the world..."
"Bringing a bit of an art student's shock to this decaying wizarding world!"
And now.
He had already taken his first step into the world.
He had shown the glorious side of judging Peter Pettigrew and inventing the Werewolf Potion to everyone... No, what do you mean 'glorious side'? Both sides of me are bright.
Ethan shook his head, dismissing the thought.
"The Intermediate Gift Pack has not yet been opened. Do you want to open it now?"
"Uh-huh."
"You have obtained: Cracked Mirror of the Lost."
"Description: A shattered mirror. The intact parts reflect radiance, while the broken gaps reveal darkness—no matter what, it will not reflect your face."
"Usage: Standing before the mirror can forcibly increase your spiritual vision, allowing you to see things normally invisible."
"But is this truly a good thing?"
"Hint: You can repair the mirror with other materials."
A shattered mirror appeared in Ethan's hand.
Its original owner seemed to have been a noblewoman; the handle and oval frame were exquisitely ornate.
However, the mirror itself was fractured.
When he gazed into it,
Ethan's eyes suddenly stung!
His sockets felt as if molten lava had been poured into them, burning fiercely.
The surrounding scenery began to warp.
Ethan saw scarlet, wriggling chunks of flesh and tentacles extending from the pure white walls.
And when they brushed past his feet,
Ethan could actually feel their cold, slimy touch!
"This is probably 'what you see exists,'" Ethan thought, his interest piqued.
He regarded the lovely tentacles with affection.
However, it was a pity.
A scarlet caption popped up:
"Warning! Magic is about to riot! Please adjust as soon as possible!"
"Alas~ I wanted to look a bit longer."
Ethan thought regretfully.
He forced his stiff hand open, letting the mirror slip from his grasp.
"Clatter."
The mirror fell, face down on the floor.
At that moment,
the surrounding "illusions" gradually faded.
Ethan closed his eyes, soothing the pain in them.
A trace of blood also trickled from his nose.
"My spiritual vision is already higher than average, and using this mirror directly sent me to another dimension."
"Hmm... but it's very interesting, isn't it?"
Ethan's eyes crinkled at the corners.
He nonchalantly wiped away the blood.
Presumably, others would also be thrilled to see things they usually couldn't, right?
He was a kind-hearted person who loved to share.
He wouldn't keep it all to himself.
Ethan bent down and picked up the Cracked Mirror of the Lost.
He was very satisfied with this Intermediate Gift Pack.
"Combined with other paintings... it will definitely become an artwork that brings joy and laughter to others."
Ethan already had a concept in mind.
The Necronomicon had indeed opened a new chapter.
"I didn't expect you to actually break through fate and successfully create a potion to heal werewolves..."
Mr. Black's handwriting appeared on the page, filled with deep emotion.
"In the future, you should rewrite more destinies... You need help, powerful help."
"And I can help you."
"You healed my precious daughter, and I will not be stingy with my gratitude."
As he spoke,
scars appeared on the pages.
Thick, almost black blood flowed down, gushing as if real skin had been cut open.
Then, in these deepening scars,
a crimson heart emerged.
"You have obtained Extraordinary Material: Hairy Heart!"
"In a certain fairy tale book, a story of a twisted curse born of love is recorded."
"This heart also shares a similar essence."
"Usage: Contains powerful life force, can be used for a third-tier painting, bestowing it with extraordinary power."
In the incomplete pages,
Mr. Black's handwriting reappeared.
But compared to before, it was noticeably weaker, and the strokes grew fainter and fainter.
"Take it, this is my last relic... The Necronomicon absorbs blood, the rest is for you to discover..."
"Good luck... from a genius of the future..."
When Ethan took out the heart,
a sigh of relief emanated from the book.
Ethan looked up.
He saw a wisp of a soul breaking free from its shackles, floating upward until it vanished.
Mr. Black had continued on his journey.
"Hairy Heart..." Ethan caressed the shrunken, hairy heart.
It felt like a soft, red stone.
It made one want to impulsively squeeze it.
This heart might be able to depict more violent historical figures!
For example, Jack the Ripper, the Lady in the Rain, Bluebeard, and so on... Hmm?
Did something unusual slip in?
Ethan licked his lips.
His eyes were full of anticipation.
"With the Mirror of the Lost and the Hairy Heart, the preliminary preparations for Mr. Lamp are almost complete."
"The subsequent content of the Necronomicon cannot be opened for now—the Goblin War is over, I wonder if Lord Voldemort can give me an opportunity to harvest a large amount of blood..."
Ethan thought of those magical ritual spells.
Perhaps he could alter the "cauldron stew" magic that Lord Voldemort used to resurrect himself in the final task of the Triwizard Tournament into a ritual magic beneficial to himself!
That would surely be very interesting.
Just imagining the shocked expression on Lord Voldemort's face, after all his meticulous planning.
Ethan couldn't help but feel excited.
"...First, paint a new painting, then head to Tom's old house!"
"Give Lord Voldemort a big surprise."
The next day.
The Hogwarts Express, ready to depart, puffed out chugging steam.
On the platform,
Professor Lupin stopped Ethan and smiled:
"Do you remember the thank-you gift I wanted to give you before? I apologize, it's finally ready now."