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The Gryffindor and Hufflepuff prefects had arrived. Ethan had sought out Penelope because she was the prefect closest to the scene. Prefects had the authority to deal with such matters, and he couldn't just stand by and let Ravenclaw suffer. If it got any worse, they'd have to call a professor.
"What's going on here?" Penelope asked, her brow furrowed.
"The Gryffindors were throwing snowballs, but they hid stones inside and hit a Slytherin on the head. The Slytherins fought back by throwing stones directly, and some hit us Ravenclaws. Somehow, Hufflepuff got involved too, and now they've stopped using stones—they're using wands!"
"I'll head there right now!" Penelope said urgently.
After a quick goodbye to Ethan, she rushed off toward the chaos. As a prefect, she was responsible for keeping the younger students in check. She just hoped Terry and the others weren't injured. Her roommates were likely caught in the middle, but hopefully, there wouldn't be any major problems.
"Ethan, I have to go to Quidditch practice. Are you coming to watch?"
Penelope was gone, leaving only Natasha and Ethan. Natasha had Quidditch practice scheduled for ten o'clock. The House Cup was already underway. Gryffindor had played Slytherin the previous week, and due to Ethan's interference, Harry hadn't made the Gryffindor team, which led to Slytherin winning the match.
Next up was Ravenclaw versus Hufflepuff, so both houses were training hard, determined to come out on top. Natasha, the Ravenclaw Seeker, couldn't afford to miss any practice sessions.
"I'm not going. You know I don't care much for Quidditch," Ethan replied.
Although Ethan had a natural talent for flying, he just didn't enjoy the sport. Natasha had been trying to convince him to join the team next year so they could play together, but Ethan kept refusing. If betting on Quidditch were allowed, he might be tempted to get involved. But to actually play? That was out of the question.
After parting ways with Natasha, Ethan decided to head to the library. Professor Quirrell's pass to the restricted section was only valid until Christmas, and he wanted to use the opportunity to check for any books related to alchemy or ancient runes.
He had already read several books on traditional alchemy and had even experimented with some basic alchemical creations using materials he had gathered in the Forbidden Forest. His creations included shoes with sticking and silencing charms, a crystal ball that could emit light like Seamus's spell, and spider silk clothing that was warm, cold-resistant, and self-cleaning.
"Hey, what are you two doing?" Ethan called out as he saw Fred and George acting suspiciously, each holding snowballs.
"Shhh, keep it down!" they whispered, clearly startled, but relaxed when they saw it was Ethan.
"What's going on?" he asked, curious.
"Professor Quirrell just went into his office," Fred whispered excitedly.
"And?" Ethan raised an eyebrow.
"We want to see what's under that turban," George said.
Ever since the start of the semester, Professor Quirrell had worn that turban without ever removing it. Fred and George were convinced it hid something.
"So what's the plan?" Ethan asked, though he had a pretty good guess already.
"We're going to hit him with snowballs. If the snow gets him wet enough, maybe he'll have to take off the turban," Fred said with a smug grin.
Ethan had heard theories online—some even joked that the twins once hit Voldemort, who was on the back of Quirrell's head, with a snowball. That prank supposedly led to one of the twins meeting an untimely end.
"Want to join us?" George asked with a mischievous gleam in his eye.
"Alright," Ethan agreed, "but we're doing it my way."
He conjured a bucket using a Transfiguration spell and filled it with snow water. Then he rigged it above the office door, connecting the bottom of the bucket to the door using a thread. When Quirrell opened the door, the bucket would dump snow water all over him.
"We hide over there. No one should see us. If we get caught pranking a professor, we'll lose at least fifty points each. And if Professor McGonagall finds out, she'll kill you guys," Ethan warned.
"Got it, we'll follow your plan," the twins agreed.
Ethan's setup was perfect. They crouched and waited.
Creak!
The door opened. As Quirrell stepped out, the bucket tipped, releasing a cascade of freezing snow water directly onto his head.
"Ah!" Quirrell screamed, soaked and furious. He glanced around, saw no one, and quickly retreated into his office, slamming the door behind him.
"He still won't take the turban off? Then there's definitely something under it," Fred muttered.
"Whatever it is, it's not our concern," Ethan said. "If we get caught, Gryffindor loses too many points. You're barely above zero already. Do you want to challenge Professor McGonagall's patience?"
"It's all that damn bat Snape's fault!" George whispered.
They grumbled but nodded in agreement. Christmas was almost here, and if Gryffindor lost more points, McGonagall wouldn't be happy—neither would Fred and George.
After giving them a few more tips, Ethan parted ways with the twins. He wouldn't normally bother with this sort of thing, but he liked the two and considered them friends now.
Plus, his effort wasn't without reward.
[Achievement Unlocked: Drawing Sword Against the Demon King]
Clad in shining armor, wielding a sharp blade, standing tall with a determined gaze, the hero faced the roaring Demon King. The heavens and earth shook—but he remained fearless.
Objective: Deal damage to the Dark Lord (1/1)
Reward: Parseltongue
Ethan smiled. Parseltongue wasn't particularly useful—it let you talk to snakes and open the Chamber of Secrets, but that was about it. Harry had only used it once in the entire canon timeline.
Reaching the library, Ethan closed his achievement panel. The library was much larger on the inside than it appeared outside, with row upon row of densely packed bookshelves. Each shelf held thousands of books. Madam Pince was there, maintaining strict order.
There weren't many students around, but he did spot Hermione. He greeted her before heading straight to the restricted section.
Madam Pince glanced at him, recognized him, and looked away. She knew Ethan had permission from Quirrell and didn't question it, though she didn't understand why the professor had given him a pass.
Last time, Ethan had looked for Advanced Dark Arts Decryption, a well-known book with deep knowledge about dark magic—including Horcrux creation—but it wasn't available at the library. That copy belonged to the Black family.
After nearly an hour of searching, Ethan selected three books: Runic Inscriptions Explained, Ancient Runes: Lost Power, and Alchemy: Equivalent Exchange.
Alchemy was one of the most complex magical disciplines. At Hogwarts, there were twelve standard subjects for the O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. exams—but thirteen subjects in total. Why?
Because alchemy was only available as a sixth-year elective, and deeply intertwined with ancient runes. Many students who had taken runes barely understood their textbook. Mastery was rare.
Chapter 58: The Trace
December 21st.
Christmas was only a few days away. Hogwarts was preparing for the winter break, which lasted two weeks.
Ethan's entire dorm had decided to go home for the holidays and had submitted the required paperwork. After packing, Ethan and his roommates made their way to the Great Hall.
The hall was festive, decorated with streamers, and twelve massive Christmas trees lined the walls, glittering with magical lights. Everything had been arranged for the students who were staying at Hogwarts.
"Ethan, bring your roommates over for a second," Penelope called from the Ravenclaw table.
A few first-years were gathered around her, reading some documents.
"One for each of you. You can't leave school without signing this," she said, handing out parchment papers with the Ministry of Magic seal.
"'Notice Regarding the Prohibition of Underage Magic Use Outside of School'? Why do we have to sign this?" Terry exclaimed.
He'd been planning to impress his Muggle parents with a few spells. Signing this ruined that dream.
"Everyone signs it," Penelope explained. "Unless you're planning to stay at school until you're seventeen, of course. It's a magical contract. If you cast spells outside school, the Ministry will know."
She looked at them seriously.
"Every year, some students get caught. Unless you're in a wizarding community, don't risk it."
Ethan examined the parchment.Wizards under 17 are considered minors and may not cast spells outside of school.Any violations may be prosecuted. In serious cases, students can be expelled.
…
There were nine total rules, most emphasizing secrecy and obedience to wizarding law.Ethan signed it. This was the infamous Trace. Contract magic was powerful in this world—the Unbreakable Vow could kill you if broken.
Still, it wasn't foolproof. As long as no one saw him use magic, he could bypass the Trace entirely. Clever rule-bending went a long way.
After breakfast, all students who were leaving were gathered. This time, they didn't walk the Founders' Path—they took carriages straight to the station.
"Harry? You're going home for Christmas?" Ethan asked, spotting a familiar face.
Harry usually stayed at Hogwarts during Christmas.
"Yeah," Harry smiled. "Thanks to you. What you said made me think. I sent my aunt some gifts and a letter. She replied and invited me home—and even got me presents."
Harry's eyes sparkled. He hadn't received presents in years, especially not from his aunt.
"Don't forget to ask about Snape," Ethan reminded him.
He was curious how Harry would react to learning his mother and Snape were childhood friends—and that his father had come between them.
"I will," Harry said, nodding earnestly.
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