🎉🎉🎉DOTM: Chapter 641/642

Chapter 639: The Second School Year

Hermione had absolutely no interest in snake meat. In fact, she thought Ethan's mention of eating snake meat was just to disgust her, as she didn't even know it was edible.

"Is that so? That's a shame."

Hermione didn't understand, but the others around her knew Ethan well. He wouldn't bring up something like eating snake meat for no reason.

Logan even asked directly, "There are snakes at Hogwarts? Is this one special?"

"Well, it's not ordinary."

The serpent in the Chamber of Secrets was massive, with a head larger than a human's. A snake that could grow to such a size clearly wasn't ordinary.

Moreover, this great serpent had special abilities: anyone who looked into its eyes would die instantly. If viewed indirectly through a mirror, a water reflection, or some transparent object (glasses excluded), they would be petrified.

As for the venomous fangs that could destroy Voldemort's Horcruxes, that was considered a relatively normal ability.

"Interesting."

Logan became a bit intrigued by the snake, while Hermione, watching the two boys calmly discussing it, felt completely unsettled. She really thought Ethan was a typical Slytherin (Slytherin's symbol was a snake, hence it was also called the Snake House).

After that, Hermione didn't talk to Ethan again and instead started chatting with Rin. The two academic elites had plenty to discuss when it came to magical knowledge. Hermione was surprised to find that after just one holiday, Rin's magical knowledge seemed to have improved significantly. Rin could easily explain concepts that Hermione had only memorized but didn't fully understand.

"Did you go for tutoring over the holiday?"

"I didn't really play much this holiday. I mostly studied."

Rin had spent nearly the entire holiday training. Her only entertainment or relaxation was playing with the phone Ethan had brought back and the games installed on it.

Over the past few months, she had silently been grateful countless times that Ethan had at least given everyone a phone. After receiving intense guidance from both Ethan and Scáthach, she had no energy left to run around. The little energy she had left was just enough to crawl back to bed, and once there, she didn't want to move.

"That's great. Did you find a tutor in Diagon Alley?"

"..."

Rin wanted to say no, but if she did, she couldn't explain who had tutored her. So she just nodded silently. Whatever Hermione imagined, she didn't care.

The special train still arrived at Hogwarts in the evening. Upon returning, the usual routine followed: entering the Great Hall to listen to Headmaster Dumbledore's speech, watching the new first-years go through the Sorting Ceremony, and introducing the new professor, Gilderoy Lockhart.

This very famous writer, adventurer, Order of Merlin Third Class recipient, and Honorary Member of the Dark Forces Defence League...

This handsome middle-aged man with a long list of titles had become the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor for the school year. This cursed position changed hands every year. Last year, when Ethan and the others had just arrived, it was held by Professor Quirrell, who had been defeated by Harry Potter.

The newly appointed famous writer immediately did several unreliable things, such as giving a test on the first day of class. The test content was about how well the students knew him, including questions like what his favorite color was, leaving most students speechless.

Ethan was also speechless. Looking at the test paper in front of him, he had no interest in picking up a pen to fill it out, so he simply and decisively handed in a blank sheet. The only thing written on it was his name.

Actually, this wasn't a smart move, as it would draw unnecessary attention. If he truly wanted to keep a low profile, he could have casually filled in a few answers. After all, not many students could answer correctly... or rather, only Hermione, his little fan, could answer all of them.

Blending in with the rest of the crowd, Lockhart definitely wouldn't have noticed him.

But why should Ethan deliberately make himself uncomfortable for the sake of staying low-key? He didn't want to cause trouble, but that didn't mean he had to go against his own preferences or do things that made him unhappy.

Besides, he was already under the scrutiny of both Dumbledore and Snape. Lockhart paying a bit more attention wouldn't affect anything. If this guy wanted to cause trouble, it wouldn't be Ethan who ended up suffering.

Maybe Lockhart had inquired about the students beforehand and knew Ethan was highly regarded by Snape, so he didn't dare to mess with him. When he looked over Ethan's test paper, his expression changed slightly but quickly returned to normal. He calmly put the paper aside as if he had just graded an ordinary answer sheet.

Then he released a cage of Pixies, sending the entire classroom into chaos. Lockhart himself ran off quickly, directly hiding outside.

Ethan sighed helplessly at the chaotic classroom. He had no intention of cleaning up the mess. Any Pixie that came near him, he stunned with his wand. He didn't care about the rest.

There was no need to worry about people like Logan and Rin. As for the Pixies flying toward Illya, they should be more concerned about being caught and fed to Shiro.

In the end, Hermione once again showed off her strength by subduing all the Pixies and ending the chaos. This class clearly showed that they wouldn't be learning much useful content in Defence Against the Dark Arts this year. They would have to rely more on self-study.

"I'm thinking of skipping all the Defence Against the Dark Arts classes this year."

Sitting on a stone bench in the courtyard, Illya chatted with Ethan while holding Shiro. Hogwarts' course schedule wasn't tight. After a day of classes, there was still a long time before dinner. Students could relax, chat, go to the library, or if they were Quidditch players, practice.

Ethan had no interest in Quidditch. He usually went to the library during this time, but he had spent the previous year copying every book he could. The most troublesome part was that he couldn't do it openly. Otherwise, he could have transferred all the knowledge from the library into his Book of Inheritance in a single day.

Now, he didn't need to go to the library just to read. Sitting in the courtyard, chatting while reading, was much more comfortable and relaxing.

Then he saw a verbal conflict break out between the Slytherin and Gryffindor Quidditch teams. Just as Draco Malfoy seemed ready to say the classic "dirty Mudblood" line from the original story, he suddenly felt a gaze from not far away. The words that were about to come out were swallowed back.

He wasn't stupid and wouldn't casually provoke someone much stronger than himself. Even though he thought Ethan couldn't possibly be stronger than a full-grown adult wizard like his father, his father wasn't at Hogwarts. Even if his father retaliated later, Malfoy would still be the one to suffer first.

So, he didn't say anything about Hermione's bloodline. Because he didn't, he didn't provoke Ron either. Ron didn't use his broken wand to cast a spell on Malfoy, which in turn avoided the infamous slug-vomiting incident caused by spell backfire.

Just thinking about that scene, Ethan felt it would be hard to look Ron in the eye. He suddenly thought Ron should really be thanking him. He had unknowingly averted a disaster.

Malfoy had also dodged a disaster. If he had dared to say that word, he would have been turned into a sheep, lost control of his body, and eaten grass for a whole day. That spell couldn't be undone by anyone in the world.

"What spell were you preparing to cast just now?"

Ethan's actions couldn't be hidden from Illya, who was right next to him. Even though Ethan's magic fluctuations were extremely subtle, Illya could still feel them from such close range.

"Polymorph. A spell that can turn people into sheep..."

"Sounds like Transfiguration?"

"The effects are somewhat similar."

The following days passed peacefully. Although Lockhart's actual strength wasn't great, he was still barely able to teach children. But his classes focused more on "theory," and it was hopeless to expect any reliable practical guidance from him.

This peaceful period continued until Mrs. Norris, Filch's cat, was found petrified, and words written in blood appeared on the corridor wall, marking the end of that peace.

Harry Potter inexplicably became a suspect because he was the first to discover the scene, and Filch treated him with hostility. Ethan found this ridiculous but couldn't be bothered to argue with Filch. His attention was entirely on Mrs. Norris's condition.

"See anything?"

"This cat is petrified."

Illya rolled her eyes. Of course, she could tell the cat was petrified. It looked just like being hit by the Petrification Curse. In this world, after the Petrification Curse took effect, the target's skin tone would change, but they wouldn't literally turn into stone.

Mrs. Norris hadn't turned into a statue. She just looked completely stiff.

"Can you unpetrify her?"

"Yes."

Although the two of them spoke softly, those nearby could still hear them. Draco looked at Ethan with disbelief, as if to say, "I didn't expect you to brag too!"

This was something even Dumbledore and Snape hadn't figured out, so Draco didn't believe Ethan could reverse it.

Ethan couldn't be bothered to explain. He just kept watching the scene unfold.

By the way, should this big snake be roasted or stewed?

(To be continued.)

Chapter 640: Snake Catching Gang

According to the information Ethan found on his phone, this kind of meat isn't suitable to eat in spring, summer, or autumn. That meant winter was the best season.

So stewing was the most appropriate cooking method. Ethan began searching for how to stew it—he had never had the chance to personally stew snake meat in his previous life.

He even specifically researched with Logan which magical plants could replace ordinary vegetables and seasonings. He genuinely wanted to make a delicious stew with magical effects.

"I should have brought Shirou along if I'd known this would happen."

He could go pick up Shirou now, but Hogwarts didn't allow outsiders to enter. Shirou couldn't stay long enough to do research here, so Ethan had to figure it out himself.

While he was immersed in the topic of "how to stew delicious snake meat," the plot was still progressing steadily.

Professor McGonagall explained the Chamber of Secrets in class, and the Gryffindor troublemaker group kicked off another year of adventures. This time, it wasn't just aimless chaos. Harry Potter needed to understand why he could hear voices no one else could. The incident also involved Ron's sister, Ginny Weasley, who had just entered Hogwarts this year—though Harry and Ron didn't yet realize it was related to Ginny.

"But what does that have to do with me?"

What Ethan didn't expect was that the troublemaking trio, plus Tohsaka Rin, the small Gryffindor team, didn't secretly investigate in the dark this time. Instead, they came to find him.

"Because you're strong. And you're in Slytherin."

"What does me being in Slytherin have to do with it?" Ethan suddenly remembered. "You suspect the so-called Heir of Slytherin is in Slytherin House?"

In truth, Harry and Ron hadn't wanted to come to Ethan. Their hearts were filled with hostility toward Slytherin.

But Ethan was somewhat acceptable. He had helped Harry before, and he wasn't from one of those pure-blood families who always looked down on others or mocked them. He was born to an ordinary family like Hermione. From that point of view, Ethan could be ruled out as the one who opened the Chamber of Secrets.

"Yes, we think Malfoy..."

"Malfoy? Draco Malfoy?" Ethan shook his head. "What do you think of Malfoy's strength?"

Before Harry and Ron could express their dissatisfaction, Ethan asked a question in return.

This left them unable to respond right away, but Hermione, thinking faster, caught Ethan's meaning.

"You mean... Malfoy's strength is too weak to be the Heir of Slytherin?"

Strictly speaking, Draco Malfoy wasn't weak, but it depended on who he was compared with. Let alone the true Heir of Slytherin, Tom Riddle. Even among the first-years, Malfoy wasn't the most outstanding.

"But besides Malfoy..."

Ron and Harry couldn't accept Ethan's judgment. They were convinced that it was Malfoy.

Ethan shook his head. Their judgment was heavily influenced by personal feelings. Their suspicion was only directed at Slytherin students in their year, or more accurately, just Malfoy and his small group.

"There are so many students at Hogwarts. Why do you think Malfoy is the most suspicious?"

Hogwarts had seven years of students. Even if the Chamber of Secrets, which hadn't been opened in years, suddenly reopened recently, the more likely suspects would be from the lower years. The most logical place to start would be with the new students.

Harry and Ron exchanged glances. They really couldn't argue against that point.

"Alright then, let's not worry about Malfoy for now... We hope you can help us find the Chamber of Secrets."

Ethan didn't object to the request. He was going to the Chamber of Secrets anyway to catch that big snake. This was part of the plan already. Now, he just had a few extra burdens to bring along.

"Go to the Chamber of Secrets?"

"Yes."

"That's easy."

"Huh?"

Harry and Ron looked like they thought Ethan was joking. They felt like he was just messing around.

A Chamber of Secrets that only existed in legend, with its very existence still uncertain, and Ethan says it's easy?

"You know where the Chamber of Secrets is?"

"I'm not sure. But I know someone who definitely does."

Ethan casually pulled out a piece of paper, then took out his wand and left a message on it using magic. With a flick of his wand, the paper folded into a paper airplane and floated off into the distance.

"Who are you sending a message to?"

"You can use that kind of magic?"

Rin was curious about who Ethan was contacting, while Hermione was interested in the spell itself. Ethan hadn't even chanted an incantation, just flicked his wand a few times, which made it even more surprising.

Harry and Ron were also stunned. Only then did they realize just how skilled the most outstanding Slytherin student was. Harry himself definitely couldn't cast magic so effortlessly.

"Scáthach. She wandered the castle all of last year and is familiar with every corner of it. She definitely knows where the Chamber of Secrets is."

As he spoke, Ethan motioned for them to follow. The note had already specified a meeting place. It was more efficient than having Scáthach come find them here.

"But... I've also explored most of the castle, and I have no idea where the Chamber of Secrets is."

Harry strongly agreed with Ron. They had lived here for a year and had walked through many parts of Hogwarts more than once. If the Chamber of Secrets were so easy to find, it would have been discovered long ago.

"You'll understand once you see Scáthach."

Ron and Harry exchanged looks. They didn't have a better idea, so they followed along, although they couldn't help but grumble.

"Maybe she knows some special magic?"

"Maybe she's good at divination?"

The two of them had a lot to say at first. But the moment Scáthach appeared, just one look from her was enough to shut them up.

The aura accumulated over a thousand years didn't vanish just because her appearance had changed to that of a cute young girl. A single glance was enough to keep the two of them from saying anything foolish.

"They want to find the Chamber of Secrets in Slytherin. You should know where it is, right?"

"The Chamber of Secrets?"

Scáthach tilted her head. Just when Harry thought she had no clue about its location, she asked something that stunned both Harry and Ron.

"Which Chamber of Secrets are you talking about?"

Hogwarts was a massive castle with various facilities and hidden structures. The Chamber of Secrets wasn't the only one hidden in the castle. Scáthach had already found the locations of most of the hidden chambers and passageways, but she wasn't sure which one Ethan was referring to.

"The Chamber of Secrets built by Slytherin should be under the castle... in the underground. We should be looking for a passage leading down."

"Leading underground?"

Ethan, of course, knew exactly where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets was. He just needed a reasonable excuse to fool Harry and Ron, which was why he had called Scáthach over.

And as soon as she heard that hint, Scáthach immediately understood where Ethan was referring to.

"That abandoned girls' restroom on the second floor. There should be a hidden passage leading underground beneath one of the sinks."

Harry and Ron were stunned. Did Scáthach really know where the Chamber of Secrets was? How had she discovered a hidden passage there?

Sensing Ron's confusion, Scáthach explained simply, "You can think of it as me creating a model of the castle in my mind while I wandered around. I figured out the space each room occupied, their positions, and located the gaps from there."

This method might work in ordinary buildings. But for a place like Hogwarts, which was saturated with magical power, you couldn't rely on that alone. Scáthach had found the hidden chambers and passages because she could easily sense the effects of magical energy. For example, if a wall or pipe emitted spatial magic, you didn't need to ask what was inside.

While they were talking, they had already arrived at the abandoned girls' restroom. Because of the ghost of Moaning Myrtle, no one was willing to use it. It had been left unused for many years, and the facilities were worn out.

"Are you sure it's here?"

Ron and Harry looked around and found only a regular restroom. Nothing seemed unusual. The sink that supposedly hid the passage also looked ordinary, until Harry spotted a small snake pattern on one of the faucets.

"Looks like we came to the right place."

Harry turned to Ethan and Scáthach to thank them. Finding the legendary Chamber of Secrets this smoothly was all thanks to their help.

"What should we do next?"

The logical thing to do was to inform the professors. This was clearly not something a few lower-year students could handle.

Since Harry and Ron didn't yet know about Ginny's involvement, they remained calm and rational, and they really did go report the matter.

Soon after, the professors of Hogwarts, including Snape and Lockhart, arrived at the abandoned restroom. They looked at the children with skeptical expressions.

"Are you sure this is the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets?"

"Yes."

Harry was certain because he had tested it using Parseltongue. The entrance in the sink could indeed be opened with Parseltongue. When he demonstrated it on the spot, the professors no longer doubted it. A secret entrance that could only be opened with Parseltongue could only be Slytherin's Chamber.

Looking at the large group of professors, Ethan started to worry he wouldn't get to eat the snake meat. Then, Dumbledore made a decision that surprised everyone.

"Snape, Harry, and... Ethan will come in with me."

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to mikestarling101 for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉🎉

Chapter 641: Dumbledore's Test and Decision

"Harry and Ethan? Albus, isn't that inappropriate?"

Professor McGonagall immediately raised her concerns. She didn't understand why two lower-year students needed to enter the Chamber of Secrets with them. They had no idea what kind of danger awaited inside, not to mention the monster that had already attacked multiple people in the school.

"Minerva, with Severus there, there won't be any problems."

Dumbledore didn't speak sternly, but once he said that, McGonagall knew he had made up his mind.

The Headmaster might appear kind, but Professor McGonagall knew that once Dumbledore made a decision, hardly anyone could change it.

Realizing this, she gave up trying to persuade him and simply reminded Harry and Ethan to be careful, instructing Snape to protect the two students well.

"Now let's head in and see what's inside."

Naturally, Dumbledore wouldn't be the first to jump down. Snape went first, followed by Dumbledore. Harry and Ethan exchanged glances, then Ethan jumped in first.

If he could choose, he would have preferred to descend slowly, but with Harry right behind him, he didn't want the boy landing on his head.

Sliding quickly down the tunnel, Ethan reached the bottom in no time.

Because he was prepared, he didn't end up awkwardly on the ground like Harry did. Instead, he landed steadily on a large pile of bones, pulled out his wand, and cast a cleaning spell on himself, brushing off the dirt and dust from the slide.

After doing that, he turned to look at Snape and Dumbledore. Both professors looked immaculate, having also used cleaning spells to tidy themselves up.

In contrast, Harry, who came down last and landed on the floor, looked quite disheveled. But no one helped him. If he couldn't handle it himself, he'd just have to stay like that.

"Stay close to me and don't wander off."

Dumbledore instructed, then followed Snape deeper into the Chamber of Secrets.

With Snape leading the way, Dumbledore following, and the two students behind them, this lineup had no suspense against a Basilisk that lacked high intelligence.

The only real issue was that the big snake wouldn't appear unless Voldemort actively summoned it.

But for Dumbledore, that was a minor inconvenience. It wasn't hard for him to lure the creature out. As for the battle, it was just as straightforward. Harry and Ethan only needed to stand off to the side and admire Snape and Dumbledore's magic while they crushed the Basilisk. They could even cheer them on if they wanted.

Harry, who in the original plot should have fought hard and killed the Basilisk in a thrilling moment, this time only played the role of opening the entrance with Parseltongue. Besides that, he didn't do much.

After the Basilisk was dealt with and they left the Chamber, Dumbledore said a few words to Harry and sent him off to rest. Ethan, on the other hand, was once again held back and brought to the Headmaster's Office for a private conversation.

Ethan looked at Dumbledore and Snape standing nearby. Dumbledore stood in front, and Snape stood to the side and slightly behind, positioned at Ethan's left rear. It was a placement disadvantageous for a right-handed attacker.

"Is there something you need, Professor Dumbledore?"

"There are some things I'd like to ask you." Although Dumbledore appeared calm, Ethan noticed that he was holding his wand reversed in his hand. It was hidden subtly by his wide sleeves and the back of his hand.

"Before that, I need to confirm. Ethan Arendelle, is that your real name?"

"Ethan is my given name."

Dumbledore nodded, understanding what he meant. Arendelle was not his real surname.

"Then your full name is...?"

"Just Ethan."

Even without turning, Ethan could sense Snape's grip tightening on his wand and his subtle movements as he prepared to cast a spell at any moment.

Dumbledore observed quietly for a moment. Ethan remained calm, without the slightest hint of panic or nervousness. Either he had something to rely on, or he didn't realize how serious the situation was.

Given Ethan's previous intelligence and composure, it clearly wasn't the latter. He must have something to rely on.

"You know, Ethan," Dumbledore collected his thoughts, deciding to try a calm conversation first, "I once thought you were simply a clever and ambitious young man. At worst, I feared Slytherin had produced another Tom Riddle."

Ethan curled his lip, and when Dumbledore paused slightly, he interrupted, "That's giving him too much credit."

"No, I believe you have that potential..."

"No no, you misunderstood me." Ethan waved a hand, cutting him off. "I meant you're giving Tom Riddle too much credit."

Dumbledore was momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected that. His first thought was that Ethan didn't understand who Tom Riddle was, but from his expression, it was clear he did. That matched Dumbledore's earlier assessment. Ethan knew a lot, and his involvement in the Philosopher's Stone and Chamber of Secrets incidents was no coincidence.

Ethan definitely knew Tom Riddle's other identity. To say such a thing despite that, was he just an arrogant and ignorant child?

Dumbledore wasn't sure. To confirm, he pressed on. "You must know Tom Riddle's other identity..."

"Voldemort." Ethan nodded. "Yes, I know exactly who Tom Riddle is."

Then he spread his hands. His expression clearly said, Tom Riddle? You think he can be compared to me?

Snape, standing behind him, was already stunned. He found today's events more absurd than any scenario he had previously considered.

He had imagined Ethan might panic, try to escape, or kneel and beg for mercy like many captured Death Eaters.

But he never imagined Ethan would say something like that. Now it was certain. Ethan definitely wasn't one of Voldemort's people. A Death Eater would never dare to speak about the Dark Lord like that.

Dumbledore continued to study Ethan, then raised a hand to stop Snape from speaking. He asked a seemingly unrelated question.

"How have you been getting along at Hogwarts?"

Ethan smiled cheerfully. When Dumbledore asked this, he realized the Headmaster had made a decision. A decision that perfectly suited Ethan's needs.

In that case, he would pretend the probing spells Dumbledore had secretly cast earlier had never happened.

"Very well, Professor Dumbledore. There's a lot of knowledge here that interests me."

"Believe me, Hogwarts contains more mysterious knowledge than you can imagine."

Dumbledore chatted with Ethan for a few more minutes. The tone was just like a Headmaster caring for an ordinary student. After a short while, Dumbledore allowed Ethan to leave.

Even then, Snape still looked slightly dazed. He couldn't quite understand the situation or how it had developed this way.

"You're just letting him go? And the identities of those children..."

"Their identities aren't the issue, Severus."

Dumbledore withdrew his gaze from the door and turned toward Snape.

"This child... no, this person is not our enemy."

"But their identities..."

"He never tried to hide them. That assumption was yours."

As an excellent spy, Snape naturally knew how to hide in the enemy's ranks. The reason Ethan was brought in for this conversation was because Snape had sensed something off about him.

At first, he thought Ethan was young and lacked the ability to conceal himself properly. Later, he realized Ethan hadn't intended to hide anything at all.

In other words, Ethan didn't care whether Snape or Dumbledore discovered his true identity.

"If he didn't intend to hide, shouldn't we at least get a clear explanation?"

That was what Snape couldn't understand. Dumbledore had let Ethan go without even demanding an answer.

"Is Ethan's identity really that important to us? We just need to know he isn't a Death Eater."

"But that point isn't confirmed either."

"I'm very certain."

Dumbledore had secretly cast several silent spells on Ethan, but they vanished like stones sinking into the sea without any response. It wasn't impossible to resist his spells. Though Dumbledore was powerful, he wasn't arrogant enough to think he was invincible.

But to break his spells as effortlessly as Ethan had, without even a trace of magical fluctuation, so subtle that Snape beside him didn't even realize Ethan had used magic...

More importantly, since Ethan entered, Fawkes had yet to show himself. The phoenix had conveyed a sense of fear to him. It reminded him of Fluffy, the three-headed dog that guarded the Philosopher's Stone last year.

At the time, he thought Fluffy had simply fallen asleep. Later, he assumed Quirrell had done something.

Now it seemed Fluffy had been scared. Scared by Ethan.

All of these signs made Dumbledore reach a decision. Since Ethan had no ill intent and merely wanted to study at Hogwarts, he would be treated as just another student.

Meanwhile, Ethan, who had returned to the Chamber of Secrets to enjoy his school life, had only one thing on his mind. Collecting the Basilisk meat.

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to mikestarling101 for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉🎉

Chapter 642: The Plot Is Gone Again

Looking at Tom Riddle in front of him, Ethan sighed helplessly.

"I just wanted to eat some snake meat, and look at all this trouble."

Tom Riddle stood frozen in front of the basilisk's corpse. Although Dumbledore and Snape had already killed the basilisk, the news hadn't spread yet, and the body hadn't been dealt with. Tom Riddle, who was currently using Ginny Weasley to cause trouble, had no idea that the creature he relied on was already dead.

"Did you do this?"

The Tom Riddle in front of him was a memory, but not just a simple one.

He existed within the diary as a piece of Voldemort's soul that had been split off. In other words, this diary was one of Voldemort's Horcruxes, an item capable of enabling his resurrection.

Lucius Malfoy had secretly placed the diary among Ginny's books in Diagon Alley while mocking the Weasleys and Harry Potter. This led to Ginny being gradually controlled by the Tom Riddle within the diary.

As the possession continued, Ginny's life force was slowly drained away. If it went on, she would die and Tom Riddle would return to life.

Ethan was curious. Voldemort had split his soul into many pieces and stored them in different objects. Each fragment had the ability to resurrect. So what would happen if they all successfully resurrected? Voldemort versus Voldemort? Or would they fuse together into one being again?

While he was lost in thought, he completely ignored the nearby Tom Riddle, which infuriated the proud Mr. Riddle. If he had a physical body and could cast spells, he would have immediately cast Avada Kedavra at Ethan.

"I'm asking you a question!"

Without a body, Tom couldn't cast spells. Besides yelling and roaring, he had no other way to draw Ethan's attention. Though he succeeded, it wasn't anything to celebrate.

"What a pathetic sight. Let me put you out of your misery."

"What?"

Tom Riddle's final memory was wondering what Ethan meant by that. After shouting that one word, everything ended.

Even though he had no body, being only a soul fragment and a memory, such intangible forms could still be destroyed. With the right method, they could be erased.

Ethan's Blasting Curse was extremely powerful. He hadn't just learned magic from this world but had integrated its characteristics into his own system. Especially destructive spells with law-like effects, which had been a focus of his research.

Most wizards could only use a Blasting Curse to destroy physical objects.

Ethan's version was different. He could destroy even so-called illusory entities. To him, illusion was still a form of existence. If it existed, it could be destroyed. With enough high-quality magic or divine power as support, destroying a memory and a soul fragment like this was effortless.

As Tom Riddle vanished, the diary in Ginny Weasley's hand, lying on the ground, suddenly caught fire. Seeing it about to burn completely, Ethan reached out and moved it aside, preventing the flames from harming the unconscious girl.

"Tsk."

The diary slowly burned to ashes mid-air. Ethan canceled the spell, letting the ashes scatter, then turned his attention to the basilisk's corpse.

He had planned to skin the basilisk first, break it down, and store it in his space, but before he could begin, Ginny woke up. When she saw the massive corpse beside her, she froze in terror. Ethan was standing next to the snake, and from her point of view, he looked like a villain.

The fact that Ginny didn't scream or faint again already showed she had considerable courage.

In this situation, if Ethan started skinning, deboning, or dismembering—even if it was just a snake—it would leave the young girl mentally scarred.

"Forget it. I'll store it first and handle it later."

With a wave of his hand, he stored the basilisk's body. The magical sight made Ginny's eyes widen. Even though she was a witch, she had rarely seen such powerful magic.

More importantly, the person casting it didn't look much older than her. He might even be a fellow student.

Seeing the Slytherin robes he wore, Ginny remembered that the giant monster seemed to be a snake. Could this be a spell unique to Slytherin?

"Wait, where is this?"

"You finally noticed?"

Ginny had been controlled by Tom Riddle frequently and had carried out many actions unconsciously.

However, she hadn't been entirely unaware. After Ethan gave her a brief explanation, she quickly understood and followed him, preparing to leave the damp, dark underground chamber.

Ethan could tell that Ginny didn't fully trust him. She couldn't exactly doubt him either, so she followed cautiously until they reached the abandoned girls' restroom and returned to the familiar halls of Hogwarts. Only then did Ginny visibly relax.

"Alright, you should know how to get back from here. You don't need me to walk you to Gryffindor's common room, do you?"

"Ah, no, I can go back myself... Thank you!"

As a Weasley, Ginny shared the same prejudice as her brother Ron. She had always believed there were no good people in Slytherin House. A large part of her wariness toward Ethan came from that belief.

Even though she now saw that Ethan wasn't as unpleasant as the others in Slytherin, she still didn't want to linger around him. After thanking him, she left quickly.

"You got rejected."

Scáthach suddenly popped out of nowhere. She wasn't just a master of martial arts and magic, but also incredibly skilled at hiding her presence. If you weren't actively searching, even Ethan would have trouble noticing her.

"You were hiding here...?"

"Didn't you say you wanted to eat snake meat? You went down with Dumbledore and the others earlier, so I figured you didn't get the chance to bring the basilisk out. After checking the area and seeing no one around, I came down to fetch it myself."

"I didn't know you liked eating snake meat."

Ethan waved her off, indicating there was no need. He had already stored the basilisk's corpse.

"I'm more interested in the materials. A special basilisk like that must have lots of useful parts. At the very least, its skin is rare."

Ethan rolled his eyes. So she wasn't here for the meat, but the materials. He suddenly remembered that Scáthach was quite skilled at crafting weapons. For example, the Gáe Bulg used by Cú Chulainn was made by her.

"What do you want the snake skin for?"

"Leather clothes and a leather whip. Do you think it would go better with a skirt or pants?"

Ethan looked at her, speechless. This person, who looked like a cute little girl and smiled so innocently, actually asked that kind of question. Besides, Ethan wasn't into that kind of thing...

"Both sound fine."

As for the specific style, that could be figured out later. There was no rush. Even if the outfit was made, Scáthach wouldn't wear it at her current size. She clearly wouldn't be designing it for her present form.

After eliminating the basilisk and destroying the soul in the diary, Hogwarts slowly returned to its usual, peaceful routine.

Although Harry and Ron were satisfied with how things ended, they still felt something was missing.

Hermione had no complaints. With nothing major happening, she had more time to study. Recently, she started pestering Rin again, asking her to teach her some "unusual" knowledge.

Ethan also continued his quiet studies. Compared to his first year, when troublemakers constantly forced him to show his skills, this year was much more peaceful. No one dared provoke him anymore, especially after Snape started showing him extra attention.

"Have you forgotten that I am the Head of Slytherin?"

For Snape, life hadn't been as comfortable since the incident with the basilisk and their conversation afterward.

Ethan frequently visited Snape's office, openly flipping through his private collection. The knowledge recorded in these books was far superior to what lower-year students had access to. Even Ethan had to take his time to fully understand it.

After discovering this treasure trove, Snape's hard days began.

"It's exactly because you're the Head of Slytherin that I came here."

While flipping through a book on advanced spells, Ethan made gestures in the air. He wasn't even holding a wand, but magical light flickered at his fingertips. Snape's eyelids twitched uncontrollably as he watched.

"Then shouldn't you show some respect to your Head of House?"

"I'll show the proper respect when others are present."

What he meant was, there was no one else here, and since Snape already knew his situation, there was no need to pretend. This blunt attitude left Snape both annoyed and helpless.

He now understood why Dumbledore didn't want to reveal everything to Ethan or confront him. From the magical fluctuations and Ethan's precise spell control, Snape knew exactly how terrifying his strength was.

And judging from Ethan's words and behavior, Snape agreed with Dumbledore's earlier assumption. This guy definitely wasn't just a teenager.

(To be continued.)