No, I Really Didn't Use the Killing Curse!

As Ethan finished reading the line, a deep blue light swallowed him, forcing his eyes shut.

The primal scent faded, and the smell of dust crept back into his nostrils.

Ethan opened his eyes to find himself standing once more in the Trophy Room, before the mirror.

The silvery moonlight shone on its smooth surface, reflecting Ethan's figure.

Other than that, it was empty.

Eris's Spell was etched clearly into Ethan's mind.

That intricate cipher contained characters he didn't recognize—perhaps Ancient Runes, which he hadn't studied yet.

Just murmuring it in his head stirred a surge of longing passion.

Nearly clouding his senses.

"Whoosh—"

Ethan took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled, calming himself.

What a powerful and terrifying spell, seizing one's mind, drowning them in illusory dreams, making them forget reality.

Ethan absolutely loved it.

With this spell, he could paint truly captivating portraits!

Professor Snape would no longer have to brood over black-and-white sketches; he could truly immerse himself!

No, even more than that, he could replicate the Mirror of Erised.

As a artifact that reflected everyone's deepest desires!

Ethan's heart pounded, his eyes gleaming, sparks of inspiration bursting forth.

He couldn't wait to get back to the dormitory and try it out.

Just then, Ethan heard a limping footstep from outside the door.

It was Filch returning.

"Scouring Charm."

Ethan waved his wand, sweeping the dust clean in an instant.

When Filch came in, panting, he found the room spotless.

"You—you used magic!"

Filch's eyes bulged, nearly popping out, his face red with rage.

He hadn't caught those night-prowling troublemakers.

And now, after coming back, the Trophy Room had been cleaned up.

—Was he being toyed with?!

Ethan twirled his wand, looking innocent. "Magic? You're accusing me unfairly. I wiped it all clean myself, bit by bit."

Filch nearly spat out blood.

He flew into a rage, trembling as he roared:

"I'm going to tell the professors! Let them check your wand! You evil little brat, just wait until the school punishes you—"

Before he could finish, a strange, low murmur flowed from Ethan's lips.

"Erised stra ehru..."

The incantation was rough and awkward; Ethan felt like he was reciting a tongue twister, stumbling over words he didn't know.

But it worked.

With a wave of his wand, motes of light like moths swirled around Filch's head.

Filch's eyes lost focus, and a lecherous grin spread across his face.

Ethan fell silent.

Wait.

Wasn't this effect just like the Killing Curse, one of the three Unforgivable Curses?

What a good wizard I am!

"Do a somersault?"

Ethan tested the command.

Filch didn't react, just kept basking in his pleasant illusion.

Ethan was relieved.

A very safe spell.

No, it should be called a helpful spell—a good one.

You could call it the "Sweet Dream Spell."

As for the gap between the dream and reality after waking up...?

Ethan figured he only handled the sweet dreams, not the after-sales service.

"Even an incomplete spell can have this much effect... If I fully replicate it in a painting, how powerful would that be?"

Ethan muttered, striding briskly across the room and stopping at the door.

He glanced sideways, looking down at Mrs. Norris, who was pacing anxiously by Filch's feet.

"Meow~ meow~"

Her voice sounded pitiful.

Ethan cracked a smile, bent down, and gave the cat—frozen stiff with wariness—a rough stroke—

Against the fur.

"Meow!!!"

With a miserable yowl, Ethan walked out of the Trophy Room, satisfied.

Ah, that felt good.

Halfway back to the dormitory.

Ethan ran into the few "troublemakers" who had lured Filch away earlier—

It was Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

Compared to Ethan's calm composure, the three looked utterly rattled, as if they'd seen Professor Quirrell playing with a troll.

They met at a corner.

Ethan heard the footsteps in time and stepped aside.

But the three, startled by his sudden appearance, crashed into each other and tumbled to the floor with a chorus of ows.

If Filch hadn't already been hit by the Killing Curse—ah, no, the Sweet Dream Spell—he'd probably have popped out from some nook or cranny by now.

"Are you trying to wake up the whole castle for a party?"

Ethan asked curiously.

"What? No!"

Ron scrambled up, panting, staring at Ethan with a pale little face.

"You have no idea what we just saw!"

Ethan: "Hmm~ Could it be that you broke into the Fourth Floor Corridor Restricted Area and ran into a three-headed dog?"

Ron: "..."

The three of them gaped, dumbfounded, staring at the smiling Ethan.

He'd nailed it!

They'd barely escaped with their lives, convinced they were the first in the school to know what was in the restricted area on the fourth floor.

But Ethan had just blurted it out so casually!

"H-how did you know?" Ron stammered.

Ethan smiled mysteriously: "Secret."

In that moment, Ethan's image grew even taller in their eyes.

Truly Ethan.

So unfathomable.

—Ethan, of course, knew from the original story.

It seemed that even though Malfoy's duel opponent had switched to him, canceling Harry and the others' original nighttime duel, They'd still snuck out and, chased by Filch, ended up in the Fourth Floor Corridor Restricted Area.

Ethan even wondered if Old Dumbledore had enchanted the stairs to steer Harry and the gang toward the restricted area whenever possible.

Harry pushed up his glasses, nervous and excited, lowering his voice:

"Do you remember that small cloth bundle I mentioned before, the one Hagrid took from the Gringotts vault? The one the newspaper said someone tried to steal!"

"Yeah, I remember."

Ethan lowered his voice too, leaning in, mimicking their secretive manner.

"I suspect that bundle is what the three-headed dog is guarding!"

At that, Harry paused, then reluctantly added, "Hermione pointed it out to us—that there's a trapdoor under the three-headed dog—"

Before the words had even faded, Hermione, who had been silent all along, suddenly lifted her head and snapped:

"Are you two done talking?!"

"It's guarding something, and someone wants to steal it—what does that have to do with us?!"

"You're seriously violating school rules right now, do you even realize that?!"

"And you, Vincent!"

Hermione whipped her head around, glaring at Ethan with a look of utter disappointment.

"As you wish."

Ethan gave a slight bow, polite and graceful.

"..." Hermione choked for a moment, then said indignantly, "I didn't think someone who studies so hard would be this reckless!"

At that, Ethan raised an eyebrow and said in surprise, "Is that hard to imagine?"

Ever since the term started, how many "reckless" things had he done?

Hermione: "..."

Fine.

Attacking Malfoy with magic, beating Malfoy with physical force, earning money from the Malfoy family...

It seemed like there really wasn't a single day he'd followed the rules.

Maybe it was Ethan's appearance that was too deceptive.

People saw his handsome, innocent-looking face and automatically overlooked the bad things he'd done.

"...Fine! I'm done with you two! If no one objects, I'm going back to the dorm to sleep!"

With that, Hermione flicked her hair, and her broom-like locks smacked Ron across the face as she stomped away.

Ron covered his face and said incredulously, "We don't object, go ahead. What kind of talk is that, like we forced her to come!"

Ethan smiled and asked casually, "So why did you two come out? It's this late."

Malfoy had been taken home, so there was no such thing as a "midnight duel" anymore.

Harry scratched his head, a little embarrassed, and said:

"Uh, we wanted to help you distract Filch... so you'd have time to cast a spell and wouldn't have to wipe those filthy trophies by hand."