Penelope was dumbstruck.
A first-year wizard, taking on a Troll?
Had he gone mad?!
No matter how impressive Ethan was, he'd only been at school for a few months.
In first-year Charms Class, they'd only learned the Levitation Charm!
Creatures with hides that thick were resistant to most magic.
Even an exceptional upper-year student might have a chance of taking one on alone.
But a first-year...
If they ran into a Troll, they'd be lucky just to keep their legs from giving out!
Even Ethan's Portal magic probably couldn't transport such a massive creature.
It was an unreasonable demand, just an excuse to keep Ethan from joining them!
"You—"
"Let's wait a little longer," Prefect Robert interrupted the argument, reassuring her. "There's no harm in recruiting Ethan after he moves up to second year."
Though there was no guarantee he'd want to join.
But by then, Robert would have already slipped off to the Ministry of Magic. Let them deal with all the scheming.
Robert glanced at Sean, who looked smug, and shook his head inwardly.
Sean, Sean. You couldn't deal with a potential rival by simply shutting him out and putting pressure on him.
Just look at the Malfoy family. They knew when to bend and when to stand firm.
Even with half his face swollen from a beating, he'd still offer up the other cheek and say, "Your master's gift."
Now that was tact.
Sean was still too green.
Penelope pouted and let her shoulders slump. "All right..."
She turned, her lively eyes scanning the little first-years for that tall, striking figure.
She genuinely thought highly of Ethan.
He was handsome, capable, and his personality... Well, he was a little Netherworld-ish, but geniuses were always a little different~
Joining the club early would let him learn its inner workings and build connections for the future.
Wouldn't that be wonderful?
What a shame he'd been held back by someone jealous... Hm?
Penelope's gaze suddenly stilled. She furrowed her brows, a puzzled look appearing on her face.
Wait, she'd been searching for ages. Why couldn't she spot Ethan in the crowd?
Where was he??
Meanwhile.
Ethan hadn't gone with the crowd to the common room.
He turned and headed in another direction.
Following Harry and Ron, who had also slipped away unnoticed.
But unlike the Two Little Ones, whom nobody had noticed leaving, everyone around them saw Ethan sneak off.
Nobody tried to stop him.
They just thought:
Ah, who's going to have a bad time now?
Being targeted by Ethan was a truly beautiful misfortune.
Just look at Professor Quirrell, floating in midair with blood trickling from his mouth.
Away from the crowd.
Ethan rounded a corner, and the noise faded behind him.
Moonlight streamed through the diamond-paned windows, spilling into the ancient, silent castle like a jewel refracting into countless brilliant colors.
Ethan couldn't help stopping. He tilted his head back and gazed for a long while at the bright, clear full moon.
He took a deep breath and sighed:
The moonlight is beautiful tonight.
I wonder what Luna's doing right now.
Could she be gazing up at that silvery disc, too?
Or was she doing what she'd described in her letter, dressing up as a Dementor and going door to door asking for candy?
So cute...
In the peaceful quiet, Ethan's handsome face looked even gentler in the moonlight, his bearing noble and impressive.
Like a garden sprite from a dream, pure and lovely, without a trace of blemish.
All around him, the Living Paintings had fled.
Red paint oozed from his wand, dripping onto the floor and spreading into a trail of blood behind him.
It was a shame Hermione hadn't been able to enjoy his Halloween surprise because she was feeling down.
He had to make it up to the girl.
He wanted to share his kindness equally.
Everyone deserved a complete childhood.
Today, Ethan was giving himself another pat on the back for his kindness.
Just then.
"Ahhh—!!!"
A piercing scream came from ahead!
At the same time, there came a series of loud crashes, like things breaking.
Footsteps pounded, and panicked shouts of "Run! Run!" rang through the corridor.
Then three figures charged around the corner.
Harry and Ron.
And Hermione, held between them.
Oh, so they weren't fighting in the bathroom?
Ethan raised an eyebrow, but didn't think much of it. The outcome wouldn't change.
He raised his wand. The moment Harry and Ron caught sight of him as they ran toward them, their terror visibly intensified.
They even skidded to a stop on instinct, trying to turn and run the other way.
Hermione: ?
Hermione was stunned and looked at the two boys in confusion.
The Troll was right behind them. Why were they trying to run back?
Harry and Ron stared at the smiling Ethan with ashen faces, not knowing how to explain it to Hermione.
Maybe there was a terrifying Troll behind them.
But in front of them was hell!
Still, they had no time to think.
"Roar—!"
A thunderous growl came from behind them.
A colossal creature, nearly four meters tall and as big as a small hill, came rumbling after them.
Its head nearly scraped the ceiling, and its skin was like granite. It was hard to imagine what effect a spell could have on it.
Its two short legs were as thick as tree stumps, and every step made the whole corridor tremble.
It gripped a wooden club that dragged along the floor.
Ethan waved with a smile. "Come on over~"
Harry and Ron: "..."
They stopped together, their faces turning as white as paper.
"W-what are you doing?! Hurry up and get over here!" Hermione cried in panic and confusion.
Perhaps because Ethan seemed so calm,
even though he was also a first-year, standing behind him made her feel safe.
In the end, the Three Little Ones ran over to stand behind Ethan, jostling each other along the way.
They immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
Then they saw Ethan raise his wand toward the Troll.
The Three Little Ones: ?!!
"Y-you're not thinking of taking on the Troll, are you?!" Ron blurted, pulling his cheeks down with both hands. "Bloody hell, we're doomed!"
"Shh—"
Ethan raised a finger and gently told Ron to be quiet.
Then he turned to Hermione and asked:
"Miss Granger, do you know the Avis charm?"
Hermione froze. Even in the middle of a crisis, her studious instincts made her answer without thinking.
"It's a spell that summons a flock of chirping little birds, right? They can be sent flying at an enemy as a way to attack."
"But you're not planning to use that against the Troll, are you?! Its skin is as hard as rock. That kind of spell could never hurt it!"
As she spoke, Hermione stopped and bit her lip.
She'd gone and lectured someone again...
But Ethan didn't mind. He simply watched the approaching Troll and smiled.
"Miss Granger, have you ever noticed that even the same spell can have different effects when cast by an adult wizard and a young one?"
"That's because their souls are different in strength—or, you could say, because they have different amounts of 'magic.'"
"Just as water barrels come in different sizes, so do people's bodies."
"So..."
Ethan flicked his wand, and a streak of color spilled from it.
A pungent scent of nuts and minerals wafted through the air.
Hermione's eyes slowly widened. Reflected in them was the wand as it changed shape.
—Until, at last, it became an extraordinarily beautiful paintbrush.
Its lines were smooth and straight, and the wood grain was elegant yet understated. It was impossible to look away.
At the tip, the bristles were snow-white, as if they'd just been plucked from a Unicorn's tail, and gleamed with a pure light.
The Three Little Ones stared at the paintbrush, spellbound.
Then they suddenly realized this was the "Perfect Brush" Ethan was always going on about.
"..."
The Three Little Ones fell silent.
Their expressions grew odd.
They looked at Ethan's delighted face, wanting to say something but holding back.
—True, the brush was beautiful. It was clearly meant for someone noble and pure.
But that was the exact opposite of Ethan's whole vibe!!
Just how warped was Ethan's self-image???
"Ah... This is the Perfect Brush for me."
Ethan sighed in satisfaction.
He held the smooth, cool handle loosely, and felt it become an extension of his arm.
Magic flowed into it from his body without the slightest resistance, like water flowing through the same pool.
The unity of man and brush filled him with indescribable satisfaction.
"Now, Miss Granger, here comes the important lesson. Pay attention."
At the words "exam question," Hermione instinctively perked up and focused intently on Ethan.
"I'm going to show you just how much magic can affect a spell."
"Avis."
Before you continue