Ethan ambled along behind the professors and students, heading toward Hogwarts Castle, which stood in the darkness.
He climbed the long stone steps and passed through the massive oak doors.
Since Ethan was the only one who didn't need to go to the Hospital Wing,
Remember to visit the first-posting site domain
he soon parted ways with the others and headed alone for the Ravenclaw Common Room at the top of the tower.
Before they split up, Professor Snape came over.
His hair was a mess, his robes were torn, and slime coated him from head to toe, like a troll's runny nose.
He did have a bit of Spider's Alley about him.
Ethan thought to himself.
But he didn't say it aloud.
He was afraid Snape would take fifty points off him in the next Potions Class for stirring the cauldron with his right hand.
"What is it, Professor Snape?"
Ethan tipped his head back and gave him an innocent smile, as if he hadn't noticed a thing.
Professor Snape leaned down close to Ethan.
Like a hissing snake, he spoke slowly, his enormous hooked nose almost touching Ethan's face:
"You'd better pray that you've memorized your Potions textbooks from cover to cover, Mr. Vincent... Oh, and that includes the upper-year books."
"Otherwise, Ravenclaw might not stay in the lead. And you wouldn't want the other professors finding out what you did to your fellow students during the assessment, would you?"
"..."
Ethan blinked and began, "Lily—"
"Enough. Be quiet!"
Professor Snape's expression changed.
His finger twitched, and he almost instinctively reached for his chest.
...That little brat.
Snape narrowed his eyes at Ethan's fair, clean face.
He almost wanted to splash a potion on him and make the cocky little brat's face erupt in enormous boils.
But there