[Painting Used: Broom Rash]
[Effect: Red bumps appear on the area that makes contact.]
Under Malfoy's increasingly horrified gaze, Ethan released his hand and looked down with interest.
This was his first time using this painting.
One by one, red bumps the size of beans appeared on Malfoy's pale palm.
One of them swelled larger and larger, then burst with a pop, oozing yellowish-red fluid.
It wasn't actually that bad, but against his skin, the blisters looked quite shocking.
"Ah, ahhhhhhh—!!!"
Malfoy held up his hand and let out a scream of utter terror!
The air around them instantly froze. Everyone turned in shock to look at them!
"Hmm, seems to work pretty well."
Ethan nodded with satisfaction.
He brought his other hand out from behind his back, revealing a scarlet painting!
It was a miniature version of the Broom Rash painting Ethan had made for The Quibbler, about the size of a card and roughly as big as his palm.
Its white border signified "White rarity."
The [Broom Rash] painting hadn't disappeared after one use.
It could be reused.
Very convenient.
With a thought, the painting vanished from his palm and returned to the "Gallery."
"The effect is already this obvious without any Fusion spells..." Ethan gazed at Malfoy's swollen hand and murmured calmly. "I wonder how effective it'd be with a spell attached."
Could the red bumps spread from the point of contact to a full-body eruption of boils?
That sounded pretty interesting~
Ethan's lips curled in delight.
"You—you devil! What did you do to me?!" Malfoy shrieked. His already pale face had turned even whiter. "I'm telling my dad! You're finished—"
"Why, I didn't do anything. You can check my wand."
Ethan raised his hands innocently.
"You—"
"Mr. Malfoy, did you know?" Ethan leaned close to Malfoy's ear and whispered, "These red bumps are called 'Broom Rash.' They'll spread from your backside all the way over your body..."
"If you're not careful, next time your whole face might rot until it looks like a backside."
Ethan finished speaking slowly, then stepped back.
He was satisfied to see that Malfoy's expression had become one of utter terror.
H-how could this guy say something so terrifying with a mouth at a normal body temperature?!
Malfoy's mind involuntarily conjured the illustration he'd seen earlier.
Pork-like skin, rotting red bumps...
He couldn't help feeling itchy all over, as though the bumps were already spreading beneath his clothes...
All the way up to his face.
"Waaah—!!!"
Malfoy finally burst into tears and ran off in a panic.
He didn't even manage the villain's signature line: "Just you wait."
Tsk, tsk. He couldn't take much pressure. He needed more practice.
Ethan shook his head.
He was disappointed to find that his Soul Fusion Degree hadn't increased.
He'd try again next time.
With a ring of onlookers watching him, Ethan leisurely used the Levitation Charm to float his trunk and boarded the train.
The students in the corridor all moved aside for him, giving Ethan the VIP treatment.
Sigh~ The life of a celebrity was just so plain and simple.
Ethan sighed.
The students in front of him scattered like rabbits that had spotted a hawk, leaving him with an empty compartment.
Before long.
"Whooo—!"
With a deep, resounding whistle, the train shuddered twice and began to pull away.
Ethan closed his textbook.
He looked out the window at the parents waving goodbye, his expression calm and unmoved.
"Haaah~"
Ethan yawned sleepily.
Warm sunlight spread over his face. It was a rare sunny day in the United Kingdom.
Clack, clack.
The train's rhythmic jolting made Ethan's eyelids grow heavy.
He didn't fight the drowsiness. Even the soft seat was more comfortable than the old, hard bed back at his home in Spider's Alley.
With the last of his awareness, Ethan slapped his textbook over his face.
Then he drifted into a deep sleep.
—When Harry and Ron dragged their luggage over and hurriedly opened the compartment door,
they saw a scene straight out of "a book eating a person."
They exchanged a glance, quietly stowed their luggage, and sat down across from Ethan, finally letting out a sigh of relief.
They'd met on the platform, but arrived too late.
All the other compartments were full.
But thank goodness, they'd finally found an empty one.
They were really lucky.
Around half past twelve.
Ethan woke up hungry.
The scent of food wafted into his nostrils.
Ethan's nose twitched twice. His eyelashes fluttered, and he slowly opened his eyes.
Two very familiar figures sat across from him.
They were enthusiastically devouring snacks that covered the whole seat.
The iconic red hair and freckles, round glasses, and green eyes.
Ethan recognized them at a glance.
Ron Weasley and Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived.
Facing two major characters from the original story—one of them the protagonist—Ethan's eyes immediately curved into a smile.
He began planning how to make a lasting impression on them.
However.
Before he could say a word,
"Grrrr~"
Ethan's stomach greeted them first.
At the sound, Harry, who had been a little tense, immediately relaxed.
The boy across from him was almost too handsome.
He sat quietly, like those students from private schools who wore fancy uniforms and brushed past you on the street.
He seemed to belong to a different world.
"Here, have one! Take whatever you like!"
Harry grabbed a Pumpkin Pasty and offered it warmly, looking at Ethan expectantly.
At that moment,
Harry was bathed in sunlight, radiating the glow of a loving father.
"..."
Ethan licked his lips, but in the end, he didn't refuse.
"Thanks." Ethan took the pasty, a sincere smile rising to his face. "I'm Ethan Vincent. Nice to meet you."
"Oh, I'm... I'm Harry Potter."
Harry spoke softly.
But when he saw Ethan glance discreetly at his forehead and make no comment, he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
He'd already received so much attention, and it made him feel very uneasy.
Every time,
it inevitably brought back memories of that terrifying night when the green light had erupted.
—Ethan was so kind and considerate. He must have come from a very warm family.
Harry thought, touched.
Ron introduced himself too, and soon struck up an enthusiastic conversation with Ethan.
Ethan listened attentively, making Ron feel valued in a way he hadn't for a long time.
After all, he had five brilliant older brothers, and his mother was always too busy to give him much attention.
Still, the name "Ethan Vincent" sounded a little familiar.
But the thought came and went, and Ron didn't dwell on it.
His gaze toward Ethan was already full of "Bro! Bro!"
"Guess who I ran into before boarding?"
Ron leaned forward and spoke mysteriously.
Ethan played along, leaning closer and asking quietly, "Who?"
"Malfoy, crying his eyes out!"
"He's a nasty Pure-blood supremacist! His whole family is! They're no good! They're always making trouble for my dad at work!"
Ron said angrily.
"But I don't know who pulled off such a huge feat and made Malfoy bawl his eyes out! Hahaha!"
"I almost missed the train because I wanted to see him make a fool of himself!"
Ron leaned back in his chair, smacking his lips as he savored the thought and pictured it in his mind:
Malfoy kneeling before him, sobbing nonstop, while his brothers gathered around to worship him...
Just imagining it felt great!
Heh heh heh~
Ethan looked at Ron's oddly delighted grin, curled his lips, and said nothing.
Harry looked at his silly best friend, then at the quiet, composed Ethan, and couldn't help putting a hand to his forehead.
...What a stark contrast.
Just then,
a question belatedly popped into Harry's head.
...Huh, that's strange.
When they boarded, why were all the other compartments in front of and behind this one full,
while this compartment had been occupied by Ethan alone the whole time?
Before you continue