Chapter 18: A Brief Analysis of Bloodlines
Ethan finished his last bite, glanced at the hall clock, and turned to Hermione. "Want to come with me to see Professor McGonagall?"
"Of course I'm going. We already agreed." Hermione's mood brightened, and she chewed faster.
"Let's go," Hermione said, grabbing her backpack.
The two walked against the tide of students leaving the Great Hall, crossed the entrance hall, and climbed to the second floor.
Professor McGonagall was eating lunch when they knocked on her office door.
"Come in."
Ethan opened the door. "Professor McGonagall, it's me, Ethan. I have a question for you."
"What's the problem?" McGonagall set down her silverware and gestured for them to sit on the sofa.
"About my background." He stared intently into McGonagall's eyes and caught a fleeting gleam in them.
"Have you noticed it too? I'm a Muggle-born student, but I was sorted into Slytherin, a House known for its bloodlines." He pressed for an answer.
"Yes, child. Although I don't know exactly what happened, there are only two possibilities now: either the Sorting Hat changed its criteria, or you are at least a half-blood wizard."
McGonagall's expression softened with pity. Clearly, she didn't believe the Sorting Hat had suddenly abandoned principles upheld for centuries since Slytherin's founding.
She reached out to comfort him. "But child, whether you're their biological child or not, their love for you is genuine. I could see that after spending just half a day with them."
"Professor, I have never doubted my parents' love for me. I just want to find out the truth." Ethan sighed. From Hermione to McGonagall, everyone kept bringing it up.
"That's good." Professor McGonagall seemed relieved. "Don't worry. I discovered this problem at the Sorting Ceremony yesterday and spoke with your Head of House, Snape, and Professor Dumbledore. The Headmaster promised to borrow an alchemical apparatus from his friend to determine your bloodline."
"Oh, is that so? Thank you, Professor."
Ethan was somewhat surprised, but he quickly realized that this friend was most likely the owner of the Sorcerer's Stone: the legendary alchemist Nicolas Flamel.
"Does Granger have any questions?" Seeing that Ethan's question had been resolved, she turned to the girl who had remained silent until now.
Hermione shook her head. "No, Professor, I just came with him."
"If you two have nothing else, you may leave now," Professor McGonagall said, waving them toward the door. "I need to finish my meal and rest before preparing for this afternoon's classes."
"Okay, goodbye, Professor."
They exchanged goodbyes, and the office door swung shut behind Ethan.
*Now that Dumbledore has intervened, you can rest assured he will uncover the truth of your bloodline!*
*Yes, I believe in Dumbledore.* Ethan nodded.
"It's still early. Are you planning to head back to your dorm and rest, or did you want to do something else?"
Thinking of her two roommates who hadn't been particularly welcoming, Hermione shook
her head. "How about the library? Hogwarts has so many books you can't find at Flourish and Blotts."
"Okay, but I want to swing by my dorm first to grab my History of Magic textbook for this afternoon, so I'm not rushing later."
"Then I'll run up to Gryffindor Tower and grab my Herbology textbook too, so I don't have to come back for it."
They agreed to meet at the library entrance before parting ways, one heading up to Gryffindor Tower and the other down toward the dungeons.
Meanwhile, Professor McGonagall finished her lunch quickly and paced back and forth in her office. *How did Ethan discover he wasn't his parents' biological son? Was it simply the Sorting Hat's judgment? But given his certainty, that doesn't seem to be the case. Best to consult Dumbledore.*
Having made up her mind, she hurried toward the Headmaster's office.
Ethan hurried down to the dungeons, retrieved what he needed, and ran into the trio returning from the Great Hall just as he was leaving.
"Ethan, is that girl you're with a first-year Gryffindor?" Draco seemed to have forgotten he'd met Hermione on the train.
Crabbe and Goyle each held a chicken leg in one hand and a small cake in the other.
"Yes, we went to school together before Hogwarts." Ethan didn't want to discuss Hermione with Malfoy anymore.
"I'm heading to the library now. Don't forget to leave early for History of Magic this afternoon."
Ethan pushed open the door and left.
Goyle, who often seemed slow on the uptake, was occasionally quite perceptive. "Doesn't Draco like us? Why does he always leave in such a hurry?" he asked.
Draco's eyes flashed. "Ignore him. He's clearly at least a half-blood wizard, yet he always hangs out with a Muggle-born. He's nothing like a Slytherin. It's shameful."
If Ethan had heard, he would have made sure the rude child learned a lesson.
When he arrived at the library, Hermione was already waiting for him.
When she saw Ethan, she said mysteriously, "You'd never guess what I just saw."
"What? Could it be that a dragon attacked the Gryffindor common room?"
"Get out of here, let's get down to business. I just saw Professor McGonagall. She came from the Headmaster's office. I wonder if it's because of you."
"Maybe, who knows?" Ethan shrugged.
He found a seat next to Hermione, put down his backpack, and began to walk among the bookshelves, browsing books whose names he had never even heard of.
Suddenly, he stopped in front of a bookshelf and pulled out a book with a blood-red spine.
He read the book title softly: "A Brief Analysis of the Origin of Bloodlines and Some Talented Witchcraft."
The book cover depicted a dragon of an unknown species, spewing flames outwards.
The author's name was somewhat obscured; it was unclear whether it had been deliberately erased or worn away over time.
He took the book back to his desk and opened it to the table of contents on the first page.
"Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them? You still love reading these." Hermione had returned as well, glancing at the book's contents.
Ethan opened the cover, pointing to the title. "No, it's about bloodlines. You know, I awakened an ability when my accidental magic manifested. I think this book can answer some of my questions, and might even bring some other surprises."
Hermione wanted to say something more, but Mrs. Pince, the librarian, shouted, "No noise allowed in the library!"
She quickly shut her mouth. Although Mrs. Pince might not have been talking about her, continuing to speak now would definitely lead to trouble.
She gestured that they'd talk later and opened a book she'd taken from the shelf.
At 1:40, Hermione stopped reading, tapped Ethan's arm, and signaled that she had to go to class.
To avoid being yelled at by Mrs. Pince again, he turned to Hermione and whispered, "See you in the Great Hall tonight."
Perhaps they were getting too close, and Hermione felt a little uncomfortable. She blushed, pushed Ethan away, glared at him, quickly packed her bag, and left.
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