Chapter 44: The Bloodline Joke
Ethan didn't know why Voldemort had given him a stack of valuable magical materials, but he stashed them in his bag anyway.
By the time he reached the Great Hall, the meal was nearly over and little food remained on the tables. He managed a few bites.
While studying in the library, he itched to take out the materials several times to examine them, but one glance at Hermione beside him made him abandon the idea and stick to the library's books.
When he left the library, he claimed he was tired and had Astronomy that evening, thereby skipping the session after Transfiguration.
After finally finishing Transfiguration, he was the first to rush out, like a bat out of hell, and headed for the dungeons.
He counted the stack of parchment: twenty sheets in total. Ten contained magical theory, and the remaining ten held five spells, including one he already knew: Confringo.
He glanced at the magical theory briefly, then focused on Confringo, about which he already had some knowledge.
After shooing away a curious Malfoy, Ethan put away the other papers and kept only the two pages explaining the spell.
"Confringo is a Dark Magic spell that produces orange flames. For the average witch or wizard, it is complex magic, not easily mastered..." The opening was straightforward and didn't mince words.
He read on, finding the content increasingly fascinating.
It ran for about a page and a half, detailing the spell thoroughly.
It covered the proper mindset for beginners, the basics of casting, how to stress the incantation, wand movements, and other precautions, while also listing common pitfalls.
The latter half contained the author's personal insights and experiences, as well as simplified gestures and modifications.
Especially at the end, there were tips on how to amplify the spell's power.
This was knowledge he had never encountered before.
Ethan read with rapt attention, frequently muttering under his breath in appreciation.
After one reading, he wasn't content, so he went through it three or four more times, identifying every flaw in his spellcasting.
He was itching to test it and see how much destruction the raging flames could produce with this method.
He noticed the odd looks his roommates were giving him, cleared his throat, and put the two pages into his bag.
After a moment's consideration, he felt uneasy leaving the rest in the dormitory, so he brought them with him.
It was almost dinnertime, so he decided to skip the meal in the Great Hall and planned to cook something special for himself in the kitchen later.
He walked out of the castle against the tide of students, forgoing the Black Lake, his usual practice spot, and headed for the Quidditch pitch.
No matches were scheduled yet, and the House teams weren't training intensely, so the pitch saw little use at the moment. Moreover, with dinner underway, almost no one was around.
After choosing a spot, he looked around to confirm he was alone before confidently casting the spell, which wasn't exactly encouraged at Hogwarts.
"Confringo!" An orange fireball erupted from the tip of his wand, crashed into the ground, and created a crater the size of a basketball.
Ethan was satisfied with the improvement. "It actually worked! Voldemort really is the Dark Lord; he knows his dark magic!"
After reviewing the detailed explanation, he felt his first attempt at the spell could still use some work. "My movements weren't quite right, and the syllables were too drawn out. I'll try again."
"Boom! Boom!" Fireballs exploded against the ground in rapid succession, leaving craters behind.
He cast spell after spell, each one growing more powerful than the last, until he lost himself in the rhythm.
The sky had gone completely dark, and aside from the light of his flames, not a single ray of light remained.
Caught up in the thrill of progress, he'd completely lost track of time.
"Oh no, it's already so dark." When he finally came to his senses, he remembered he had Astronomy class that evening.
"Oh no! I'm not going to be late for class for the first time because of Astronomy, am I?" He took off running toward the Astronomy Tower.
He arrived at the Astronomy Tower panting just as the bell rang for class. He wasn't late; he'd barely made it inside.
But when everyone else took out their telescopes to observe the starry sky, he realized he hadn't brought his telescope when he'd gone out.
He'd been so engrossed in practice that he hadn't even had time to run back to the dorm for his telescope.
He could only watch the others gazing at the stars while he gazed at them.
In the end, Professor Sinistra couldn't stand it anymore and found him a spare old telescope so the class could finish.
He thanked the professor profusely and returned the cleaned telescope to her, then left the Astronomy Tower with the Slytherins.
As Draco came downstairs, he asked, "Where have you been? You almost missed Astronomy class."
Ethan casually replied, "I've been practicing spells. You know I grew up in the Muggle world. I'm naturally at a disadvantage. If I don't work hard, how can I keep up with you pure-blood and half-blood princes and princesses?"
Draco rolled his eyes. He believed that much. His roommate often practiced spells on his own. He'd even run into him by the Black Lake once. It wasn't surprising.
Draco dismissed the second half of his statement as nonsense. "What do you mean kids raised in Muggle communities are inherently weak?" he asked. "With such powerful bloodline talents, how can they be weak?"
However, the other Slytherins' reactions were cold.
They had heard Ethan's words too, and at first they laughed, taking it as a joke. How could there be a Muggle-born wizard in Slytherin?
But when they saw that Draco, Goyle, and Crabbe weren't laughing, they realized Ethan might be telling the truth.
They began whispering among themselves, shooting him strange looks.
Even some of the girls who had been swooning over his looks began to waver.
Ethan couldn't understand what they were thinking. "Do Slytherins really value bloodlines that much? Their expressions changed the moment they heard I grew up among Muggles."
Draco gave him a look that said, "You just realized that?" He continued, "You should watch what you say in the future. Every Slytherin values bloodline honor."
Ethan was annoyed. "Tch. So what if he really is a Muggle-born wizard?"
He glared at the classmates whispering behind him, the red glint in his eyes catching the dim stairwell light ominously.
The Slytherins were frightened by the strange sight. They immediately fell silent and followed him back to the dormitory.
When they reached the common room and the boys separated from the girls, Draco deliberately lagged behind a few steps, blocking the others.
"I'm warning you, don't go spreading rumors. Ethan isn't Muggle-born; he was just adopted by a Muggle. Don't spread lies, or he'll be angry."
With that, Draco led his two bodyguards into the dormitory, leaving the group staring at each other in bewilderment.
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