Chapter 55: Hagrid's Loving Sandwich
Ethan looked at the stone in his palm, which he could feel but not see, and said, "This is my first time successfully casting the spell, too. None of the previous targets turned invisible."
He felt his previous assumption was correct, but at the same time, he had some doubts about how quickly his magic was growing.
"I remember I never succeeded before, even when casting the Disillusionment Charm on small objects. If my previous failures were due to insufficient magic, does that mean my power has grown significantly in just one month?"
When learning Confringo (Blazing Fire) before, he could use the excuse that his talent was strong enough to learn advanced Dark Magic.
But the Disillusionment Charm was not Dark Magic. In his analysis, the reason he couldn't cast it was likely due to magical power requirements. After all, most wizards who successfully cast it were adults.
Of course, some young wizards who specialized in this spell might also succeed, but they were few in number. At least, according to the movie, Harry, the Boy Who Lived, couldn't cast this magic during his third year.
So, talent alone couldn't explain it.
Although he had some doubts, he wasn't too surprised. After all, his bloodline seemed very powerful, and coupled with being a transmigrator, it was normal to have a bit of a cheat, right?
With that thought, he accepted the situation with peace of mind.
He set that aside and turned his attention to the snow-making spell instead. "Hermione, how did you use that snow-making spell just now?"
Hermione was also happy to know more than Ethan about this spell. "It's simple. I found it in a book and thought it was interesting, so I copied it down. I'll teach you."
Hermione explained the pronunciation carefully, constantly correcting his wand movements until she confirmed he had it right before letting him cast it.
"Nix Facere!"
As he chanted the spell, heavy snow instantly began to fall from the small patch of sky his wand pointed at, drifting down and accumulating in a thick layer on the ground.
"Holy cow! Why is there so much snow?" Ethan jumped.
Not to mention Hermione, who was watching. She looked at the effect of her own spell, then at Ethan's, and almost wanted to cry.
Ethan felt helpless too. His magical ability was indeed far beyond that of other wizards his age, which was simply a fact.
Hermione had grown somewhat quiet. After practicing spells, the two of them returned to Hagrid's hut to rest.
Hagrid brought out the sandwiches from earlier.
Ethan didn't want to eat something that looked normal but was filled with something very abnormal.
But under Hagrid's enthusiastic hospitality, Hermione couldn't resist and took a small bite of the stoat sandwich.
Then, to her surprise, she found the taste passable. Only then did Ethan reluctantly take a bite.
Finally, under Hagrid's eager gaze, the two had to nibble on the sandwiches, which didn't taste bad even though the filling was disgusting.
Seeing that the two seemed to tolerate the sandwich, Hagrid was delighted. "I knew you'd like it. I specially adjusted the recipe just for you!"
He winked playfully at them.
"Thank you so much, Hagrid," Ethan said through gritted teeth.
"Haha, as long as you like it," Hagrid seemed completely oblivious to Ethan's resentment. "Next time Harry and Ron come, I'll definitely make them try it too!"
Ethan, who was "enjoying" his portion, began to sympathize a little with the two Gryffindors who had no idea what was coming.
At noon, when Ethan brought Hagrid's special sandwiches to Crabbe and Goyle, they ate happily, praising how delicious the food was.
Only Draco noticed that Ethan's smile was somewhat wicked, and flat-out refused his overly enthusiastic offer, which disappointed Ethan a little.
After the two finished all the sandwiches, Ethan asked with a smile, "Was it good?"
The two nodded frantically, satisfied smiles on their faces.
Ethan couldn't hold back his laughter anymore. "Made of stoat meat, Hagrid's special. You liked it, right? I'll bring you more next time."
Crabbe's face turned green instantly, and Goyle covered his mouth, looking ready to vomit.
"Hey, hey, hey, don't vomit in the dormitory!"
At that, both of them lost it. They threw open the dormitory door and rushed to the bathroom. Even from a distance, Ethan could hear them retching.
Draco, who had narrowly escaped, silently shrank back, trying to make his not-so-broad body even smaller, as if that would keep Ethan from noticing him.
He was starting to think his roommate was becoming less and less human.
Ethan saw Draco's retreat but didn't react. He didn't want to bother with that clever person who never fell for tricks.
At the same time, he wondered whether he should be nicer to Crabbe and Goyle, who kept falling for his pranks. What if they stopped falling for them next time? Where would he find his fun then?
He slapped his palm, startling Draco, who had been trying to keep a low profile.
"Got it! Next time I'll bring them something truly delicious!"
Goyle and Crabbe happened to overhear this. They had just stopped vomiting and were leaning on each other as they made their way back.
A chill ran down their spines, their stomachs churned again, and the two scrambled back to the bathroom.
"I meant it. Why are they so afraid?" Ethan put on an innocent act and looked at Draco, who had pressed himself into the corner.
"Yes, yes, yes, I believe you. It's their fault." His reply sounded somewhat forced.
"Really? Then next time you can't refuse. You must taste it."
"Next time for sure, next time for sure."
After teasing his roommates, he set off alone.
Hermione had recently been obsessed with alchemy and had made some progress, creating a flame canister that could warm hands.
Ethan named it the Alchemy Hand Warmer. The blue Impermius flame inside could provide warmth for a long time, needing a refill only every ten days. Perfect for the coming winter.
Combined with the setback she'd suffered that morning, she was even more determined to focus on alchemy, to master a field Ethan hadn't touched, and to rebuild her confidence.
So, starting that afternoon, Ethan was on his own.
//=================//