Chapter 125
Practice began. Ethan was a bit distracted. He knew the diary he'd failed to find had already turned up, but the problem was, he didn't know who had it.
*Could Ginny still have it? Should I try to keep a closer eye on her?*
"What are you thinking about?"
"Gin... nothing." Ethan was slow to react and nearly let it slip.
Hermione looked at him suspiciously.
Ethan quickly changed the subject. "What's wrong with Ron? He doesn't look so good."
Ron was already resting on a nearby tree stump. Harry heard Ethan's question and shook his head. "I don't know, but he's been acting kind of strange lately."
"Strange? How strange?" Ethan pressed, as a thought occurred to him. "Could the diary be with Ron?"
"Sometimes he bursts out laughing for no reason. Even though he goes to bed early, he's always exhausted, as if he barely slept." Harry leaned in closer and lowered his voice.
"Hmm?"
*Was Voldemort teaching him something through the diary, or giving him some kind of hint that made him burst out laughing like that? He went to bed early but was still exhausted, as if he hadn't slept at all. Could he be sneaking out at night?*
*Besides, the Basilisk still hadn't shown up. Maybe he was stuck in detention, leaving him no chance to open the Chamber of Secrets?*
The more Ethan thought about it, the more convinced he became. He just hadn't caught him using it yet.
"Has he been acting strangely in the dormitory at all?" Ethan asked, trying to find out if Harry had seen Ron writing in the diary.
Harry considered it for a moment. Ron's routine didn't seem much different from usual. "Doesn't look like it. Everything else seems pretty normal."
"Really? Then maybe he just has something on his mind. You should try having a heart-to-heart with him." Ethan hoped Harry could learn something from Ron that would help him figure things out.
When break time came, Hagrid still hadn't returned. They boiled water for tea in the hut themselves and chatted idly.
Their practice session flew by. By noon, Hagrid had stewed a couple of rabbits. That explained why he had returned so late.
As Ethan ate the rabbit, he found himself craving a bowl of rice. *If I poured the gravy over the rice and ate it with the hot meat, it would be absolutely delicious.*
He made up his mind. *When I head back this afternoon, I'll go down to the kitchen and have the elves prepare a bowl of rice and stew.*
The group parted ways in the Entrance Hall. Ethan went downstairs toward the kitchen.
"Sir, it's been a long time since you visited." Dobby looked very surprised to see Ethan.
"I've been a bit busy lately," Ethan said with a smile.
Ethan asked tentatively, "I'd like something special. I was wondering if you could make it?"
"Just name it. We'll do our best to satisfy your request, sir!" Dobby said, his large eyes fixed on him.
Ethan described how to make tomato beef brisket with rice, then sat nearby, eager to see the result.
In just half an hour, a steaming bowl of the dish and a bowl of rice were brought out.
"It's our first time making this. We don't know if you'll like it, sir." Dobby looked nervous.
"Delicious!" Ethan took a bite and found it different from what he remembered, but still tasty.
He gave a thumbs-up, spooned the broth over his rice, and ate in big mouthfuls.
Earlier, at Hagrid's place, he had skipped the bread and only eaten some rabbit meat, all to save room for this.
"I'm off now. Thank you, everyone!" Having eaten his fill, Ethan patted his slightly rounded belly, let out a small burp, thanked the elves, and left the kitchen.
He'd eaten too much. He needed time to digest. After going back for seconds, Ethan had no choice but to pace around the dormitory to let his food settle.
Another Saturday had arrived. Ethan was still helping Snape brew new potions. That week, the Potions Master had also conducted several brewing sessions in his free time, and the stock of certain ingredients had noticeably dwindled.
Ethan felt a pang of regret that he couldn't observe Snape's complete thought process during the brewing. His own understanding remained incomplete.
Ethan had analyzed the ingredient combinations and purposes of these recipes the previous week. He could only guess that some were for healing and others for restoring vitality, but there were still a few potions whose purpose he couldn't determine.
Judging by Snape's demeanor, however, the man clearly had no intention of explaining the effects of these concoctions. Ethan would have to puzzle them out on his own for now.
Over the past two weeks, he had brewed more than twenty different potions. The sheer volume was overwhelming. He needed a great deal of time to process everything he had learned.
On Sunday, at Hagrid's hut, Ethan had essentially confirmed that Ron was acting suspiciously.
Throughout the week, he had lingered in the Great Hall specifically to monitor Ginny's mental state.
He discovered that Ginny, who should have been in possession of the Horcrux diary and showing signs like Quirrell had, was actually in excellent spirits. She chatted and laughed with her dormmates, showing no signs of being affected at all.
Yet Ron, usually so full of energy, looked rather ill.
Inside the hut, after eating rabbit for two meals in a row, the four of them decided to head back to the castle for lunch. Hagrid didn't go hunting in the Forbidden Forest. Instead, he boiled water to make tea for everyone.
Hermione suddenly spotted a brand-new copy of *Magical Me*. She picked it up and thumbed through the pages. "Hagrid, you're still reading Lockhart's books? And look, it's even personally signed by him!"
Hermione looked at the fancy looping signature on the title page with a hint of envy. She really admired his wonderful stories.
"Reading his books?" Hagrid's face twisted with disgust. "He forced this on me."
"A while back, he actually came here to teach me how to keep water demons out of the well, as if I didn't already know how. Ridiculous!"
Hagrid looked furious. "He kept boasting about how he'd banished banshees. I dare say if there's even one true sentence in it, I'll eat this teapot!"
Hagrid lifted the teapot from the fire and poured a cup for each of them.
Ethan pushed Fang's head away, picked up the enormous teacup, and took a small sip.
Hagrid's criticism of Lockhart took Harry and the others by surprise.
Last term, when they'd badmouthed Snape in front of Hagrid, he hadn't reacted like that at all.
"Since Professor Dumbledore let him teach this course, he obviously thinks Lockhart is capable! You're being a bit unfair, Hagrid!" Hermione's face flushed, and her voice pitched higher than usual.
"It's not that he's suitable, it's just that he's the only option." Hagrid put down the teapot and sank into his oversized chair.
"Over the years, not a single Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher has lasted a full year. They either leave early due to accidents or suffer misfortunes like serious injuries. That's left fewer people wanting to teach the course, especially after Quirrell 'disappeared' last year. Now almost no one wants the job; it's considered bad luck. Dumbledore probably only got Lockhart because he's the only option right now."
Hagrid looked at Hermione and spread his hands.
"I knew Lockhart back at school. He had high ambitions but little talent. He loved the limelight and would blow even minor achievements out of proportion."
"All right, all right, let's not talk about Lockhart anymore." Seeing Hermione's flushed, angry face and realizing she was about to snap at Hagrid, Ethan quickly cut him off.
When it came to Lockhart, everyone from Snape to Hagrid shared the same low opinion of him.
From what Ethan had observed over the past week, even Professor Flitwick didn't think much of him.
That Monday morning, Ethan received another letter from Camille. It was the second time the girl, two years his senior, had written to him since the start of term.
In her last letter, Camille had included a photo of Beauxbatons. This time was much the same. Along with several photos of the school's interior, she described some of the courses offered there.
Ethan finished his reply that afternoon, slipped it into his bag, and headed to the Owlery after eight o'clock to send it off.
He watched the owl fly away and, just as he prepared to return to the dormitory, overheard a conversation between Professor Flitwick and Lockhart.
"Gilderoy, I'm tired. You go ahead. As for what you said, I'll consider it." Professor Flitwick, known for his good nature and his habit of smiling at jokes in class, sounded unmistakably impatient.
"Then I'll take my leave, Professor. However, I believe what I said has an excellent chance of being published in *Charm Innovations*." Lockhart was still rambling. From the sound of it, he was simply boasting about his achievements in Charms.
Flitwick's voice took on an edge of impatience. "I understand. I'll consider it carefully. It's getting late. You should head back."
Ethan did his best to stay quiet, hoping to avoid detection by either of them.
If Professor Flitwick found him, it would be fine. The professor wouldn't do anything to him. But if Lockhart found him, he'd be in trouble.
That show-off would undoubtedly drag him into it and brag endlessly.
Just thinking about it gave him a headache. Ethan watched Lockhart go downstairs first, waited a moment, then headed back down to the dormitory.
But this wasn't the right time to tell them that story.
"By the way, Hagrid, did you find out why your rooster was killed last week?" Ethan asked, watching Hagrid while keeping an eye on Ron's reaction out of the corner of his eye.
Hagrid seemed pretty down. He scratched his shaggy head. "No. I asked the centaurs. They said the werewolves deep in the Forbidden Forest haven't moved toward the edges, and they haven't seen any in a long time, either."
"Centaurs rarely leave the Forbidden Forest. Even if they did, they wouldn't come out just to kill one of my roosters."
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2.Marvel: Cosmic Forger of Infinity = CHAPTER 196
3.Harry Potter: Beyond Good and Evil in the Wizarding World = CHAPTER 282
4.Harry Potter: Reborn as Draco Black = CHAPTER 123
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