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"Please envision our world as a ship, navigating the vast cosmic sea. We stand on the deck, observing other distant ships—other worlds. Each of these ships carries cargo and crew, usually passing so far away that they can't be seen even with a telescope. However, every few thousand years, the cosmic sea experiences major storms so violent that ships are blown toward each other, sailing side by side. In these moments, crews may move from one ship to another, and cargo may spill onto the neighboring ship. When the weather calms, the ships separate and continue their journeys."
Ethan then recounted legendary tales—a first Conjunction of the Spheres, the birth of humans, elves, dwarves, witchers, the Brotherhood of Sorcerers, the Eternal Fire Cult, the Lodge of Sorceresses, the once mighty women's warlock organization, powerful enough to control kings, overthrowing rulers who failed to meet the sorceresses demands, and establishing a kingdom entirely under sorceresses control. In perilous times, sorceresses who lost in political struggles met tragic ends—torture, witch hunts, burnings at the stake, and eye gouging.
"Those cruel pleasures ended with cruelty," Ethan concluded, echoing the motto of another world.
"Merlin's beard" Dumbledore exclaimed, holding up his glasses, slumped from shock. Unabashedly, Dumbledore expressed his astonishment. What Ethan described possessed magic, but its development diverged drastically. Despite the magical world implementing the secrecy law since the seventeenth century, Dumbledore, through Ethan's narrative, perceived a world without such restrictions—highlighting starkly different options.
Conflicts between magic and religion, human nature-induced tragedies, and the Lodge of Sorceress's tragic conclusion prompted deep contemplation from Dumbledore. After a brief pause, he said, "Mr. Ethan, your past was a legendary experience..."
As Ethan communicated with Dumbledore, he suddenly felt the wolf head badge on his chest, representing the Wolf School, vibrating. The witcher's badge was designed to detect nearby magic fluctuations. Initially puzzled, Ethan realized Dumbledore was using magic on him.
Recalling Dumbledore's proficiency in Legilimency, Ethan, in an instant, grasped the potentially dire consequences if Dumbledore were to access the memories of the Harry Potter storyline in his mind.
"Are you casting a spell on me, Mr. Dumbledore?" Ethan's gaze sharpened. He sprung off the bed, adopting an offensive posture. Simultaneously, he raised his left hand to draw a mana rune in the air, conjuring a pale yellow shield around himself.
Dumbledore, taken aback by Ethan's swift reaction, felt Legilimency being instantly cut off by the opening of the yellow shield. Realizing Ethan had detected his attempt, Dumbledore felt a pang of annoyance. The most powerful white wizard, accustomed to silent and undetected Legilimency, had overlooked that Ethan, as a witcher from another world, might have tools to detect magic.
"I'm very sorry, Ethan. You must know that many people use magic for nefarious purposes in this world. As the school's principal, I must be responsible for the students, so I attempted to use magic to discern the truth of your story. My intention was not to deceive you," Dumbledore said, standing up and bowing slightly, apologizing for his actions. Observing that Ethan had not lowered his shield, Dumbledore's eyes revealed a hint of weariness.
"I'm very old, and I've been fighting evil for too long. Sometimes I may be overly cautious. I hope you can forgive me, the old man," Dumbledore said with a look of fatigue.
The vigilance in Ethan's eyes did not wane due to Dumbledore's words. Ethan, having witnessed numerous storms and intrigues, was not easily swayed by sympathy or pity. He understood that some individuals might exploit such moments of vulnerability to strike unexpectedly.
For a while, the atmosphere in the medical wing became eerily silent. Ultimately, Ethan took the lead in dispelling his shield, considering Dumbledore's strength as the most powerful white wizard, and the absence of his two long swords by his side.
"I think, in any world, it is very impolite to read other people's thoughts without their permission," Ethan stated coldly.
Dumbledore visibly sighed in relief at Ethan's response, but the harmonious and friendly atmosphere from earlier had dissipated.
While Dumbledore and Ethan conversed in the medical wing, Harry and Ron faced their challenges. In contrast to the dramatic letter-sending scene in the original plot, Molly Weasley barged into the auditorium and seized Ron, dragging him by the ear into Professor McGonagall's office. The Hogwarts students found this version much more comical. The corridors echoed with Ron's pleading voice as Molly aggressively twisted his ears, accompanied by the laughter of the Weasley twins who followed along. Harry, in an attempt to shoulder the blame, begged for leniency, while Mr. Weasley trailed behind, wisely refraining from commenting on his wife's actions.
On the flip side, Percy and Ginny followed at the rear of the procession, their faces tinged with embarrassment. For Percy, who valued discipline and cherished his image, and Ginny, prone to shyness, this day was nothing short of mortifying.
"Ron, You on the verge of becoming a criminal? How dare you steal your father's car and fly it into the sky to hit people. You've caused your dad so much trouble. The Ministry of Magic is even considering an investigation because of you. You're truly infuriating. Not to mention you've also implicated Harry." Mrs. Weasley scolded, pulling Ron's ear even harder, unmoved by his pleas. The students who trailed behind to witness the spectacle couldn't help but laugh.
As the Weasleys entered Professor McGonagall's office, they inadvertently created another spectacle. Each member of the Weasley family attempted to enter first, resulting in a comical shuffle. Percy, in his haste, stumbled and even dropped his glasses. The onlookers, especially the Slytherins, erupted in more laughter. Eventually, Professor McGonagall had to step out of her office, reprimanding the students and instructing them to return to their classes. At her request, Mrs. Weasley finally released Ron's ears. With a sense of defeat, Harry and the Weasley family entered Professor McGonagall's office.