Chapter 57 - Enchantment

Time passed and it was quickly December.

Saturday, just after eight o'clock!

"Ethan, wake up, it's snowing!"

Early in the morning, Terry yelled in the dormitory and opened the window.

This was the top floor of the tower, and the cold wind mixed with snowflakes made Ethan wake up instantly.

"It's just snowing, why are you so surprised?"

Ethan yawned and sat up, looking at his roommate speechlessly.

In winter, there is nothing better than a warm bed, especially when there are no classes.

"This is the first snow since we came to Hogwarts. Look down there, someone is already having a snowball fight."

Terry was quite excited. To be honest, Ethan felt that he might be better suited for Gryffindor.

A Ravenclaw who didn't think about studying but chose to have a snowball fight?

"That's right, you can't sleep the day away. Maybe there are seniors waiting for you downstairs to build a snowman together!"

Michael on the side also agreed with Terry's idea.

For the sake of the seniors, Ethan did not insist. After changing his clothes, he left the dormitory with a few others.

After breakfast, when they came outside of Hogwarts, there were already quite a few people there.

There were lions, badgers, and snakes piled up in the snow on the open space, but there was no trace of an eagle.

Well, without the help of magic, this eagle shouldn't be able to be piled up.

"Ethan, let's build a snowman together!" As soon as they reached the open space by the Black Lake, Cho Chang saw Ethan from a distance and shouted loudly.

Ethan looked over in the direction of the voice. There were four girls, all seniors. In addition to Cho Chang and Penelope, there were also Cho's roommate and best friend Marietta Edgecombe, and Penelope's roommate Enid Hansen.

Ethan had some impression of Marietta because she had reported Harry.

But it was understandable.

It was hard for a student to resist the pressure of the pink toad.

Moreover, the toad had great power in the Ministry of Magic and was backed by the Minister.

Marietta's family worked in the Ministry of Magic.

If she offended them, she would have trouble living.

"We won't bother you, Michael. Let's have a snowball fight!"

Terry saw this and pulled Michael to the craziest and most crowded area, where the houses were having a snowball fight.

"Have fun!"

Seeing Ethan approaching, Enid Hansen patted Penelope's shoulder and left with Marietta.

After being roommates for so long, who doesn't know about each other? In her opinion, Ethan was involved with too many girls, so he was not a good choice.

But Penelope was willing, and no one could control it.

Then the three of them made snowmen and took ice cubes from the Black Lake to make ice sculptures.

They didn't retreat until their hands were frozen red. After all, gloves can't keep you warm when you touch ice and snow directly.

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"Prefect, there's a fight over there!"

A little Ravenclaw wizard ran to Ethan and the others breathlessly and reported to Penelope.

"Who's fighting?"

"All four houses are fighting; it's a mess!"

The prefects of Gryffindor and Hufflepuff had arrived, and he came here because Penelope was the closest prefect to the scene.

The prefect has the right to deal with situations like this. She couldn't just watch Ravenclaw get involved in a catfight and suffer loses!

If it became more serious, she would call a professor.

"What's going on?"

"Gryffindor threw a snowball, but ended up putting a rock in it and hit Slytherin on the head. Slytherin retaliated with a rock, hitting our Ravenclaw. I don't know how Hufflepuff got involved, but now they're using wands instead of rocks."

"I'll go right away!"

After saying goodbye to Ethan, Penelope trotted to the snowball fight.

As a prefect, Penelope had the responsibility of managing the younger students.

Ethan wasn't sure how Terry and the others were doing. Several of his roommates should be there now, but it shouldn't be a big problem!

"Ethan, I'm going to Quidditch practice. Do you want to watch?"

After Penelope left, only Cho Chang and Ethan were left, but Cho also had to go to Quidditch practice at ten o'clock.

The Quidditch House Cup had already begun. Last week, Gryffindor and Slytherin competed. Due to Ethan's intervention, Harry was not selected for the Gryffindor team, which allowed Slytherin to win.

The next game was between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, so both houses were training hard whenever they had free time, determined to win.

As the Seeker of the Ravenclaw team, Cho Chang could not be absent.

"I won't go. You know, I'm not interested in Quidditch."

Ethan's flying talent was quite high. Cho Chang also wanted Ethan to sign up for Quidditch next year so they could play together.

But Ethan declined politely because he truly had no interest in it.

After parting from Cho Chang, Ethan planned to go to the library.

The restricted book area pass approved by Quirrell was only valid until Christmas, so now he wanted to see if there were any books related to alchemy and ancient magic.

Ethan had read several books about alchemy and tried some alchemical works, all made from materials he found in the Forbidden Forest.

The finished products included shoes with lightness and silence spells, a crystal ball that could cast the same lighting spell as Seamus, spider silk clothes that could automatically remove cold and protect against cold, etc.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

On the way to the library, Ethan saw George and Fred, who were sneaking around, both holding snowballs in their hands.

"Shh, keep your voice down!"

The two were startled, turned around, and saw it was Ethan. Then they breathed a sigh of relief.

"What are you doing?"

"Professor Quirrell just went into his office!"

"And then what?"

"Don't you want to see what's behind Professor Quirrell's scarf?"

Fred looked at Ethan in surprise.

Quirrell had been wrapping his head with a scarf since the beginning of the school year and had never changed it. The two of them suspected there must be some shameful secret behind the scarf.

So after seeing Quirrell today, they followed him all the way here.

"What are you going to do?"

Ethan almost guessed it. He had heard from other bookreaders before that it was because the twins hit Voldemort, who was now Quirrell, on the back of the head with a snowball that one of them was killed.

"Hit him with snowballs, and wait until the snow soaks his scarf.

I don't believe he won't untie it!"

Fred looked at Ethan with a smug look on his face.

He felt that this idea was great. "Ethan, do you want to join us?"

George invited Ethan. "Sure, but do as I say."

Ethan used Transfiguration to make a bucket that could be opened and closed from the bottom, and filled it with snow water. "We'll put this bucket on the door with magic, and then use silk thread to connect the bottom of the barrel to the door.

As long as the door is opened, the bottom of the bucket will open.

We'll hide here and not expose ourselves. Otherwise, the professor will definitely deduct points for playing a prank, and then Professor McGonagall will kill you... "Okay, we'll listen to you."

George and Fred looked at each other and agreed with Ethan's proposal.

What could be better than being able to achieve the goal and avoid losing points? Soon, Ethan arranged everything and waited for Quirrell to take the bait.

Creak!

The office door finally moved. Under the gaze of Ethan and the others, Quirrell walked out without any defense. Suddenly, the bottom of the wooden barrel above his head opened, and a large amount of snow water fell from the air.

Quirrell was soaked.

"Ah!"

Quirrell screamed in grief, and after looking around and finding no one, he hurried back into the office and closed the door.

"It seems that he is hiding something. He didn't take it off even though it got wet."

Fred was more certain of his judgment.

"It's none of our business what he is hiding. Let's leave it here. If you get caught playing a prank on the professor, at least 50 points will be deducted from each person. Now Gryffindor doesn't even have 100 points. Are you sure you want to challenge Professor McGonagall's bottom line?"

"It's all the fault of Professor Snape!"

George cursed Snape with some fear. If it weren't for him, Gryffindor wouldn't be so miserable!

It's almost Christmas now. If all of Gryffindor's points are deducted,

If Professor McGonagall is unhappy, he and Fred will be even sadder.

After a few more instructions, Ethan parted ways with the two.

If it were someone else, he would have just taken care of this trivial matter, and that would be it.

He only reminded them because it was George and Fred. After all, these two would open a shop and be successful in the future.

Ethan also wanted to see if he could get some good things from them.

After parting ways with the twins, Ethan continued his journey toward the library. The cold air nipped at his face, and the snow crunched beneath his feet, but his mind was focused on the possibilities awaiting him in the restricted section.

The Hogwarts library was vast, and its restricted section was known to hold ancient tomes and powerful knowledge. Ethan had already found a few books on alchemy, and they had proven to be invaluable. He had spent many nights experimenting with alchemical techniques, creating objects that combined both utility and a touch of magic. But he knew there was more to learn, and he was determined to uncover every secret he could.

As he entered the library, the warmth from the fireplaces spread throughout the vast room, providing a stark contrast to the chill outside. Madam Pince, the stern librarian, gave Ethan a sharp look as he made his way towards the restricted section, but she didn't say anything. She had already seen the permission slip from Professor Quirrell earlier that week.

Ethan walked through the towering shelves filled with books of all sizes and colors until he reached the heavy iron gate that separated the restricted section from the rest of the library. With a slight push, the gate creaked open, and he stepped inside.

The air here felt different—older, heavier with the weight of knowledge that had been stored for centuries. Dust motes danced in the beams of light that filtered through the narrow windows. Ethan moved quietly, his eyes scanning the spines of the books until he found one that caught his attention: "The Secrets of Ancient Magic: A Comprehensive Guide to Lost Arts and Forbidden Rituals."

He carefully pulled the book from the shelf and carried it over to a secluded table. The cover was bound in dark leather, with faded golden lettering that hinted at the book's age. He opened it slowly, feeling a mix of excitement and caution. The pages were filled with intricate diagrams, ancient runes, and descriptions of spells and rituals that were long forgotten by most wizards.

Ethan's heart raced as he read through the first few chapters. The book covered a wide range of topics, from the basics of ancient magical theory to more advanced concepts like manipulating the very fabric of reality. One section, in particular, caught his eye: "The Art of Enchantment: Imbuing Objects with Permanent Magical Properties."

He leaned in closer, absorbing every word. This was what he had been searching for—detailed instructions on how to create magical items that would retain their enchantments indefinitely. The book described how to bind spells to objects using a combination of alchemy and ancient runes, ensuring that the magic would not fade over time.

The process was complex, requiring precise measurements, rare ingredients, and a deep understanding of both alchemy and ancient magic. But Ethan was confident in his abilities. He had already proven himself capable of creating useful magical items, and with this new knowledge, he could take his skills to the next level.

He spent the next few hours poring over the book, taking detailed notes on the steps required to perform these enchantments. Time seemed to slip away as he immersed himself in the text, his mind racing with ideas and possibilities.

Eventually, the light outside began to fade, signaling the approach of evening. Ethan knew he had to leave the library soon, but he was reluctant to put the book down. There was still so much more to learn, so many more secrets to uncover.

Reluctantly, he closed the book and returned it to its place on the shelf. But as he walked away, he felt a sense of determination building inside him. He was more convinced than ever that he was on the right path—one that would lead him to power and knowledge beyond anything he had ever imagined.

As he exited the library, the cold evening air hit him, but it no longer bothered him. His mind was buzzing with thoughts of the ancient magic he had just discovered. He knew he would be spending many more nights in the restricted section, unlocking the mysteries that had been hidden away for centuries.

But for now, he had to return to the common room and join his friends. As much as he was eager to dive back into his studies, he couldn't forget about the people around him—the ones who made his time at Hogwarts so memorable.

When he arrived back at the Ravenclaw common room, the atmosphere was warm and lively. His friends were gathered around the fireplace, chatting and laughing. Terry was recounting the events of the snowball fight, complete with dramatic gestures and exaggerated expressions.

"Ethan! There you are!" Terry called out, waving him over. "You missed all the fun! But I bet you were off doing something much more important, weren't you?"

Ethan smiled, taking a seat beside his friends. "Just doing some research," he replied casually.

"Research? On a day like this?" Gene raised an eyebrow. "You really are a true Ravenclaw."

"Well, someone has to keep up the reputation," Ethan joked, though his mind was still half-occupied with thoughts of the ancient magic he had just uncovered.

The evening passed quickly, filled with laughter and stories. But as Ethan lay in bed that night, his thoughts kept drifting back to the book he had found. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was on the brink of something incredible—something that could change everything.

And he was determined to see it through, no matter what challenges lay ahead.

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Rest In Peace Maggie Smith(The Actress who played Minerva McGonagall). Thanks for making our childhood fun.