DOTM: Chapter 643/644

Chapter 643: Helping Each Other

It wasn't just Ethan. Snape suspected that the group of so-called relatives was also problematic.

Take Logan, for example. This Gryffindor student usually kept to himself, rarely interacted with other children, and most of the time acted very mature, not like a child at all.

At first, Snape thought Logan was just a bit introverted. But now it seemed the real reason was that he couldn't genuinely relate to actual children.

And then there was that Scáthach... wait... Scáthach?

Snape sat behind his desk, lost in thought.

Dumbledore had seen through Ethan's disguise as a child, but chose not to press for his true identity. He had decided not to pursue the matter further.

Snape disagreed. He believed that letting someone with an unknown background and formidable power remain at Hogwarts was a dangerous risk. That kind of power could cause irreparable damage at any time.

Hogwarts was too important to the wizarding world. If something happened, it could create a generational rift within British wizard society and lead to many wizarding families losing their heirs.

In such a situation, no one would dare neglect the safety of Hogwarts. Even the pompous officials at the Ministry of Magic, who often acted foolishly, valued the school's protection. They just made strange decisions from time to time.

Snape had been focusing on the identities of Ethan and the others. While analyzing the unusual behavior of these so-called children, he suddenly realized there was something he had overlooked.

Scáthach?

Cold sweat began forming on his forehead.

Could it be that Scáthach? That was impossible, right?

In that moment, he understood why Dumbledore had not investigated Ethan's identity further. He remembered clearly that Dumbledore had asked Ethan for his real name, and Ethan had said it was indeed Ethan.

By the same logic, if the others were also using their real names, then the name Scáthach was incredibly shocking.

What made it even more alarming was her performance at school. Her greatest talent was in understanding and mastering Runes. What was a headache for many adult wizards was as easy as breathing for this little girl.

"Snape... are you feeling hot?"

"No."

Ethan raised his eyes slightly from his book. Seeing Snape's expression, he immediately realized that the clever professor must have guessed something.

"Don't overthink it. The truth behind most things is very simple. For example, I'm just here at Hogwarts to learn some interesting knowledge."

Snape swallowed. His face looked slightly vacant, but no one paid attention to that.

"Why are you... interested in this knowledge?"

"Why wouldn't I be? I don't know any of this stuff, and it's pretty interesting, don't you think?"

At first, Snape didn't understand what Ethan meant. Then he realized that modern magical knowledge had developed over hundreds of years and had evolved far from its ancient roots. Even if Ethan possessed astonishing power, he wouldn't necessarily be familiar with current magical systems.

The conversation ended there. Snape sat silently for a while longer, then watched as Ethan put down the book, closed his eyes as if reflecting, then stood up to return the book to its place before picking up another one nearby.

"Finished?"

"Yes."

Snape reflexively wanted to scoff at Ethan's reading habits, doubting how much he could retain. But then he remembered this was not an ordinary student. After Ethan opened a second book on Potions and asked a series of detailed questions, Snape realized Ethan not only remembered the content clearly but also understood it deeply, no less than a wizard with decades of study.

At that moment, Snape suddenly had a realization. Maybe, just maybe, he should ask Ethan about some of the long-standing problems he had never been able to solve?

In the pursuit of mystical knowledge, wizards inevitably encounter obstacles.

Some questions had standard answers, in which case you could just ask someone knowledgeable. Generally, the stronger the wizard, the more answers they could provide.

Other questions had no universal solution and were tied to one's personal magical path. Even if you asked a powerful wizard, they could only offer general guidance, not direct answers.

But that wasn't always true. Someone like the person before him, if he really was who Snape suspected, should be able to give much clearer insights.

Snape saw that Ethan was still reading and wasn't sure whether he should bring it up. Just then, Ethan seemed to sense his hesitation and said, "Ask whatever you want."

Only then did Snape realize that even though Ethan wasn't looking at him, none of his actions escaped his notice.

"There are a few questions I'd like to ask."

"Mmm..."

Snape thought for a moment. Rather than directly raising his longstanding doubts, he first began a discussion on magic, casually sharing his own understanding of a certain spell.

He didn't expect much, but once Ethan responded, Snape was stunned.

Ethan's comprehension of spells was completely different from his own. The difference wasn't in direction, but in perspective.

If a spell were like a maze, then being able to walk from entrance to exit meant you had successfully learned and could use the spell. Exploring the maze's details would be your understanding of it. Snape had walked that maze many times and felt familiar with much of it, though some parts still eluded him.

Ethan, however, was looking down at the entire maze from above. Everything Snape understood was already within Ethan's view, and even the parts he hadn't explored, Ethan could describe clearly.

He could not only point out what Snape had overlooked, but also analyze the spell from another angle, or even from a completely opposite direction.

Naturally, Snape was thrilled and immediately dove into the next topic. They discussed for most of the day. Snape not only gained a great deal, but also resolved many old problems that had troubled him for years. His magical ability advanced significantly in just a few hours.

This progress didn't come from a surge in magical power or casting stronger spells, but rather from a better understanding and application of spells. Now, casting magic was easier, consumed less energy, and he could even perform many spells nonverbally that he had never been able to before.

The most obvious example was his self-created spell, Sectumsempra. Now, Snape could cast it not only without speaking, but even without a wand. He could silently and instantly unleash the spell, something he had never believed he could achieve.

At this level, the power of the dark spell had increased tremendously. It was already fast and deadly, leaving no visible trail when cast. Now, without words or a wand, it was even faster, giving opponents no chance to react.

Anyone who dared stand against Snape now, even just by being in front of him, risked being taken out by that spell before they could blink.

Snape then brought up Potions. As the Potions Master, he had a deep love for the subject and always hoped to reach greater heights.

Ethan hadn't yet spent much time on Potions in this world, but he had related knowledge and was more than capable of offering Snape some useful advice.

In return, Snape also explained a few key elements of this world's Potions knowledge, allowing Ethan to absorb the material more quickly.

Without realizing it, most of the day had passed. Ethan had spent the entire day reading and had unexpectedly gained in-depth Potions knowledge from Snape. It was certainly not a wasted day.

Beyond these gains, he had another reason for staying so long.

"I don't have borrowing privileges for certain sections of the library. I'll need your help."

"That's no problem."

After receiving a full day of instruction, Snape was happy to do him a favor.

"What kind of books do you want me to borrow?"

"Any that you can borrow but students can't. Just bring as many as you can each day."

Snape had no idea how Ethan managed to read so many books, but he wasn't about to ask. When Ethan came to collect them tomorrow, he'd find out for himself.

"Well then, see you tomorrow, Professor Snape."

Ethan said this casually. Without waiting for Snape to respond, he had already closed the door and left the office.

By then, Hogwarts' classes had ended for the day. It was the short break between the afternoon classes and dinner. Students filled the corridors and courtyard.

Everyone was relaxing in their own way. Ethan was about to find a quiet spot to wait before dinner, but Illya caught him red-handed.

"You skipped class all day!"

Ethan shrugged. Compared to other subjects where he could at least learn something, Defense Against the Dark Arts was pointless for him. It only taught basic combat spells, and now he could learn all the advanced ones directly from Snape.

So why waste time listening to Lockhart's self-praise? Instead of that, he would rather experiment with Logan on which magical herbs would pair best with basilisk meat in a stew.

Or help Scáthach finalize the details of that leather outfit.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 644: Delicious Snake Stew

Ethan hadn't had the chance to properly discuss the details of the leather outfit design with Scáthach, but progress on the stew front was a different story.

Because Dumbledore and Snape had more or less figured out the true identities of Ethan and his companions, Ethan no longer needed to be as cautious as before.

He and Dumbledore had reached a tacit understanding. Dumbledore wouldn't interfere with Ethan's "school life," and in return, Ethan wouldn't do anything that would endanger the students of Hogwarts.

Beyond that, Ethan suspected Dumbledore was deliberately showing goodwill. With Ethan hidden among the students, he became an extra layer of powerful protection for the children.

Especially once Dumbledore realized Hermione had grown close to Rin Tohsaka, a member of Ethan's group, Ethan's presence meant Harry's safety was more assured.

With that mutual understanding in place, Ethan could act more freely around school. Many things that had been inconvenient before were now easily handled. For example, materials that were hard for first-year students like Ethan and Logan to obtain were no problem at all for Snape.

As Potions Master, Snape had an extensive inventory. With his help, Ethan and Logan quickly created an extremely tasty stew.

So, on a snowy, windy evening, Ethan notified everyone in their small group. Instead of eating in the Great Hall, they gathered in a remote, little-used room at the top floor of the castle to enjoy a hot stew while the wind howled outside.

As expected, Hermione, who had become closer and closer to Rin Tohsaka, showed up.

What was unexpected was that Harry and Ron came too.

"It smells amazing!"

The stew had been simmering for hours, with all sorts of special ingredients added in. The pot was massive. If they hadn't used magic to keep the scent from leaking into the castle, students probably would've come looking for it a long time ago.

The moment Ron stepped into the seldom-used room, his attention was immediately grabbed by the mouthwatering aroma. He practically ran toward the pot.

"Hey, Logan!"

They were all first-years in Gryffindor. Even though they didn't talk much, they definitely knew each other and had exchanged words before.

Although Logan was reserved and gave off a cold vibe, everyone had figured out that he was warm-hearted and willing to help when needed. So even though he had few friends, his reputation wasn't bad.

"Ron."

Logan was stirring the pot with a large wooden spoon. Ron blinked, confused. He was pretty sure there hadn't been a spoon here a second ago.

Logan nodded toward Ron and Harry in greeting. They were used to his cool demeanor, so no one felt it was out of place.

Harry and Ron still felt a bit awkward facing Ethan and Illya. They weren't used to hanging out with Slytherins.

"Everyone's here, let's eat. Nothing better than stew in this kind of weather."

Ethan didn't mind that two extra people had come. The basilisk was massive, far more than they could eat in one sitting. Plus, there were plenty of other recipes he wanted to try.

Everyone filled their wooden bowls. Because the basilisk was so big, the chunks of meat were large, and at first Hermione, Harry, and Ron couldn't tell what exactly they were eating.

It wasn't until everyone was already halfway through their food that they remembered to ask.

"Snake meat."

Ethan didn't tease them and gave a straight answer. Still, he was a bit disappointed. He'd added a lot of ingredients, but other than tasting good, the dish didn't seem to have any special effects. Or maybe it was just his physique that made him immune?

"Snake?"

The Gryffindor trio all froze. Even Rin Tohsaka, who had been happily sipping soup, paused.

"It's really snake meat?"

Rin looked at the wooden bowl in her hand. When Ethan had said he was going to stew a big pot of snake meat, she thought it was a joke. The pieces in the pot were so large she had assumed it was beef or pork. She hadn't expected it to actually be snake meat.

Hermione suddenly remembered what Ethan had asked her on the train at the start of the school year. Back then, she thought he was just messing with her. Now it seemed he had been serious all along.

"What? It's not tasty?"

Ethan's question left them even more conflicted. They had already eaten quite a bit, and Ron had even helped himself to a second serving. It was a little too late to say it wasn't good.

Even Hermione had to admit it tasted excellent.

"If it's snake meat, why are the chunks so big?"

Harry suddenly had a thought. He looked at Ethan, startled. "Wait... is this from the one in the Chamber...?"

"Yup, that one. It lived for years and got huge. There's a lot of meat. If you want more, we can try a different recipe next time."

"Uh..."

The trio looked at each other. After hesitating for a moment, they realized it wasn't a big deal. They had already eaten a lot, and it really didn't taste bad. Might as well keep eating.

They were kids, after all, and wizards at that. Think of all the bizarre ingredients used in potion-making. Didn't they still have to drink those?

This was just snake meat, and it had been properly prepared. There was nothing wrong with that.

Once they got over it, everyone continued eating. The entire pot of basilisk meat, soup included, was gone in no time.

After they finished, Logan cleaned everything up. The large pot and all the wooden bowls disappeared without a trace, leaving behind only the lingering aroma of the stew.

"Whoa, that's so convenient. How'd you do that?"

Ron hadn't seen clearly how Logan cleaned up. It was like everything vanished in the blink of an eye. He really wanted to learn that magic.

Unfortunately, Logan just shrugged without answering. It was hard to explain since it involved his equipment. Was he supposed to just give Ron a set?

"Are you going home for Christmas this year?"

"No. The holiday's short, and I don't feel like traveling."

Hermione, who had to go home for Christmas with her parents, had been asking around about everyone else's plans. In the end, she was the only one returning home.

"Hearing you all say that makes me not want to go back."

Regardless of how she felt, she still had to leave. Only a small number of students stayed behind at school for the holiday.

But none of that affected Ethan. His daily routine remained the same. He kept meeting with Snape to "copy and paste" more knowledge into the Book of Inheritance and chat along the way.

Sometimes, Ethan would leave the book in Snape's office and let it slowly copy from the stack of books, while he returned to class.

He had more than enough reasons to skip classes, but he didn't abuse that. Since he said he was here to experience student life, it wouldn't feel right to skip too many.

When Ethan first left the Book of Inheritance behind, Snape had looked at the hardcover book floating above a stack of books. It was emitting a white beam of light. Curious, he leaned in to take a closer look.

He couldn't understand much, but when he focused on the book, its name appeared naturally in his mind: Merlin's Book of Inheritance.

Snape unconsciously stepped back and let out a long breath. He stared at the suspended book, wrestled with himself for a moment, then quietly sat back down behind his desk.

At that moment, he felt like his entire being had been elevated, his willpower strengthened. It was as if no external object could shake him anymore. Of course, that was just his illusion.

Afterward, Snape seemed to have confirmed Scáthach's identity and started asking Ethan more and more about Runes. After answering a few questions, Ethan realized what was going on and simply had Scáthach come over. She had already mastered this year's coursework, so skipping the remaining classes wouldn't affect her grades.

However, if she skipped too many classes, it would impact House points. So to ask her about Runes, Snape had to personally explain things to Professor Flitwick, the Head of Ravenclaw, and a few other professors.

In this relatively calm and peaceful school life, the second year quietly came to an end. The upcoming summer holiday once again gave Ethan a headache.

However, compared to last year, he now had more options.

Without Dumbledore assigning someone to watch him, Ethan no longer had to pretend to be a normal student during the break. He could go wherever he wanted and spend the holiday however he liked.

"Where should we go for fun this holiday?"

Ethan wasn't the only one thinking that. Illya and the others also felt life had been a bit too quiet lately and were itching for some excitement.

"Let's look around first and see what places seem fun."

Ethan planned to return to the Moon Goddess and check on Ryu's progress. If he was doing well, maybe Ethan would give him a reward.

Then he'd swing by Arthur's world, the Starship Troopers world, and the Marvel universe. In Arthur's world, he wanted to check in on Shirou and Artoria. The other stops were just for fun.

After making that round, he should have a better idea of where to spend the summer.

(To be continued.)