DOTM: Chapter 624/625

Chapter 624: Branch Hospital

"You like bears?"

He remembered that in the original game plot, there was an ending where Illya extracted Shirou's soul and imprisoned it in a bear plushie. In another parallel world, Illya's own soul had been placed in a bear plushie.

It could be said that Illya and bears had a strange connection.

"I remember you said back then, if I raised a bear in the future... does that mean I'm definitely going to raise a bear?"

"Ah, well... a lot of things have changed, maybe that won't happen."

"This bear is quite cute. Can I get one?"

Although he didn't understand why a small bear was mixed in among these 'officially designated pets' like cats, owls, and toads, if Illya wanted one, she could have it. For people like them, it wasn't a problem.

"Then let's buy it."

After cheerfully paying the bill, Illya didn't leave the little white bear in its cage but held it in her arms, like she was holding a puppy.

Anyway, the bear cub was still very small, and at a glance, it didn't look much different from a small dog.

After strolling around Diagon Alley for the day, they finally bought everything they needed.

Ethan had deliberately waited until the day before school to make their purchases. So, after packing their luggage that evening, the next day the group arrived at the train station in full force and found the famous Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.

"A simple barrier."

It kept ordinary people without magical reactions out. No one among them needed to do anything special. They just pushed their carts straight through.

There was no need to run at the wall like in the movie.

Compared to meeting Harry Potter twice in Diagon Alley earlier, they didn't see any 'acquaintances' at the station this time.

However, since they were all taking the same train to Hogwarts, it wouldn't be hard to meet if they wanted to.

After handing over their luggage to the Hogwarts staff for transport, Ethan, Logan, Scáthach, Illya, Leah, and Rin Tohsaka found a compartment and sat down.

There were many of them, so they occupied a whole compartment directly. That way, they didn't have to worry about strangers coming in and interrupting their conversation.

"It's good to have more people!"

Just as Ethan expected, since the compartment was full, no one else came to bother them. Even if someone approached, they would turn away after seeing so many people already inside.

"How much do you know about this world?"

As the train slowly began to move, Logan casually took out a bag of onion rings and started eating. Since he couldn't smoke, he was snacking constantly instead.

Illya, who was sitting next to Ethan, also had a large pile of snacks. But she was feeding them to the bear cub.

"Eat more, Shiro. Grow up fast."

"Shirou?" (Shiro and Shirou sound similar in Japanese)

Illya answered Rin's question without even lifting her head while feeding the bear, "Because I can't use the name Ethan."

"So you named it Shirou?" Rin couldn't understand Illya's thinking. Was it really okay to give her brother's name to a pet?

The original Illya definitely wouldn't have cared about this, but now she was somewhat aware that it might be inappropriate. So, she used a similar-sounding name. "It's Shiro."

"Oh! That's a great name." Rin nodded. Shiro was quite suitable as a pet's name, and since it was a white bear, the name fit well. "Shiro, turn into marshmallow."

Illya had now completely let loose, acting like a genuinely happy child.

As for the topic Ethan and Logan were discussing about this world, she didn't care at all. On the other hand, Scáthach, who sat one seat away, was listening closely.

"I know everything I need to know..."

"So you've already planned what you're going to do?"

Ethan shook his head. "I don't want to do anything. I just want to spend these years quietly."

This time, he truly didn't want to stir up trouble. Becoming a child again had made him lose the desire to act recklessly. Now, he just wanted time to pass quickly and for himself to grow up again. Though he knew that, given his current body, growing up wasn't something that could be achieved simply with time.

Logan didn't believe Ethan's words and gave him a suspicious look.

"With your personality, trying to live a peaceful, ordinary student life without causing trouble... that's simply impossible."

"You should have a little faith in me."

"I have great faith in you... especially in your ability to attract trouble."

Ethan was speechless. Just as he was about to say more, a genuine blonde girl appeared at the compartment door.

Her shoulder-length, slightly curly blonde hair looked very fluffy, and she didn't seem to care about tidying it up. She let it hang loosely.

The little girl looked at the people in the compartment, greeted them politely, and stated her purpose.

"A boy named Neville lost his toad. Have any of you seen it?"

"We haven't seen any toads here. Maybe it went somewhere else."

It was Leah, who was sitting on the outermost seat, who answered her. She was friendly toward everyone and, being warm-hearted, immediately asked if she could help.

"Oh, I'm going to ask around in the other compartments. Do you want to come with me?"

Leah nodded. She didn't need to ask Ethan for permission for something like this. Rin, who was nearby and seemed bored, also decided to join the "Help Neville Find His Pet" task force.

After the girls left, Logan noticed Ethan had paid a bit more attention to that girl earlier. He subtly gestured toward the door.

"That girl... is she someone important?"

"Yes, she's like the female protagonist."

Hermione Jean Granger, the undisputed female protagonist of the Harry Potter world, one of the Golden Trio of Gryffindor, and a Muggle-born academic wizard.

But for now, she was just a blonde girl curious about everything and eager to learn.

"You arranged for Leah to get close to her early on?"

Ethan was helpless and could only explain again.

"This time, I really didn't want to cause trouble. I even wanted to avoid those three altogether."

Getting too close to the Gryffindor Golden Trio—Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley—would mean endless trouble. He didn't want to get dragged into it.

Of course, once they entered Hogwarts, trouble would still come. Hogwarts wouldn't remain a peaceful place for long. The conflict between the Death Eaters and the Order of the Phoenix would eventually reach the school, and the Ministry of Magic's incompetence would bring even more problems.

But by that time, Ethan would have already mastered what he wanted to learn. If anyone came looking for trouble, he would just deal with it directly.

"Are you really planning to just be a quiet student?"

"Is there something wrong with that? Fighting and killing all the time gets exhausting. Experiencing a different kind of life could be a refreshing change."

Logan was silent for a moment. He had to admit that Ethan's words made sense. After taking part in countless wars and wandering for years, hadn't he himself slowly adapted to a 'teaching career' he never thought he'd have? Even though his real job back then was to fight mutant crime as an X-Man.

The train, which looked slow but actually moved very fast, finally reached its destination. Waiting at the station to welcome the students was Hagrid, who had brought Harry Potter from his aunt's house.

After explaining a few things, Hagrid led all the children toward Hogwarts: a vast castle located beside a secluded lake.

"Welcome to Hogwarts!"

Deputy Headmistress McGonagall had been waiting for some time. After a simple welcome to the new students, she explained the Sorting Ceremony they were about to face.

Simply put, it was a special talking hat that assigned each new student to one of Hogwarts' four houses, based on their individual traits and desires.

The four houses were Slytherin, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff.

Ethan hadn't mentioned any of this to the people around him. He was very curious which houses they would be sorted into.

After McGonagall finished speaking, the familiar scene of Draco Malfoy offering Harry Potter a handshake and being rejected played out as expected.

At this point, because they had helped Neville find his toad on the train and were also from Muggle families, Hermione, Leah, and Rin had become friends. As a result, they stood beside Ethan and his group.

Ethan suddenly remembered that, besides being a top student, Miss Hermione also had the tendency to talk too much. Right now, she was curiously asking her new friends which house they wanted to be sorted into.

Hermione had done detailed research on Hogwarts before arriving and had a clear understanding of all four houses.

"I want to go to Gryffindor. What about you?"

"Doesn't matter. Any house is fine."

Although the response wasn't very enthusiastic, that didn't stop Hermione. She only quieted down when McGonagall led everyone into the Great Hall, which was already filled with students and house professors.

Next was the Sorting Ceremony that would determine their future for the next seven years. Hermione was clearly nervous and kept swallowing nervously.

After Headmaster Dumbledore finished announcing a few rules, the Sorting Ceremony officially began. Hermione was the first.

As expected, there was no deviation from the original plot. Hermione went to Gryffindor. Ron went to Gryffindor. Harry Potter also went to Gryffindor. The Golden Trio had officially formed.

During this time, Leah was sorted into Hufflepuff. Scáthach went to Ravenclaw. Rin and Logan were both sorted into Gryffindor. Then came Ethan's turn. Somewhat unexpectedly, the Sorting Hat sent him to Slytherin.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 625: Slytherin

Many people believe Slytherin only accepts descendants of pure-blood wizarding families, meaning only wizards with the purest bloodlines can enter Slytherin House.

In fact, that is a misunderstanding. Slytherin's most important criterion for selecting students is not blood status. There are actually many students in Slytherin who are not pure-bloods. Many have at least one Muggle parent.

For example, the final villain of this story, Voldemort, was a half-blood.

And the current Head of House, Snape, is also a half-blood.

Compared to bloodline, Slytherin values ambition more. Whether someone wants to become a powerful wizard or a legend in the magical world, as long as they have lofty goals and are willing to work toward them, Slytherin will favor them, accept them, and help them realize their ambitions.

"But why was I sorted into Slytherin?"

Sitting at the long Slytherin table, Ethan rested his chin in one hand, puzzled. He certainly had enough ambition and had pursued it for decades. With his divine body reshaped, his bloodline was noble enough. But his desire to cause trouble in this world was not strong. The Sorting Hat could not have sensed that, could it?

"Could it just be because my bloodline is too noble?"

The Sorting Ceremony was nearly finished. Only a few remaining names were left. Ethan looked around. Although Slytherin was often portrayed as a den of villains in books and films, in reality, the students were not much different from those in the other Houses.

They were all young people who wanted to learn magic, proud of their identity and their House, and students of Hogwarts.

"I am Draco Malfoy."

While Ethan was reviewing his knowledge of Slytherin, Draco, sitting beside him, was also observing him curiously. When Ethan turned to look at him, the pure-blood wizard spoke first.

"Ethan."

"Arendelle?"

Draco looked puzzled, trying to place the name. This sort of misunderstanding was not exclusive to outsiders. Even within Slytherin, many students believed the House was reserved for wizarding nobility.

When Draco heard an unfamiliar surname, he was visibly confused.

"A family from somewhere else in Europe?"

"No, just an ordinary one."

"A Muggle? And he got into Slytherin?"

Draco was clearly surprised. He had assumed Ethan must have at least one wizarding parent. He did not expect him to come from a completely Muggle family.

"I knew that rotten hat could not be trusted."

He scoffed and turned his attention away, chatting with Crabbe and Goyle instead.

Ethan also noticed three girls sitting across from him. From their conversation, he gathered that they were Daphne Greengrass, her sister Astoria, and Pansy Parkinson.

These girls, like Draco and the others, were all from pure-blood wizarding families. It was clear they did not think much of Ethan, the classmate from a Muggle background.

Some students already close to Draco had no interest in speaking to him at all.

Looking around, Ethan saw that aside from himself, almost all the new Slytherin students were part of Draco's social circle. He glanced at a few upperclassmen sitting nearby. Some wore expressions of disdain, mockery, or quiet amusement.

Not everyone was unfriendly. Some half-blood upperclassmen greeted him with warmth. One even walked over to offer reassurance.

"Do not worry. The pure-bloods in Slytherin can be proud, but they will not target their own Housemates. If you run into any trouble with students from other Houses, they will back you up."

Slytherins only set aside internal biases when facing outsiders.

"And once you prove yourself, they will accept you."

In the wizarding world, bloodline does not command respect. Only strength does.

Ethan thanked the older student, though he did not catch the name, and returned to quietly thinking. With his power, there was no reason to feel anxious. If anything, the ones who should be nervous were the ones foolish enough to mess with him.

Meanwhile, over at the Gryffindor table, Hermione was discussing him with her new friend.

"That poor guy. How did he end up in Slytherin?"

"Maybe because his bloodline is too strong."

Although Rin was technically an outsider, she had joined Ethan's group and enrolled in this magic school to study its system. After spending time with everyone, she had picked up plenty of information about Ethan without asking directly.

She had heard much from Leah, Sherry, Scathach, and Logan. Out of curiosity, she had looked into Ethan. The mystery made him even more interesting.

What surprised her most was that Ethan had originally been an ordinary human. Not particularly talented. Not powerful.

He had gained the ability to travel across different worlds due to an accident. Aside from that, he had been entirely average. At the time, he had been weaker than Rin herself before she entered the Holy Grail War.

By relying on his world-traveling ability and his own relentless effort, he had improved step by step until he became a true god.

When Rin first met him, he had only just become a demigod. Not long ago, he used special magic to reshape his divine body and completed the transformation.

In terms of bloodline, no one else in this castle came close. Slytherin may not select based solely on blood status, but it is still a factor. Since Ethan did not express a strong preference, it made perfect sense he would be placed there.

Rin had also heard from Hermione that Slytherin was not devoid of good people. The famous Merlin himself had been sorted into Slytherin. Thinking about it that way, Ethan ending up in that House felt completely reasonable.

Among Ethan's many credentials, one stood out. Several of his magical mentors were legendary figures. One of them was Merlin.

"Who are you talking about?"

Rin and Hermione were sitting not far from Harry and Ron. The two boys had already started listening in. The girls were not talking about Gryffindor, but a Slytherin student across the hall.

"Someone who came to Hogwarts with me. You could say he is a distant relative."

Rin used the identity they had agreed on earlier and pointed toward Ethan.

Harry and Ron looked in that direction. They saw Ethan sitting alone, awkward and quiet. He looked a little pitiful.

"Oh wow. Poor guy. Glad I was not sorted into that House."

"If you had been, at least you would have someone to talk to."

The Weasleys were a pure-blood family too. Draco never mocked their bloodline, only their lack of money. That said a lot. In the wizarding world, blood purity mattered less than strength and wealth.

Later, Ron would turn out to be right about something. There were no true pure-blood wizarding families left. The ones who had insisted on keeping their bloodlines pure had already gone extinct.

While they continued talking, the Sorting Ceremony ended. After Dumbledore's closing remarks and a flick of his wand, the long tables were covered with food. The welcome feast had officially begun. The students, still children, wasted no time and immediately began eating.

Even the pure-blood Slytherins who prided themselves on their heritage were no different. They happily devoured the food laid out in front of them.

Harry and Ron quickly lost interest in Ethan and focused on the meal. Hermione and Rin, however, did not eat as much. They continued discussing Ethan's unfortunate situation.

"Maybe we could ask a professor if he can switch Houses?"

"I do not think he cares where he is."

Ethan really did not. He casually picked at the food while reflecting on the spell Dumbledore had just used to summon the feast.

"Summoning? Transfiguration?"

The more he thought about it, the more he was certain the food had not appeared from nothing. But it also did not seem to be a conversion of energy into matter.

"Maybe raw ingredients transformed into finished meals?"

That would be understandable. It would simply skip the normal cooking steps. But in that case, the magical fluctuations should have been smaller.

"Somewhere in between, perhaps."

After finishing a chicken leg, Ethan had a basic grasp of what kind of spell it was. What mattered most to him was that the magic of this world was based on concepts and rules.

That was exactly what he wanted to study.

(To be continued.)