63 Meeting in the Principal's Office
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One week later
As Ethan gazed at the black-covered diary before him, he sensed the situation's urgency. To prevent any potential trouble, he decided it was best to hand over the diary to Dumbledore immediately.
'Before that, let me visit Lockhart; it's about time he paid the compensation.'
Ethan waited to ensure no one was in the hallway and went to Lockhart's office.
Lockhart fixed a terrifying gaze on Ethan as if he would leap at him any second, ready to deliver a deadly bite. However, time passed, and Lockhart remained motionless. Eventually, his eyes softened, signaling a change. Despite Lockhart's attempts to plead with Ethan, the latter remained resolute, insisting that 2,000 galleons are 2,000 ships and nothing less, even a Nat.
Lockhart resorted to threatening Ethan with legal action in a desperate move, only to gain a few blows in return. Sympathetically, Ethan ran his fingers through Lockhart's messy blond hair. The diary, already in Ethan's possession, left Lockhart with no grounds for a lawsuit.
Having exhausted all tactics to no avail, Lockhart conceded defeat and slumped into a chair like a deflated balloon. Ethan, persistently prodding him, prompted Lockhart to retrieve his checkbook reluctantly. With a trembling, injured finger, Lockhart wrote, signed, and sealed the check. After this ritual, Ethan snatched the check from Lockhart's grasp.
Initially, Lockhart clung tightly to the check, attempting resistance. Ethan, however, gently squeezed Lockhart's swollen knuckles, prompting a scream that led to Lockhart releasing the check.
With satisfaction, Ethan shook the check and returned it to his possession. Beneath Lockhart's resentful gaze, Ethan intended to visit Gringotts and exchange the 2,000 gold Galleons from Lockhart's account.
Having achieved his objective, Ethan nodded contentedly and pretended to assist Lockhart in straightening his robes before departing. While leaving, Ethan looked through Lockhart's wardrobe again, particularly a striking wizard hat.
The hat, crafted from expensive sable fur and adorned with beautiful ptarmigan feathers, caught Ethan's attention. Seeing a similar hat at Mrs. Malkin's robe shop, renowned as the town's treasure, Ethan learned it was the last creation of a deceased master hatmaker, one of only five in the magical world. The hat featured out-of-print spells, promising benefits such as mental refreshment, enhanced charm, scalp massage, and dandruff removal.
Despite his wealth, Ethan couldn't purchase the hat. When he inquired about buying it, Mrs. Malkin proudly declared it was not for sale but merely for display. Lockhart, too, cherished the hat, reserving it for significant occasions, such as receiving the 3rd Class of the Order of Merlin.
In Ethan's opinion, Lockhart's foolish demeanor didn't befit the hat's elegance. Convinced only a witty, wise, and heroic individual like himself deserved it, Ethan calmly pocketed the hat. Lockhart's eyes reddened, and he emitted a beast-like whimper, appearing ready to confront Ethan. However, seeing Ethan's determined actions, Lockhart hesitated, and Ethan shook his fist as a warning. This demonstrated that people would continue to yield once they had compromised.
Observing Ethan's sandbag-sized fist, Lockhart quickly recovered from his anger, retreating into his chair. Ethan tidied Lockhart's attire and left the office contentedly.
Ethan swiftly approached the principal's office door with the diary in hand. Surprisingly, the door was ajar this time, revealing the stairs leading directly to the principal's office.
Intrigued by this unusual circumstance, Ethan ascended the stairs. Upon entering the office, he encountered a man with pale blond hair, cold gray-blue eyes, and a sharply pointed face – Lucius Malfoy.
Lucius displayed an unexpected expression upon seeing Ethan. Dumbledore had independently recruited Ethan without informing the school board members, piquing Lucius Malfoy's curiosity about the new professor's identity. Despite exhaustive investigations and leveraging his connections, Lucius could find no information on Ethan, as if the professor had dropped from the sky.
After gathering details about Professor Ethan, Lucius acknowledged Ethan's capabilities. However, the absence of exam records raised eyebrows – a wizard teaching without taking O.W.Ls or N.E.W.T. exams was unprecedented.
Draco Malfoy, Lucius' son, mentioned that Ethan claimed to be from Kaer Morhen Academy. Lucius promptly investigated the academy but found nothing. This heightened his curiosity about the enigmatic professor, sensing that he might be privy to Dumbledore's darkest secret.
Lucius Malfoy, with a close association with Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge, rose to the position after Barty Crouch's disqualification due to his son's affiliation with Death Eaters. Dumbledore, refusing the role, added another layer of intrigue to the situation.
Cornelius Fudge had the fortune of assuming power after Voldemort's recent fall, with no signs of a comeback. Nothing exceptional occurred in the wizarding world during his tenure, allowing Fudge to remain Minister of Magic without significant challenges.
Initially, Dumbledore provided considerable support, but his confidence grew as Fudge's time in office extended. Fudge became increasingly convinced of his capabilities and became obsessed with the Minister of Magic position, suspecting Dumbledore of harboring ambitions to seize the role. In response, Fudge discreetly assigned Lucius Malfoy, a trusted ally, to gather information about Dumbledore.
Although Lucius had been secretly investigating Ethan for some time, this was the first face-to-face meeting between him and Ethan. Their initial exchange was brief; Malfoy nodded at Ethan and left the office.
Dumbledore, with a smile, introduced Lucius Malfoy to Ethan. "The gentleman you just met is Mr. Lucius Malfoy, the board member of Hogwarts and father of Mr. Draco Malfoy."
Ethan should have spent more time getting to the point. "Professor Dumbledore, I've made progress in investigating the heir to the Chamber of Secrets."
Dumbledore's demeanor shifted to seriousness. Seated in the principal's chair, he leaned forward, folding his hands. "Professor Ethan, have you discovered anything new?"
