Interlude Chapter: Generic Hero Part VI: The first few chicks

The next week had been the most satisfying grind Ethan had ever had. His skills progressed at a previously unthinkable pace. His herbology and potion skills weren't even the ones that profited the most from the new headstart skills. It were the spellcaster skills that truly blossomed this week. The main reason for that was that he could cast these spells anytime and as many times as he wanted. He had realized that the Petrificus Totalus and Protego only showed any physical appearance after powering the spells to a certain degree. He was especially glad to have chosen the petrificus totalus spell instead of stupor or expeliarmus, as these spells sent out bolts when cast. The basic version of Petrificus Totalus didn't fire any bolts, and just the tip of the wand got a bit brighter, which was something he could easily cover with the long sleeves of his cloak. Protego was even easier to hide, as it only became visible after being hit by something. But today the problem wasn't about grinding some skills, as today was a relatively special day in Hogwarts. Halloween.

After hearing a little from older students, he knew that it was the biggest party of the school year, and he wanted to have fun. The problem was that he didn't knew what he should go as, as the only experience he had with costumes was being pranked in his previous life. He was a bit nervous, as he didn't want to become unpopular because his costume didn't meet the necessary coolness standards.

Luckily, Leona and Amy were willing to help him with that problem without questioning his insecurities. The two of them even seemed eager to put him in many different costumes, which was a funny experience on its own.

After he fought off their idea to make him into a house elf, they decided to include him into their partner outfit and they went as a group of ghosts. Amy had the time of her life doing their make-up, while Leona prepared their clothes with a special powder that made them look like they were translucent. In the end, it didn't work that well, and it looked like the clothes had been covered with calk dust. As the costumes of the other students weren't any better, he didn't complain about that and tried to have fun.

When they arrived at the party, they were greeted by a few of their classmates and started to dance without caring for anything. Especially Amy was having fun as she, despite her dislike of sports, liked to dance. She had forced Ethan to dance at least five dances in a row before he had to excuse himself as he had to go to the toilet.

As Ethan distanced himself from the lively party, a sense of clarity washed over him, and he couldn't help but realize how much fun he had been having. The happiness he felt was a stark contrast to the worries that had consumed him just a few months ago. His grandmother's problems were now within reach of a solution, and his school life was going remarkably well. Moreover, he had found true friends, that actually liked his company instead of just his potential future, which was more than he had ever hoped for.

With light feet, he made his way back to the gathering, only to be met with an unexpected scene of commotion at the entrance. The once-vibrant music had ceased, replaced by the sharp sound of Leona's voice, filled with outrage and frustration.

"How could you do something like that?!? Do you not have any decency left, or do you simply fail to grasp the gravity of what you are doing here?!?" Leona's words echoed through the crowd, drawing curious gazes and concerned whispers.

Ethan pushed through the gathering crowd, anxious to see what was unfolding. There, before him, stood Leona, confronting three older students who seemed to be in their fifth year or higher. It took no time for Ethan to understand why Leona was so furious. The trio had thought it was a cool idea to masquerade as Death Eaters, their costumes even adorned with an enchanted dark mark.

As the three students prepared to retort, their confident facade faltered when Professor McGonagall, the embodiment of poise and authority, appeared by their side. Ethan couldn't help but admire the professor's professionalism as she calmly beckoned the three culprits to her office. Though her demeanor remained composed, he suspected that Professor McGonagall was seething beneath the surface.

As the commotion settled and the crowd dispersed, Ethan couldn't help but notice that Leona appeared visibly downcast. Concerned for his friend, he signaled to Amy that they should give Leona some space and then gently pulled her away from the bustling great hall.

"Hey, do you want to talk about it?" he asked with genuine care, as he could see the mix of anger and sadness in her eyes.

After a moment of hesitation, Leona finally opened up, her voice tinged with frustration. "How can you stay so calm when you see something like that? Weren't your parents killed by Death Eaters too? Shouldn't you hate them just as much?"

Ethan was taken aback by the question. It was an aspect he hadn't deeply contemplated until now. He knew he wanted to prevent Voldemort's return and avenge his parents' deaths, but he hadn't really realized that the Death Eaters were equally responsible for the war that happened.

"You're right," he admitted, the weight of Leona's words sinking in. "I do feel anger and sorrow, but it's all still so new to me. I only found out about my parents a few months ago, and it's all a bit surreal at times."

Leona's frustration persisted, and she passionately spoke her mind, her voice filled with rage. "It's not just about revenge. It's about the countless people who suffered and are still suffering. We've all lost loved ones in the last war. My grandparents, your parents, Amy's father, and so many others. These Assholes mock that suffering and the fear everyone endured. I can't stand by and tolerate that."

"Sorry, I didn't know or at least haven't seen it that way until now. I only thought of them as simple followers. But you are right, they have caused as much, if not more, suffering than Voldemort himself."

"They are not mere followers! They caused unimaginable suffering, and most of them managed to escape justice using flimsy excuses like the Imperius Curse. They're rotten to the core, and they've passed on their twisted beliefs to their children."

He noticed the intensity in Leona's eyes as she spoke passionately about her hate, "If another Dark Lord emerges, they'll be the first to follow him and unleash more bloodshed. I can't tolerate that, even if it means I have to beat these believes out of them."

Her words resonated deeply with Ethan. He already wanted to fight corruption and greed in the muggle world, but things in the wizard world were much more severe, and with the deaths of his parents, it was personal. It was not just about seeking revenge against one man; it was about standing against a web of evil that had inflicted pain on so many.

He also knew what she said was the truth. The Harry Potter films had shown that her claims would come true and that the Slytherins would be the first to follow Voldemort again after he revived. In that moment, he realized that letting the story unfold the way it did in the movies wasn't an option. He needed to kill Voldemort or at least delay his return for as long as possible. He wasn't like Dumbledore, who would bet everything on Harry. His system would help him gain strength faster than anyone else, and with his teaching skills, he could even help increase his friends' progress so that when the time comes, they can deal with Voldemort even if Harry is unable to live up to the prophecy.

After their heartfelt conversation, they didn't feel like returning to the party and decided to call it an early night. However, Ethan's mind was buzzing with thoughts about the future. To gain more insights, he took another memory potion as soon as they arrived at the common room to recall every detail from the movies, hoping to devise an efficient plan to confront Voldemort and eradicate the lingering Death Eaters.

His first challenge would be dealing with Quirrell. Ethan knew he couldn't simply rely on Harry to handle it, as any slight alteration in events might lead to unforeseen consequences. He had to take matters into his own hands to prevent Quirrell from obtaining the Philosopher's Stone.

Then came the issue of the Horcruxes. While he now knew their locations, with the exception of the diadem, they were mostly out of his reach for the time being. Even if he could access them, he needed a reliable method to destroy these dark objects. The movies had shown that basilisk venom and fiendfire were effective in destroying Horcruxes, but both methods came with significant risks.

Fiendfire, especially, was a spell known for its uncontrollable nature, as evidenced by the tragic fate of Crabbe in the movies. That, and the fact that even Hermione didn't even consider using it in her seventh year, showed that it was far too dangerous.

The basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets presented its own set of hazards, even if he managed to get entry into the chamber. Still, as these were the only methods to destroy the horcruxes he knew, he would read up on them.

The next day, Amy was complaining that they hadn't returned to the party the day before. Ethan noticed a tinge of jealousy in her demeanor towards Leona, but he decided not to interfere. Perhaps letting them sort it out on their own was the best course of action.

After a "girl talk" session that lasted an hour, they returned, and Amy seemed genuinely happy, while Leona appeared a bit miffed.

As they continued their day, Ethan found himself pondering the dynamics between the three of them. For now, he considered them all as dear friends, but he was open to whatever changes might come their way. He believed in taking things slow and not rushing into anything just because the opportunity presented itself.

With his plants tended to and some training done, they made their way to the library. Thanks to the memory potion's aid, he quickly recalled that Hermione had discovered information about the Basilisk in the book "Most Macabre Monstrosities." Tracking down the relevant pages on basilisks was a breeze, and he skimmed through the whole book, trying to avoid drawing too much attention from his friends.

The book held some fascinating insights. He learned that killing the basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets was indeed a viable option, provided he found a way to open the chamber. The method was surprisingly straightforward; all he needed to do was throw roosters into the chamber, and the basilisk would be killed by their crowing.

Then, he stumbled upon another interesting fact – the process of breeding a basilisk. If he couldn't access the chamber, he could potentially breed one himself, although it seemed like a risky endeavor. The book revealed that placing a toad, not his beloved Felicia, on a chicken egg would lead to the birth of a basilisk in three weeks. However, there was a major uncertainty: the venom of a young basilisk might not be potent enough to destroy a Horcrux immediately.

A baby basilisk's gaze could petrify someone, but it took up to a year for it to gain the ability to kill with its glare and the same could be true for its venom. He was uncertain of what might happen if someone indirectly looked into a young basilisk's eyes, and he didn't want to be the guinea pig for such a test, so he still had to treat it as if its glare was deadly. Furthermore, taming a basilisk proved nearly impossible without being a Parselmouth. The book recounted unfortunate wizards from the Middle Ages who met untimely ends after successfully breeding a basilisk. Consequently, there was a law prohibiting basilisk breeding, though few needed the law to dissuade them, as the risks were too great.

His search for the fiendfire curse proved to be less fruitful than he had hoped, leading him to suspect that the spell was likely hidden away in one of the books in the restricted area. Admittedly, he couldn't deny the need behind keeping such dangerous magic out of the hands of students, so he wasn't too disappointment.

In the following days, he set his sights on learning Parseltongue. While he knew it was typically an inherited trait, he wanted to ensure that his system couldn't grant him this ability. Maybe, just maybe, his skill in speaking languages might somehow aid him in acquiring this rare talent. To his dismay, even after attempting to summon a snake, mimicking what Malfoy had done during his duell with Harry, and engaging in one-sided conversations with the reptiles, the skill wasn't offered.

It made sense, he reasoned, that acquiring a language skill wouldn't be as simple as uttering a few words. Otherwise, he'd be inundated with language skills, which hadn't been the case thus far. The only ones he had earned were English, of course, and to his surprise, Latin. He attributed the Latin skill to the spells he had learned and his time spent studying medicine, which seemed plausible enough.

With a week passing and still no progress in mastering Parseltongue, Ethan came to a decision – breeding a basilisk might be a more feasible route for him. He figured that he could secretly breed one within the Room of Requirement, where he doubted anyone would notice. To minimize risks, he would place a rooster inside the room and remove the basilisk's teeth to test if the venom could indeed destroy Horcruxes right after birth.

Gathering the necessary ingredients for his plan turned out to be relatively easy. Toads were common potion ingredients, and the school had a breeding pond for them. He could also find toads in abundance around the Great Lake. The main challenge was obtaining a live rooster. Though Hagrid had a few, Ethan preferred not to explain his motives for needing one. Thus, he decided to breed his own roosters discreetly, just to be safe. Amidst tending to his herbology farm, he began breeding chickens, and within 20 days, the first few chicks and roosters hatched.

Knowing that they would require 17 weeks to be fully grown, he decided to wait seven weeks before initiating the basilisk breeding process, as he didn't believe that a baby basilisk could resist even a half-mature rooster's crowing. The experiment was set to begin after the Christmas break, giving him ample time to do other, less serious things.

As time went on, Ethan's potion-making business gained popularity among Hogwarts students. Word of his effective and reliable potions spread like wildfire, attracting a few imitators who saw the opportunity to make some extra Galleons. However, not all of these copycats possessed Ethan's level of skill and precision, leading to some unfortunate side effects for their customers.

Concerned about the negative impacts of these imitations, Ethan sought advice from Leona and Amy. Together, they decided to establish their own unique brand. Leona and Amy had become valuable partners during the past few weeks, actively participating in marketing while Ethan focused on ingredient farming and potion brewing, so his business became their business.

One evening, the trio found themselves deep in a heated discussion, brainstorming ideas for their brand's logo. The suggestions flowed abundantly, prolonging the debate more than they anticipated. Suddenly, their lively exchange was interrupted when Felicia, Ethan's warty companion, made a grand entrance by leaping down the stairs from the dormitories in pursuit of a pesky fly. Amused by the spectacle, Ethan tried to defend Felicia's warty charm, insisting on the "awesomeness" of toads, which only led to a lighthearted banter between the friends.

Ultimately, they found common ground, and the decision was made – Felicia, the spirited toad, would become the mascot of their business, and the brand's logo would feature a simple drawing of a toad.

As time went on, students quickly learned that potions bearing the toad logo boasted higher quality, free from any unpleasant side effects. Soon, their brand gained recognition and trust among their peers.

Naturally, the copycats also tried to imitate Ethan's success, by copying his methods and attempting to create their own brands. However, they couldn't match Ethan's advantages. Not only did he grow his own ingredients, allowing him to sell potions at lower prices, but his skills also made his brews unnaturally potent.

The roosters that had hatched in the meantime were, in a fit of bad humor, named Harry and Ron. Rooster Harry and Rooster Ron grew up in the Room of Requirements, and the room even created a little home for them. Ethan made sure they grew up healthy, despite being a bit isolated from the other chickens. Their loud crowing made him confident that they would be able to fulfill their purpose.

As the festive season approached, just three days before Christmas, Ethan wanted to prepare an egg for the basilisk. However, his intentions were temporarily halted as he unexpectedly crossed paths with none other than Professor McGonagall.

To his astonishment, the professor offered him private lessons in transfiguration, recognizing his rare talent in the art. It was a flattering proposition, but Ethan had reservations about diving deeper into transfiguration. While his calculation skills granted him an edge in the subject, he found the art itself lacking. The temporary nature of transformations dampened his enthusiasm for the subject, and he felt he could utilize his time more effectively in other pursuits.

Professor McGonagall was genuinely surprised and attempted to sway him a few more times, eager to nurture his potential. Yet, no amount of persuasion could sway Ethan's decision – he politely declined the offer, sticking to his conviction that transfiguration wasn't his calling.

After the meeting with the professor, Ethan hastened to the room of requirements, his mind set on his basilisk-breeding endeavor. He opted for the room that housed the horcrux, considering it the safest location for his basilisk experiment. As he didn't dare touch the Horcrux out of fear that it would attack him, he thought it was a better idea to breed the basilisk where it was needed. Breeding the basilisk in another room of requirements specialized for breeding basilisk naturally was also an enticing idea, but he wasn't confident to move the beast from one room of requirements to another without significant risks.

So just before Christmas, he placed an egg in a small but incredibly high box made out of wood. He had taken the design from the room of requirements as he had entered the room specialized for breeding a basilisk with the least amounts of risk. He then let a toad slide down on the egg without breaking it before straightening up the box. The box was so small that she couldn't move away from the egg. It might be cruel on the toad, but he was sure she would be the first victim of the basilisk anyway. He still decided to build an automatic feeder and water station for the toad in the box, but in the end, he would admit anytime that it was cruel. Especially after seeing that the toad tried to escape by jumping up a few times only to clash against a shield charm directly above its head.

With that done, Ethan began to pack for the Christmas holidays. He was already eager to see his grandmother again.