Drunk Ethan

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"That's why Hagrid was expelled?" Harry, Ron, and Hermione widened their mouths in surprise upon learning the truth from 50 years ago.

"This was too cruel, Hagrid."

Hermione's eyes were a bit red, and she comfortingly patted the back of Hagrid's broad hand.

"It's okay, it's been so long, I don't care anymore," Hagrid reassured Hermione.

"We must catch the true heir of the Chamber of Secrets and find out the truth!" Harry and Ron were indignant, gritting their teeth. "How could the Ministry of Magic conclude the case so hastily? It's so unfair to you!"

"Hey! Hey!" Ethan interrupted the excited Harry and Ron.

"Do you want to get involved in the heir of the Chamber again? I've warned you more than once!"

"But..." Ron contradicted Ethan for the first time. As friends of Hagrid, he and Harry knew that Hagrid was wronged but couldn't help.

"Nothing," Dumbledore interrupted Ron.

"Leave this to the professors in the school; we will take care of everything," Dumbledore said seriously.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron shrugged, not daring to speak out against Dumbledore.

For the next hour, Hagrid and Ethan began to indulge in toasts: for Hogwarts, for Dumbledore, for the wine in front of them, for...

I have to say that Hagrid communicates very well without any contradiction. Taking advantage of the drunkenness, Hagrid and Ethan eagerly exchanged knowledge about the domestication of magical animals and the habits of fire dragons. In the end, Hagrid mysteriously shared a few channels through which Ethan could trade those "not so approved by the Ministry of Magic" Fantastic Beasts.

Ethan nodded again and again, remembering what Hagrid said in his heart. Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at Dumbledore nervously. They could confirm that Dumbledore must have heard Hagrid's words. They were afraid that Dumbledore would suddenly order to arrest Ethan and Hagrid.

As the greatest and most powerful white wizard, Dumbledore, who hates and despises evil, faced this situation, he seemed to have not heard at all. Holding a goblet and staring at the fire before him, he wandered into the sky.

Ethan's red wine was quickly consumed, and Hagrid, who hadn't had enough, brought out a few large pots of strong beer and a huge bucket similar to the one Hagrid used.

Dumbledore used the excuse of being too old to drink more and declined the massive cup Hagrid offered. As it was inappropriate for the three young wizards to drink, the scene soon turned into a duel of drinks between Hagrid and Ethan.

It didn't take long for the drinking contest to escalate into a wine fight between Ethan and Hagrid. Neither of them was an ordinary drinker—Ethan relied on his witcher's enhanced tolerance to alcohol after a mutation. At the same time, Hagrid, being a half-blood giant, was resistant to almost anything, boasting a formidable tolerance.

The battle began in earnest. Harry and Ron were highly entertained, cheering loudly for Ethan and Hagrid and acting as recorders to document the amount of alcohol consumed.

Hermione looked on in disbelief. Ethan had shed his magical robe and was now wearing only an open-collared shirt. He was outpacing everyone in finishing drinks with Hagrid. The composed and wise image of Professor Ethan that she saw on weekdays was entirely different.

Dumbledore had quietly left at some point, leaving Hermione in the corner, absentmindedly stroking Fang's head, watching Harry and Ron enthusiastically cheering on Ethan and Hagrid, questioning the meaning of life.

In the end, no one remembered who won the drinking game. Eventually, Hagrid and Ethan sat side by side, embraced each other, and sang a soothing yet melancholic song.

The song was about a dying wizard named Otto. The hero, Otto, is carried back to his hometown, to the familiar place of his childhood. His hat is turned upside down, buried in the ground, and his wand is snapped in two—how sorrowful.

The dance Professor Ethan performed when intoxicated left the most profound impression on the three young wizards. Hagrid enthusiastically kept the rhythm while Professor Ethan spun around, turning his body into a spinning top before falling asleep in Fang's kennel.

Hagrid laughed, the sound shaking the dust off the roof, and then he snorted a few times. His large, unkempt head rolled into his arms, and he began to snore intensely.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at each other, unsure what to do. After unsuccessfully attempting to wake Professor Ethan up, they tried to carry him back to the castle. However, the three young wizards struggled not to disturb him due to Ethan being thoroughly inebriated and deadweight. In the process, they accidentally bumped Professor Ethan's head on the table, causing him to frown in his sleep.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione quickly abandoned the idea of moving Ethan. Hermione added a few cushions under Ethan's body and attempted to find a quilt, but after some futile efforts, she had to use Fang's blanket to cover Ethan. This action stirred strong dissatisfaction from Fang, causing the creature to protest loudly. In response, Harry had to take a piece of meat from the beam, which Hagrid had hung, and feed it to Fang, finally quieting the protesting creature.

After completing all these makeshift arrangements, the three young wizards closed the door gently and left Hagrid's cabin.

"Oh my God, we should have brought a camera to capture this scene!" Ron exclaimed excitedly, experiencing Ethan's "wild" side for the first time.

"I warn you, no one can reveal what they saw today." Hermione reminded Harry and Ron solemnly. As Professor Ethan's assistant, Hermione needed to stand up and defend her teacher's dignity.

Harry and Ron hastily pledged that they would never utter a word, and then the three of them exchanged glances and burst into laughter. The image of Ethan spinning around like a top was genuinely unforgettable.

When the three young wizards reached the castle, it was already curfew, making them nervous. Harry didn't have his invisibility cloak, and they lacked a forged note from a professor, which meant they had to sneak back into the dormitory to avoid being caught and facing point deductions.

"It's alright. We used to roam around at night, and we were never caught," Harry reassured his two friends, and then the trio stealthily entered Hogwarts Castle.

As expected, they were caught by Professor McGonagall on the way back. Professor McGonagall looked at the three young wizards in front of her with surprise. She couldn't fathom why Harry, Ron, and Hermione repeatedly risked the school's regulations and ignored their grades.