Selling Stolen Goods [Bonus]

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Bonus at 200 stones.

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Ethan, feeling embarrassed, was not inclined to prolong his conversation with Dumbledore. He swiftly departed the headmaster's office, firmly deciding to avoid the Chamber. The complexities ran deep, and he felt ill-equipped to navigate them alone. The challenges of the chamber were beyond the capabilities of the young witcher.

As for Dumbledore's plan? Let it be! Ethan trusted that no one understood Voldemort better than Dumbledore. Entrusting the crucial task of thwarting Voldemort's sinister scheme to the seasoned wizard seemed the best course of action. Ethan's primary concern was safeguarding his students during the impending showdown.

His resolve was clear: focus on teaching, follow orders, and construct a new castle once he amassed sufficient funds. Recruiting a few witchers would enable him to share in the camaraderie experienced by Vesemir.

Meanwhile, Harry, Ron, and Hermione gathered in the Gryffindor common room as the Weasley twins relayed news of Professor Lockhart's battered state, having seen him stumble towards the infirmary with visible injuries on his face and body.

Harry and Ron discuss the matter excitedly at this time because Lockhart removed Harry's bones during the Quidditch match, causing Harry a lot of suffering. Thus, Harry and Ron feel even luckier now.

"Lockhart suffered this time! We have no idea who did it!" Fred and George exaggeratedly imitate Lockhart's limping appearance, eliciting laughter from Harry, Ron, and the surrounding people, including the Gryffindor lion cubs.

However, Hermione remains unamused. She sits on the sofa, frowning, holding a notebook in her right hand, and gesturing various symbols in the air with her left hand. Hermione has yet to cast any spell, making her somewhat impatient successfully.

An ample space surrounds Hermione since sparks sprung from her hand during seal practice, setting half of Neville's hair on fire. Consequently, no one wants to be near Hermione during her seal practice.

"I think Lockhart must have been beaten by Professor Ethan!" Ron says excitedly. "As soon as Professor Ethan's office was robbed, Lockhart was beaten. The two things must be related!" Ron's face is mysterious, as if he has grasped something inside. Lavender and Seamus lean in, eager to hear the "inside story."

Suddenly, the door of the Gryffindor lounge is pushed open, and Ginny walks in with red eyes. Many Gryffindor students, aware that Ginny was called away, curiously look at her red eyes, realizing she had just cried. They want to know what happened.

Feeling overwhelmed by the curious gazes, Ginny hurries a few steps to her dormitory.

Witnessing the situation, Percy grew particularly nervous. He quickly stood up upon seeing Ginny and caught up with her, expressing his concern, "What happened, Ginny? What's going on? Did the headmaster reprimand you? Are we facing more point deductions?" Percy's greatest fear was Gryffindor losing more points.

Even though Gryffindor was destined to be at the bottom this semester, Percy still didn't want Gryffindor's score to drop into triple digits. She ran back to her bedroom. Percy wanted to catch up and inquire further, but Fred and George restrained him by grabbing his arms from behind, saying, "Percy, Ginny is still upset! She's our sister! Forget about the points!" Ron also joined in, advising Percy to stop.

Only then did Percy realize the inappropriateness of his actions, and his face immediately flushed. Recognizing that he shouldn't have acted that way as a brother, Percy was released by Fred and George when they saw he was no longer resisting.

Without saying anything, Percy snorted twice, then turned around and hurriedly left the Gryffindor lounge.

Observing this, Hermione decided to halt her spell practice. After exchanging greetings with Harry and Ron, she returned to the dormitory. Regardless of the situation, she wanted to comfort Ginny.

Entering the girls' dormitory, Hermione found Ginny lying quietly on the bed. Cautiously approaching Ginny, she asked, "Ginny, are you okay?" with a worried expression.

To Hermione's surprise, Ginny's mood didn't seem as dire as expected. "Don't worry about me, Hermione. I'm in a bit of trouble, but Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor Ethan have helped me resolve it," Ginny reassured Hermione.

This piqued Hermione's curiosity, and she attempted to extract more information from Ginny, but her efforts proved futile. Ginny's lips remained sealed, and Hermione didn't glean any useful information from her.

In the following days, Ethan enjoyed a leisurely life. Entrusting Voldemort's diary to Dumbledore meant that the threat of the Chamber of Secrets' heir had been eliminated. As for the unfortunate basilisk, Dumbledore's plan had already taken care of it, leaving no need for Ethan to worry.

Snape finally established contact with the buyer of Ethan's loot. Visiting Ethan's office in person, Snape invited Ethan to Knockturn Alley to finalize the transaction.

"Take your goods, Ethan. Let's go, beware. Knockturn Alley is not a safe place," Snape remained cold and arrogant.

The journey started in Hogsmeade Village and continued to Diagon Alley through Hogsmeade's Floo network. Knockturn Alley and Diagon Alley were adjacent, a mix of dragons and snakes, often despised by most wizards. Curious, Ethan observed the dirty alley ahead, seemingly dark on both sides, hosting a magic shop.

One display featured gloomy shrunken heads, while another showcased a large cage filled with enormous black spiders. Several scruffy wizards stood in the narrow street, maliciously eyeing all passersby, including Ethan and Snape.

Clad in soft armor with a wizard's robe and two long swords on his back, Ethan exuded an intimidating aura. Snape, on the other hand, lifted his head, displaying indifference towards the wizards on the street. Surviving in Knockturn Alley required strength or wisdom, and the wizards recognized that Ethan and Snape were not to be trifled with.

Understanding the risk, the wizards quickly redirected their attention to other passersby. Familiar with the surroundings, Snape guided Ethan through alleys and winding streets until they reached a dilapidated three-story building. Snape cautiously looked around before entering, ensuring no one was following them. The building, lacking any signboards, appeared to be a hotel, but its rundown appearance, cobweb-covered corners, and absence of staff gave it an eerie atmosphere. The hotel's front desk was walled up, leaving only a rectangular space for transactions, shrouded in darkness.