"Well, haven't you been eating with them these past couple of days?" Hermione asked, looking somewhat flustered. "And laughing and talking with them!"

Ethan was taken aback. "I'm from Ravenclaw. Is there a problem with eating with Ravenclaw students?"

Hermione hesitated, feeling less confident. She wanted to argue but couldn't find the right words.

"Then why did you make such a fuss when we first met?" Ethan pressed, recalling how Hermione had seemed upset when he first talked to her.

"I just wanted to remind you that there are always people who are better than you. You can't be too proud. It's important to study hard and keep improving," Ethan said earnestly, trying to offer constructive advice.

Hermione considered this and nodded, acknowledging its validity. But then she quickly asked, "Why do you keep calling me 'Big Front Teeth'?"

The nickname struck a nerve. As the daughter of a dentist, Hermione was sensitive about her teeth, especially since her front teeth were more prominent than most. It was a sore subject.

"Just to make sure you remember me," Ethan said with a smirk. "It's unforgettable, right?"

Hermione fell into a thoughtful state, laughing occasionally at the absurdity of the conversation.

Ethan then chatted with Harry and Ron, focusing mostly on Ron.

"Ethan, don't you know?" Ron began, looking a bit secretive.

"Scabbers is part of my family," he continued, explaining that Scabbers was not just a pet but had been with him for years.

"Three Sickles a day is something to think about. A wand costs seven Galleons, and an owl costs twenty Galleons. Don't you want to consider it?" Ethan tried to tempt Ron with the prospect of acquiring these items.

The Weasley family had many children, and their financial situation was tight. While the older siblings and Ginny managed to get new wands, books, and robes, Ron had to make do with old ones. It was no surprise that he was tempted by the offer.

"Scabbers has been with me for ten years, and now he sleeps in my bed. I consider him like a younger brother. Are you really going to disregard that?" Ron protested.

"I've already promised not to harm Scabbers. I'll treat him exactly as you did. It's practically free!" Ethan said, sounding incredulous at Ron's reluctance.

"Don't misunderstand. Scabbers is like family to me," Ron said, his voice tinged with sadness.

Eventually, they struck a deal. Ethan agreed to rent Scabbers for two Galleons a week, which amounted to thirty-four Sickles.

Ron was delighted with the arrangement. At eleven years old, he couldn't save two Galleons even with the most frugal lifestyle.

As soon as the deal was finalized, Ron went to the Gryffindor dormitory to fetch Scabbers and hand him over to Ethan, anxious that Ethan might back out.

Rats in Diagon Alley were inexpensive, costing only one Galleon per cage. They were not magical creatures but were used for various experiments or as live food. Hogwarts, however, did not sell them, so Ethan considered it a bargain.

"Remember, I'll return Scabbers next week!" Ethan said as he carried Peter Pettigrew in a cage, preparing to leave.

"Be careful. Even if I don't know what you plan to do with Scabbers, remember that he's old and has been with me for a decade. Don't mistreat him," Ron warned before Ethan departed.

Ron's concern for Scabbers was genuine, though the rat was a gift from Percy and not someone Ron felt deeply attached to. Two Galleons were worth more than sentimental value.

Ethan took Scabbers to the eighth floor and entered the Room of Requirement.

As soon as they were inside, Scabbers began to squirm frantically in the cage, fully aware that something unpleasant was about to happen.

When Ron handed him over, Scabbers had sensed trouble but was powerless to escape.

After setting Scabbers free from the cage, Ethan cast a spell with a casual flick of his wand.

"Crucio!"

While other spells could remove an Animagus form, none were as direct or quick as the Cruciatus Curse.

The mouse, previously active and seeking escape routes, collapsed in agony, writhing on the floor and screaming in pain.

Scabbers could hardly believe that a first-year student would use such a dark and unforgivable curse so openly and cruelly on a mere mouse.

"Endure it!" Ethan sneered, casting another Cruciatus Curse.

This time, the mouse began to foam at the mouth. The intense pain nearly made Scabbers lose consciousness, and he was unable to maintain his Animagus form.

The rat's body twisted and contorted, eventually transforming into a short, plump, bald middle-aged man with small eyes, gray hair, a pointed nose, and tattered clothes. He looked exactly like a fat rat turned into a human.

But the man's condition was far from good. He lay on the ground, half-dead and unable to get up, enduring the aftereffects of the curse.

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