Chapter 100

Once Ethan's vision returned to him, he cast a glance at the unconscious Weasley girl, and to the outside, feeling torn. He should run after the book, but he could not just leave Ginny alone here.

"Stay here, I'm faster anyway."

Miyuki did not leave him a chance to argue as she leaped off the ground, rapidly vanishing out of sight as she chased after the book, leaving Ethan alone with Ginny.

Ethan thought about what to do for a moment before stepping out of the room, brandishing his wand out as he exclaimed loudly, "Lumos Maxima!"

Lumos was a first year spell, and among the first ones he had learned. As for Lumos Maxima, it was technically not within the Hogwarts curriculum, but that was because adding 'Maxima' to a spell was simply a way to reinforce said spell.

So, a blinding light was shot out of Ethan's wand, illuminating his surroundings and standing out sharply in the darkness of the night. If there was anyone in the Grand Staircase, patrolling for students breaking curfew, then surely they would see it.

And sure enough, as Ethan returned to Ginny, watching over her unconscious form, unable to really do anything as he did not know any healing or diagnosis magic, the cold and stern voice of his head of house sounded out behind him, "Alone with an unconscious girl in the girls' bathroom… a misunderstanding would easily arise."

Ethan looked at Snape, and said, "This is a grave matter, Professor. I was returning from Professor Dumbledore's office when I was attacked by her."

Snape looked at Ginny, easily recognizing her as he said, "What could a first year girl who barely started learning magic do to warrant getting several of her bones broken? I doubt even her older brothers would represent much of a danger to you, Mr. Grindelwald."

Broken bones? That toss from Miyuki had looked effortless.

"She nearly used the Killing Curse on me, Sir."

Snape's gaze sharpened as his voice tensed, "You clearly did not inherit your grandfather's talent in persuasion."

Ethan ignored the slight, "Avada Kedavra. And a green light. I'm sure of it. And it would not have been a weak one either, it would have been a deadly one, as it was not really Ginny who was casting it."

Most people believed that the Killing Curse would always kill on impact, and while that was true when properly cast, it was a very complex curse that not just anyone could pull off.

Ethan had not been taught much about it or the other two Unforgivable Curses, for obvious reasons, but he still knew the basics. And for the Killing Curse, not only did one need to master the spell itself, but for it to have any effect, a strong killing intent also had to be accompanied.

So even if a child like Ginny were to somehow be able to pull off the Killing Curse, it would at most tickle whoever she hit, because she would be unable to truly want them dead.

Snape's face remained stern as he stayed silent, obviously waiting for Ethan to explain.

"She had a book with her. A diary of some kind. It looked old, but it was filled with a particularly potent magic. Dark magic. And I think it was controlling Weasley, even possessing her for a moment. I think it was cursed."

Snape crouched down next to Ginny, and mumbled an incantation Ethan did not know, "Invenire Malis."

A subtle white light shone at the tip of his wand, remaining for a few seconds before disappearing. Snape asked, "Where is that cursed book then?"

"It blinded me with a potent light charm, and flew over the railing on its own. Miyuki has gone to search for it."

"Miyuki. That's your Kitsune, isn't it?"

Ethan nodded, and Snape flicked his wand, levitating Ginny off the ground. Seeing this, Ethan decided to add, "There is also something wrong with this room."

Snape stopped, raising an eyebrow as he asked, "Is that why you were here? The second floor girls' bathroom is hardly close to either the Headmaster's Office or the Slytherin Common Room. Passing by here would prove to be a major deviation and loss of time."

Having already decided to share everything beforehand, Ethan nodded again, "The book led Ginny here. She was clearly shocked to see me here. I also found something in this room, it should be a secret passage of some kind. I believe Headmaster Dumbledore and the other Head of Houses should be warned about this incident, before it turns into something similar to last year."

Ethan realized he was getting himself carried away as he tried to convince Snape of investigating the matter, to take it seriously.

Snape's eye never left Ethan as he remarked calmly, "As perspicacious as always, Mr. Grindelwald. You unearthed the plot of Holderbaum last year, and now you found another. Some would be eager to call you fame hungry. Others would wonder how you came to somehow make these discoveries."

"I was not the only one to make these discoveries. It was simply that the others kept it to themselves, thinking they could solve everything by themselves."

This finally got a reaction out of Snape, who snorted, "The Potters and their posse, they certainly think themselves better than everyone else."

At that moment, Miyuki flickered back into the room, returning to the top of Ethan's head, growling quietly. Obviously, she had not gotten the book.

Snape still said, "So you failed to get the book."

Miyuki's growling intensified as she looked at Snape, but he looked back unimpressed. Which was understandable, since Snape had a fair share of knowledge on dangerous magical beasts.

After all, everyone knew that Snape wanted the Defence Against the Dark Arts post, and aspiring to such a thing with no actual skill in the subject would be foolish. Something that Snape was not.

"So we have a cursed book on the loose, a possible secret passage to the school, a Weasley girl with several broken bones, and you in the middle of it all. Again. How… tedious."

Ethan smiled ruefully, and Snape added snappily, "You will have questions to answer, Grindelwald."

"May I go back to my room?"

Snape's eyes flickered for a moment, before he nodded. He did follow up with a warning, however, "You will first come with me to the infirmary, before I personally bring you back to your Common Room. No detours this time. And do not speak of this to other students, the last thing we need is a panic among students."