After Thursday’s classes ended, a crowd of students immediately came looking for Ethan, hurriedly handing him slips of paper before rushing off.
Especially during dinner in the Great Hall, a long queue even formed right next to Ethan.
Many were anxious because Transfiguration was a major class with two long sessions a week, and Professor McGonagall’s requirements were exceptionally strict, leaving no room for error.
Worse, the pace of the class was fast—the first lesson was just turning matches into silver needles, but by the second, it had already advanced to beetles and buttons, a massive leap in difficulty.
If only someone was willing to lend a helping hand at this time…
At this point, Ethan did not even have time to eat.
He kept reaching out to take slips of paper, swapping them for the next, and reaching out again.
He did not even forget to turn back and talk to his companions beside him.
“If I have the time, I must write a book.
I’ll put the title *My First Week of School: Going on Dates with Over Half the School’s Young Wizards* on the cover.
Who knows, it might even surpass Lockhart’s books and become the new bestseller.” As he joked, the Gryffindors immediately burst into laughter, and even Hermione coughed hard from laughing.
At the High Table, Albus Dumbledore adjusted his half-moon spectacles, turned to Minerva, and murmured, “Perhaps we should prepare a self-study classroom or a recreation room for the young wizards.” “The castle is dangerous.
Letting the children explore everywhere on their own could lead to very serious consequences.” Professor McGonagall looked thoughtful.
In the afternoon, Ethan received a key.
It belonged to an empty classroom on the second floor of the school.
It could accommodate at least thirty students studying together.
Only the school and Ethan possessed the key; as long as he did not violate school rules, Ethan could keep it indefinitely.
Professor McGonagall only emphasized two points.
First, mind the time; it could not exceed nine o’clock.
Second, the classroom could only be used for studying.
The professors on duty would occasionally check in.
Truth be told, Ethan was quite pleasantly surprised.
Having a study classroom of his own opened up too many possibilities.
Ethan quickly thought of various options, and some plans quietly began to take shape.
In front of the notice board, Ron Weasley stared at a new announcement, reading it word by word: “First-Year After-School Study Group, located in the seventh classroom on the left of the second floor.
Opening hours: 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM daily.
Classroom Administrator: Ethan White.” “Note 1: If there are young wizards from Slytherin and Ravenclaw, you must bring your acceptance letter.” “Note 2: You must prepare your own consumables for practicing magic.
— Ethan White.” He said in shock, “Merlin’s beard!
Ethan got a classroom key?” “Clearly!
It is permitted by the school!” Harry was also excited.
“We have a private study place!” Ron glanced at Malfoy, who was walking over from the other end of the corridor with Crabbe and Goyle trailing behind him, and immediately said loudly, “Yeah, Harry!
Now we don’t have to worry about someone talking behind our backs!” Malfoy, who was about to go upstairs, suddenly turned his head and strode over, his nose almost touching Ron’s.
“Ron Weasley!
Are you looking for a fight with me?” Ron’s eyes lit up, and he immediately looked at Harry.
Both of them excitedly rolled up their sleeves.
Malfoy suddenly got scared.
He took a few steps back and shouted angrily, “I never spoke behind anyone’s back!
Just you wait, I’m definitely going to tell my father about this!” He turned and ran, with Crabbe and Goyle hurriedly giving chase.
Harry and Ron looked instantly disappointed.
But soon, Malfoy returned, his eyes rimmed with red, following a very angry Professor McGonagall.
…
“What?
Harry and Ron got a day’s detention?” Ethan asked with utter surprise, “What did those two do?” Hermione, her forehead virtually creased with frustration, said angrily, “They kept thinking the person badmouthing people was Malfoy.
Earlier in the corridor, they tried to jump him!
Professor McGonagall was furious.
Not only did she give them detention, but she also docked ten points from each of them!” Ethan scratched his head upon hearing this.
Detention was nothing, but docking points was a bit serious, wasn’t it?
They had just earned ten points in the morning, only to lose five on the spot, and now another twenty?
After all that effort, they were down fifteen points?
Right now, Gryffindor’s points couldn’t possibly be negative, could they?
He said helplessly, “The Professor probably told them it wasn’t Malfoy.” Hermione said crossly, “They really are two idiots!
Even if they wanted to teach Malfoy a lesson, they should have cornered him at least!
Or done it where there wasn’t anyone around!” She had worked so hard to earn four points for the house, and not only were they completely gone now, but they were even in the negatives.
Ethan didn’t know what to say either, so he could only offer, “Tomorrow they only have two Potions classes, and the day after is the weekend.
They’ll have time to learn the button transfiguration—” “Pah!
Who cares if they learn that or not!” Hermione looked thoroughly disdainful.
Ethan suddenly paused, looking thoughtful.
“Right!
Tomorrow is Potions class!” Hermione rolled her eyes at him.
“Professor Severus Snape, who teaches Potions, is the Head of Slytherin.
He favors Malfoy heavily.
He’ll probably make things difficult for us tomorrow.” *Not probably, but definitely…* Ethan silently added in his heart.
Just imagine, if someone stole the woman you deeply loved, and she was your childhood sweetheart, and the person who stole her was the school bully who loved to torment you most.
Who wouldn’t go mad?
And now their son, looking incredibly like his father, had shown up fresh and bright right before his eyes…
Sigh, just thinking about it was a headache.
Ethan shook his head, picked up his quill, pondered for a moment, and wrote down several lines on the paper.
Hermione looked down at it, her smooth eyebrows furrowing slightly as she read, “Wormwood?
Essence of Dittany?
Aconite?
Bubotuber pus…
Why are you writing these?” “I’m worried the Professor might try to make things difficult for Harry and Ron tomorrow on purpose.” Hermione was utterly speechless and turned to leave.
This study room held no appeal for her; she preferred going to the library.
Even now, she still thought Ethan’s approach was silly and wasted very precious time.
Not long after Hermione left, Neville came, clutching a piece of paper.
The moment he saw Ethan, he said happily, “Ethan!
I found you!
I wrote to my gran and asked her to mail my acceptance letter over!” Ethan said with a smile, “That’s great, Neville.” Neville couldn’t wait to hand him the acceptance letter, smiling sheepishly.
“I told gran all about what happened at school.
Gran said she was so glad I could make a friend who was willing to help me.
She also said that badmouthing someone like that must have been done by a Ravenclaw.” “I’m glad to know you too, Neville, but that matter is already over.
Let’s not pay any more attention to it.” [Mental Resistance +1] Ethan read through it carefully, handed the acceptance letter back with a smile, and said, “Copy down the notes ten times first, and memorize them by Saturday afternoon.” Neville said worriedly, “I’m afraid I’ll forget.” “If you forget, just keep memorizing, Neville.
Do not fear knowledge.” Neville nodded in a daze and sat down, picking up his quill to start copying the notes.
His greatest merit was his obedience.
No matter how much homework Ethan assigned him, he was willing to do it.
This was also Ethan’s tailored learning method for Neville specifically.
While Ethan was teaching Neville how to memorize the notes, other young wizards gradually arrived, all from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff.
Especially Hufflepuff—many of them still hadn’t mastered the silver needle transfiguration, and tomorrow afternoon they had their second Transfiguration class.
If they couldn’t master it, they would definitely fall behind on future lessons.
This made them very anxious.
Especially after hearing they had to learn a new transfiguration tomorrow.
The previously empty classroom immediately bustled with voices.
Since no professors were present, the young wizards were no longer restrained, practicing repeatedly.
Gradually, some began to succeed in their transfigurations.
Notifications for gaining experience immediately popped up, and Ethan smiled.
Among the Slytherins, there were still some who hadn’t completed the silver needle transfiguration, and the button transfiguration was even harder.
He didn’t believe those little Slytherin snakes would hold out forever.
As for Ravenclaw, he was looking forward to seeing how those little eagles would react tomorrow if over half of the Hufflepuffs mastered the silver needle transfiguration.
Of course, it didn’t matter even if they stubbornly refused to come.
He was currently guiding all of Gryffindor and more than half of Hufflepuff.
As long as he forged deep friendships, perhaps he could harvest next year’s new students from both houses as well.
In the long run, his experience would grow more and more.