Ethan took a deep breath, pulled the door to the Entrance Hall open just a crack, and quickly squeezed inside.
The Entrance Hall was still lit.
Two older students were walking back and forth in the corridor before the stairs, and in the distance, another older student stood in front of the library door.
…
“Once you reach the Entrance Hall, you’ll have to deal with the Prefects on patrol,” Fred said.
“They’re harder to fool than Filch.
If you get too close, they’ll notice something off about the Disillusionment Charm, so it’s best to take a detour and avoid them.”
“You might also run into a Professor,” George said, his expression turning serious, as if he had remembered something unpleasant.
“They’re very sensitive to traces of Magic, so don’t even think about using magic to distract them.”
“I can tell you two have stories,” Ethan said with an amused look.
…
Ethan pressed himself close to the wall, crouching as he slowly moved to the corner by the Entrance Hall staircase.
Then he straightened up, went down the stairs to the landing at the turn, quickly crossed to the stairs at the other end, and climbed back up, avoiding the Ravenclaw Prefect patrolling the staircase.
[Good.
I’m almost at the door.
Now all that’s left is…]
Ethan crouched in the shadow of the corner and looked at Percy, who was standing not far away in front of the library door.
…
“Of course, unless you run into Percy,” Fred said, mercilessly mocking his own older brother.
“He’s a block of wood.
His mind is like a stagnant pond.
Just make a little noise and you can fool him.”
“Just anything?” Ethan found it hard to believe.
“He’s a Prefect.
Is that really okay?”
“That’s right, anything,” George said with a disdainful smile.
“The poor boy’s studied himself stupid.
He’s even easier to fool than Filch.”
…
Ethan looked at the two suits of armor standing against the wall not far away, and an idea came to him.
He slowly edged along the wall until he was beside the armor, then lifted his leg and kicked one of the suits.
“Aaagh!”
The armor cried out in pain, immediately drawing Percy’s attention from diagonally across the hall.
Ethan took the chance to retreat a short distance.
While the Ravenclaw Prefect near the stairs turned his gaze toward the staircase, Ethan quickly ran to the opposite side of the corridor.
“What’s wrong?”
The other suit of armor asked with concern.
“Aha, I know!
It was you!
And now you’re pretending to be innocent.
I don’t need your fake concern!” the kicked suit of armor shouted, then kicked off the other suit’s arm.
“Nonsense!
You’re just looking for trouble!” The one-armed suit of armor was furious.
It grabbed its own mace and smashed the other suit into pieces.
“Hey, what are you doing?
Keep it down.” Percy crossed the corridor and spoke to the two fighting suits of armor with obvious displeasure.
[Good chance!]
Ethan moved along the wall as quickly as he could and reached the library door.
Watching Percy’s back as he scolded the suits of armor, Ethan shook his head helplessly.
[Poor kid.
You really need to wise up.]
Ethan turned away and ignored the commotion behind him.
He slowly pulled the wooden door to the library open a crack, took a deep breath, slipped through sideways, and gently closed it again.
Softly and silently, Ethan followed the descending stairs into the library.
…
“Once you’re inside the library, you’ll need to find the key to the iron gate locking the Restricted Section,” Fred said, leading them to another place in front of a railing.
“That key is in Madam Pince’s drawer.”
“Alohomora can’t open that lock.
There’s an Anti-Alohomora Charm on it,” George said, leaning against the railing and gazing into the distance.
“If you use an Unlocking Charm on it, it’ll set off a piercing alarm, and the Prefects patrolling the Entrance Hall will hear it.”
…
[I remember Madam Pince’s desk is…]
Ethan looked to the left.
Madam Pince’s desk was just to the left of the library entrance.
That single glance nearly made his heart stop.
Ethan immediately saw Madam Pince’s bespectacled face.
She was sorting through something while muttering under her breath.
“Hufflepuff again!
Can’t they fill in the registration forms properly?
What on earth is this supposed to be?” Madam Pince complained, her pen never stopping.
“It’s all left for me to clean up anyway, isn’t it?
Honestly, every start of term, there are always these basic mistakes…”
Ethan quickly crouched down and slipped along the counter right under Madam Pince’s nose, moving toward the bookshelves farther inside.
…
“Of course, Madam Pince might still be there working late,” Fred said.
“If that happens, you’ll have to figure something out yourself.”
“She’s quite hard to distract, honestly,” George said.
“You’d better find a helper to go with you.”
“I’ll pass.
It’s not exactly convenient to do this with someone else.” Ethan leaned against the railing, brimming with confidence.
“Don’t worry about the lock, this lone wolf has a clever plan of his own.”
…
Ethan walked to the outer corridor along the wall, circled around the library, and reached the lock on the Restricted Section.
After carefully examining the iron gate of the Restricted Section, he reached a conclusion.
[Hmm.
It’s a pin tumbler lock.]
Then this was simple.
Ethan plucked out two strands of hair, placed them in his palm, and cast a Transfiguration Spell on them with his wand.
[Transformation.]
The strands of hair became two thick iron wires.
Ethan bent one end of each wire into a slight hook and inserted them into the keyhole.
Time to give Western wizard magic a tiny bit of Eastern shock.
Ethan slowly worked the lock-picking tools, holding his breath as he listened carefully to the sounds inside the lock.
At last, with a soft click, the iron gate’s lock opened.
[Easy.]
Ethan slowly pulled the iron gate open, careful not to let it creak and attract Madam Pince’s attention.
He quietly slipped into the Restricted Section, then closed the gate just as slowly behind him.
Sure enough, there were traces of ancient Magic in the Restricted Section.
The white specks of light gathered on the floor into a thin line, guiding Ethan toward a staircase that led downward.
…
“Oh, right.
There’s a book on a table in the Restricted Section,” Fred said, remembering something.
“Whatever you do, don’t touch it.
That book has a Temptation Charm on it.”
“Once you open it, you’ll be knocked out.
We fell for it twice,” George said with a wry smile.
“So whether it’s people or books, you can’t judge by appearance.”
…
[Even so, this is way too obvious.
How did the Weasley brothers fall for it?]
Ethan looked at the beautifully decorated book sitting on the table beside the stairs.
He restrained the urge to pick it up and claim it for himself, then stepped onto the stairs and headed down.
…
“There are two ghosts patrolling the corridor on the basement level.
They’re the last guards,” Fred said, standing up from the railing and stretching.
“But they’re even dumber than Percy.
Just make a little noise and lure them away.”
“Remember not to get too close.
They can still see through the Disillusionment Charm,” George warned him one last time.
“Good luck.”