Chapter 53: Black Lake
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The Christmas holiday concluded swiftly, and the remnants of Hermione's cat features became nearly imperceptible. Under Madam Pomfrey's exceptional medical skills, the whiskers on Hermione's face vanished, and her eyes returned to normal. No longer coughing up hairballs, only the cat's ears remained. Unwilling to miss class, Hermione adorned a brown wool beret, concealing her cat's ears. The playful and cute ensemble, combined with her wizard's robe, defied Madam Pomfrey's advice as Hermione insisted on leaving the hospital.
In celebration of Hermione's release, Harry and Ron secured an empty classroom and organized a modest welcome ceremony. They refrained from inviting too many people, mindful that some Gryffindor students still resent Harry and Ron.
The Weasley twins, along with Ginny, attended the gathering. Harry, acting as a mini-tyrant, ordered a selection of delectable candies from Honeydukes for the party guests. Luna, to everyone's surprise, also joined. Although Harry and Ron couldn't recall inviting the Ravenclaw witch, Luna engaged in conversation with Ginny, and neither Harry nor Ron raised any objections.
Luna and Ginny had become friends at an early age, with their families residing nearby. The two witches formed a quick bond. In their youth, Ginny accompanied Luna to search for snorkels in secluded corners. As Ginny matured, she realized Snorkacks might not exist, yet Luna persisted in her quest.
Luna savored a honey candy, her eyes squinting in delight. She had been sharing her recent paper on the horned snoring beast with Ginny. Ginny, familiar with her friend's eccentricities, responded with a nonchalant "ahhhhhhhhhhh."
"I'm pleased to see you in much better spirits lately, Ginny, free from the harassment that plagued you," Luna remarked, enjoying the sweet honey candy.
Since Ginny rid herself of Voldemort's diary, there have been no incidents of the basilisk causing harm. This alleviated Ginny's heart, convinced Professor Ethan had adequately disposed of the notebook. The weight on her chest was finally lifted.
"Yeah, I did have some troubles some time ago, but fortunately, they've been resolved," Ginny said lightly.
"It seems that Professor Ethan helped you a lot." Luna pinched a handful of cockroaches, contemplating whether to try them.
Ginny was momentarily alarmed by Luna's words, her face paling. She thought Luna had discovered her secret, but Luna soon recounted the entire incident of Professor Ethan helping Ginny during the summer questioning. After hearing Luna's words, Ginny breathed a sigh of relief, but she remained a bit nervous. She feared that Ethan might find out she was the one who opened the Chamber of Secrets.
Hermione's cat ears flexed around within the hat, picking up Luna and Ginny's conversation. The additional cat ears endowed Hermione with acute hearing. She was curious about Professor Ethan's assistance but soon got distracted by the Weasley twins' discussion.
The Weasleys were contemplating exploring the interior of the Forbidden Forest. Having learned from Ron that Ethan had eradicated the giant spiders in the Forbidden Forest, George and Fred were eager to venture into its depths. However, Hermione's sensitive cat ears intercepted their conversation.
"Merlin, don't get into trouble. Gryffindor can't afford point deductions," Hermione exclaimed to George and Fred in surprise. The twins exchanged puzzled glances, wondering how Hermione could still hear their conversation despite speaking in hushed tones. Repeated assurances that they wouldn't venture into the Forbidden Forest eventually convinced Hermione to abandon her attempts to dissuade them.
Throughout the remainder of the party, Ron and Harry recounted their inhumane treatment of Snape over the past few days. Hermione secretly rejoiced that Professor Ethan was overseeing the confinement, and the young wizards chuckled until curfew approached. The party concluded, and they returned to their respective common rooms.
As night enveloped Hogwarts, Ethan made his way to the black lake. The moonlight cast a faint silver mist over the dark expanse. The black lake's surface was serene and dark, resembling a smooth mirror. Using his hands to tease the frigid lake water, Ethan retrieved the conch Margery had given him. He inspected the ordinary conch and decided to follow Margery's method. Placing the conch to his lips, he blew hard at the blowhole, producing an unpleasant beep, and nothing changed. The black lake remained undisturbed, revealing that Ethan had been deceived.
Ethan felt a twinge of embarrassment. Fortunately, it was now curfew, and the deserted surroundings spared him from prying eyes. If people witnessed Ethan standing by the black lake blowing a conch shell in the dead of night, suspicions would undoubtedly arise. His mental state was undeniably in question. Margery was a cunning swindler, manipulating Ethan through a subtle serial scam. If Ethan's suspicions were accurate, Margery had likely absconded with ill-gotten gains, leaving Ethan to contend with the consequences.
Even a passing osprey in the sky seemed to mock Ethan's foolishness with a derisive quack. Observing the human standing by the black lake blowing a conch shell, the osprey contemplated showcasing its flying prowess. With graceful flips in the air, the bird prepared to demonstrate its hunting skills by swooping to catch a fish from the black lake, further emphasizing the absurdity of the human's actions.
The osprey's keen eyes honed in on a fish emerging from the black lake's depths for a breath. Swiftly diving towards the water, it extended its talons to snatch the fish, only to collide as if hitting an impenetrable barrier. Feathers scattered in the stillness of the lake, and the osprey recoiled, disoriented.
Ethan, too, noticed the anomaly on the lake's surface, retracting the crossbow he had prepared to shoot down the misguided bird in the sky.
Curious, Ethan gently prodded the Black Lake's surface with the tip of his shoe. To his surprise, the water resembled solid ground, an invisible force resisting his entry. It seemed Ethan had stumbled upon an unexpected revelation. Ethan took several tentative steps forward and stood directly on the lake. The water beneath his feet was obvious, allowing him to observe fish swimming below.
With cautious steps toward the lake's center, Ethan sensed an inexplicable pull, as if something was drawing him in.
"Human, did you blow the horn and call me?" A gentle voice, reminiscent of flowing water, echoed in Ethan's heart.
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