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HP: From Failed Art Student to Dark Artist of Hogwarts - 179
🕑 Added 2025-09-19 18:18:20 +0000 UTCChapter 179: Look at This Vault Number, Then Consider Who to Call Father
Professor Lupin, ever willing to serve, didn't stick around long under that "disco ball moon". He felt restless and uncomfortable all over, like something was crawling under his skin.
Lupin managed a weary smile. "Just write me a letter when you're ready to head to Diagon Alley."
Ethan nodded cheerfully. "Alright. I'm sure this'll be a very pleasant journey~"
His lips curved upward in that particular way that made people wonder what he was really thinking.
Lupin felt a chill run down his spine. Why do I get the feeling I'm walking into something?
It wasn't until he'd left the house and walked a good distance that Lupin suddenly realised his mistake.
Oh no. I completely forgot to meet Luna's father, Mr Lovegood.
The whole excuse was a home visit, but I only chatted with Ethan for a few minutes and left without even meeting the actual guardian. Made it seem like Ethan was running the household.
Lupin chuckled to himself, shook his head, and with a soft pop, disappeared from the spot.
Meanwhile, up on the second floor in the study, the actual head of this household was buried neck-deep in history books. Mr Lovegood sweated profusely as he researched, glasses sliding down his nose.
"1612 Goblin Rebellion... A mysterious person seized goblin treasures, reportedly including an ancient vault key... Goblin leader Ragnok was furious and searched frantically, but it remained missing and became an unsolved mystery..."
Lovegood leaned back in his chair and breathed a massive sigh of relief.
"Seems like it's got nothing to do with Ethan." Good. Ethan still has proper judgement. Didn't actually "make history" in the past. I misjudged him.
Feeling much better, Lovegood got up to head downstairs and maybe apologise to Ethan for his earlier paranoia.
He froze at the top of the stairs.
There, under a huge moon-shaped lamp, Ethan was holding his daughter's hand. Both of them swayed together in an elegant, silent dance.
No music. Just the two of them moving in perfect sync.
The complete silence made the whole scene particularly eerie.
Lovegood stared for a moment, then slowly backed away and retreated upstairs.
Pretend nothing happened. Absolutely nothing.
Two days later, on the appointed day to visit Diagon Alley with Professor Lupin, they met at the Leaky Cauldron.
Luna perched on a high stool, swinging her feet back and forth while sipping orange juice through a bendy straw. Ethan leaned sideways against the grimy bar counter, watching the hunched-over barkeep, Tom, cleaning with what looked like the same dirty broom he'd been using for decades.
Ethan just... stared. Unblinking.
Tom tried to ignore the piercing gaze, but it felt like a giant squid was slowly crawling up his back, tentacles and all.
Finally, he couldn't stand it anymore. Whipping around, he barked, "Kid, what do you want?!"
Ethan immediately perked up with enthusiasm. "Oh! I think your bar lacks some proper decoration."
He gestured at the greasy, bare walls with the air of an interior designer surveying a particularly challenging project. "Don't get me wrong, this whole 'battle-damaged kitchen that hasn't seen a cleaning charm in ten years' aesthetic isn't terrible. But from a dining perspective? Could use some enriching. Something to really stimulate customers' appetites, you know?"
Tom followed Ethan's gaze around the room. His "customers" currently consisted of an old woman soaking her dentures in a mug, some weirdo wrapped entirely in a hood who was eating what looked suspiciously like raw liver, and a gambler using actual teeth as dice.
"BANG!"
A loud crash made Tom jump out of his skin. Ethan had somehow produced a framed painting and set it up on the floor with a flourish.
Eyes practically glowing with excitement, Ethan declared loudly, "Stop being stubborn, Tom! Your saviour's arrived!"
"After my careful artistic arrangement, I guarantee your establishment will become the flashiest joint on this entire street!"
I've been wanting to do this for ages! Hanging my paintings in the Leaky Cauldron – the necessary passage to Diagon Alley. Let everyone who enters get to appreciate my art!
Ethan grinned wider. "Limited time, absolutely free offer!"
Tom stared at him. Does this kid even listen when people talk?
He glanced at the painting, which just showed some bright fruit that looked harmless enough. With a dismissive wave, he shrugged. "Fine, whatever. Knock yourself out, kid."
After all, it's just hanging a few pictures. Doesn't cost me anything.
Getting permission, Ethan bowed with elegant theatrical flair. "I guarantee you won't regret this decision."
He enthusiastically ran to the wall and began carefully hanging "Bright Fruit", "Sliced Cheese", "Raw Food Feast", and several others along the dingy surface.
To prevent any accidental falling, Ethan thoughtfully applied permanent adhesion charms to each frame. Guaranteeing that unless the entire wall collapses, these masterpieces will coexist with this tavern forever.
Stepping back to admire his handiwork, Ethan couldn't help but smile with satisfaction. Even this depressing darkness has become lively and vibrant.
"Saved a dying little bar." He rubbed his nose proudly and straightened his spine. "Another good deed for the day."
Just then, "Ding-a-ling!" The door chimes rang out.
Professor Lupin hurried in, looking even more haggard and exhausted than before. Dark circles under his eyes, clothes more rumpled than usual.
"Sorry I'm late, I—"
Lupin suddenly paused mid-sentence. For some reason he couldn't quite identify, stepping into this bar gave him an uncomfortable feeling. Like he'd accidentally walked through a spider web covered in something nasty.
Following this unsettling aura, Lupin's gaze moved to Ethan standing casually by the wall. For just a moment, the boy looked like some kind of demon lurking in the shadows, peering out at unsuspecting humans with predatory interest.
Ethan stood there quietly, smiling that innocent smile.
Here it comes again! That feeling that Ethan's actually some kind of evil mastermind pretending to be harmless!
But then Ethan stepped out of the shadows into the lamplight, and his face looked gentle and completely harmless again.
"Zombie chic?" Ethan looked Lupin up and down approvingly. "Very avant-garde fashion choice, Professor Lupin."
Lupin winced. No, I just survived another full moon transformation. And I'm desperately poor.
"Sorry, there were some... sudden matters at the Ministry that needed attention," Lupin said, his expression darkening briefly before he forced himself to brighten up.
He quickly led Ethan and Luna through the brick wall passage to Diagon Alley, eager to get this whole monitoring business over with.
Their first stop was Gringotts.
Diagon Alley's wizarding bank remained as resplendent as ever. Golden chandeliers hung from the vaulted ceiling, and the bright, spotless marble floor tiles gleamed under the magical light.
Goblins perched at tall counters on both sides, working with efficient click-clack sounds as they weighed precious gems and counted endless stacks of gold coins.
From the chandeliers to the floor tiles, every corner of the place made Lupin look even shabbier by comparison. He seemed to shrink into himself, trying to take up less space.
Ethan was completely oblivious to his companion's discomfort. Like a picky interior designer who'd been dragged into someone else's home, he surveyed Gringotts' decor with openly critical eyes.
Making occasional tsk-tsk sounds under his breath.
In my professional opinion, they should totally go for more of a coffin-inspired theme. Replace all these floors and walls with grey-black brick and stone. Really drive home that "you can't take it with you when you die" message. Would probably boost wizard spending habits significantly.
Then again, he thought magnanimously, we must respect other species' strange aesthetic choices.
"Tap tap." Ethan curled his fingers and knocked politely on the counter.
Looking up at the goblin sitting on an absurdly high stool, he asked with genuine curiosity, "Are you sitting way up there because of some kind of inferiority complex issue?"
The desktop nearly reached Ethan's forehead, making the height difference ridiculous.
The goblin looked up in shocked outrage. Seeing two wizard children and then noticing Lupin's vagrant-like appearance, his expression became even more scornful.
Poor beggars wasting my valuable time.
"Please go to another counter, sir. I'm quite busy." The goblin waved dismissively, not even bothering to hide as he gathered the gold coins in front of him closer to his chest.
As if he were genuinely afraid Ethan might suddenly reach out and grab them.
Lupin frowned but felt helpless to intervene. This was literally his best outfit.
"Forget it, let's just try another—"
Lupin started to raise his hand to pat Ethan's shoulder and guide him away.
The next second, Ethan suddenly dropped straight down! Right through the solid floor!
"CRASH!" A tremendous clattering erupted from the counter above!
Golden coins scattered everywhere with musical clatter-clatter sounds, rolling across marble in every direction.
Lupin looked up in complete amazement to see Ethan now somehow standing on top of the counter! He'd kicked over the delicate scales and was casually stepping on scattered coins with his shoes.
Smiling down at the absolutely dumbstruck goblin like he owned the place!
Apparition?! But Ethan's not even a third-year yet! How could he possibly—
Suddenly, the entire interior of Gringotts fell dead silent.
Every wizard and goblin in the building stared in shock at Ethan perched on the counter like some kind of conquering hero!
The goblin was stunned speechless for several seconds, then immediately snapped back to reality!
Shrieking indignantly, "What do you think you're—"
His words cut off abruptly. Like someone had hit him with a Silencing Charm, he froze completely in his elevated seat.
Both bulging eyes focused with laser intensity on the bronze key dangling casually from Ethan's fingers.
Mouth hanging open, staring cross-eyed at the gently swaying key.
The number carved deep into the metal surface was "12".
A sacred, absolutely inviolable high-ranking vault number.
Instantly, a legend passed down through goblin tribal memory for hundreds of years flashed through his terrified mind!
It was during the "righteous" goblin resistance period of 1612. A mysterious figure who left behind no name, no clear physical description.
With just a wave of his hand, he'd taken the lives of an entire heavily armed goblin military camp.
Like winter at the world's end Descending without warning, white frost covering every inch of earth. Turning dozens of living, breathing warriors into silent, frozen sculptures.
Then he'd simply walked away with their most precious goblin treasures.
Among the stolen items was the legendary Vault 12 key.
But afterward, there'd been no word, no trace. Vault 12 was permanently sealed, becoming an unknown secret that haunted goblin leadership.
According to the few surviving unofficial records, the only description of that mysterious person contained one meaningless word: [Lamp].
But now this long-lost Vault 12 key was sitting right there, bold as brass, dangling in front of his eyes.
"This... this is impossible..." The goblin—Griphook—muttered in amazed terror.
He stared into Ethan's cobalt-blue pupils, which seemed to slowly rotate like miniature black holes. He felt his consciousness being drawn inexorably inward.
A bone-deep chill rose from the very centre of his heart.
What kind of creature is this wizard child? Why does he possess a key that's been lost for hundreds of years?!
Ethan looked down at the trembling goblin and smiled pleasantly. "Now then. Do you have time for us?"
Look at this Vault 12 key. Then think real hard about who you should be calling 'sir' around here.
Sorry, but being able to time travel is just this unreasonable.
