Ottery St. Catchpole was a wizarding village with mixed Muggle residents. A river ran through it, and in the vast plains were interspersed with rolling hills that felt like gentle slopes when walking. In the distant north, beneath the azure sky, continuous white mountain ranges were faintly visible.
The Weasley family's Burrow was nearby. But only Luna's family lived on the remote, rarely visited mountain.
Looking out, Ethan saw what appeared to be a giant chess piece standing on the ground: a house pointing straight to the sky, strangely peculiar. Behind the house hung a black cylindrical structure painted with a terrifying moon, looking down at them from above.
Ethan followed the bouncing Luna. They passed through two withered hawthorn trees that bore clusters of red berries, arriving before this house that looked like it belonged to a fairy tale witch.
"The Quibbler, Editor, Xenophilius Lovegood... Pick your own mistletoe... Do not touch the Dirigible Plums."
Ethan read the words on the weathered sign by the door.
"Co on, we need to pick mistletoe for Christmas!" Luna grabbed his wrist and excitedly pulled him toward nearby bushes. "Later we can decorate the room together!"
Mr. Lovegood called from behind: "I'll... I'll go make you so hot tea!"
He watched his daughter run off with Ethan, muttering with both joy and nervous excitent: "Luna finally has a friend... and he's a talented little artist too. How wonderful, how wonderful..."
It's just that, for so reason, he felt strange inside.
"I'll add so extra healthy Gurdyroot to Ethan's tea later..."
Ethan and Luna busied themselves all afternoon decorating the house for Christmas. Ethan carefully straightened the cattle skull hanging on the wall. Putting down his wand, he surveyed the surroundings with satisfaction.
Red velvet curtains with frayed edges. An altar displaying his painting: a realistic oil painting of a demon crouching on a stone pillar. White candles flickered around it, as if that tentacled head was looking left and right.
Dried mistletoe hung down from the chandelier like reaching hands that might grab the hair of anyone passing by.
Luna lay in a rocking chair, swaying back and forth. Her eyes gentle, she softly petted the three-headed black dog in her arms, her pale golden hair cascading down. Her whole being was enveloped in a faint glow, like a saint in a church oil painting.
"Very good." Ethan nodded with satisfaction.
Light from above illuminated Ethan, casting a long shadow behind him. It enveloped Mr. Lovegood, who was huddled trembling in the corner. He stared at all this in terror, clutching tightly to his chipped teacup as if it were his only comfort.
The boy spoke again: "Now, let's prepare Christmas dinner."
BANG!
Ethan placed the suitcase he'd brought on the table, and a short wail ca from inside.
Mr. Lovegood stared in alarm: "Isn't there... aren't there supposed to be your change of clothes and personal items inside?"
He asked tremblingly.
Ethan gave him an odd look, but before he could speak, Luna answered for him: "Dad, are you being silly? Why would those things deserve their own suitcase? It must contain sothing much more interesting."
Ethan looked at Luna approvingly and nodded: "Exactly, Mr. Lovegood. It's our custom never to visit empty-handed. We should bring fruits, milk, and such. Since we're preparing Christmas dinner, I brought so ingredients."
"Don't worry... freshly obtained, guaranteed fresh."
"..." Lovegood watched Ethan open the suitcase and saw the nacing shadows spilling out, his eyes gradually widening.
Help... help !
Outside Luna's house that evening, a group of wizards sneakily and carefully poked their heads out from behind the trees.
"Are you sure? Luna's family summoned a demon on Christmas?" a wizard whispered.
The witches who had been scared by the Cerberus earlier nodded frantically.
"I always said their family would have big trouble sooner or later!"
As they spoke, they shuddered.
"Hmph, what's so scary?" A wizard nad "Jack" stepped forward, burly and tough-looking with a standard tough-guy appearance. "It's just two little brats and a crazy weakling! I'll go see what they're up to now!"
He strode across the path, carelessly stepping over thorny plum blossoms on the ground, and ca to the door. Raising his hand, just about to knock...
AHHHHHHH!
A shrill scream suddenly ca from inside. The voice was hoarse and muffled, unlike anything human.
Jack froze: "..." What the hell?!
His heart jumped, and he imdiately wanted to retreat. But glancing back, he saw others all watching him. He had to muster courage and pound heavily on the door.
"Bang bang bang!"
Sudden silence inside. Then ca the voices of two children:
"Soone's knocking, Luna. Can you hold this for while I deal with it?"
"Mm, okay."
Deal with? Deal with what?
Jack grew suspicious and couldn't help pressing his ear to the door.
The next second...
"CRACK!"
A bone-crushing sound like a snapped neck exploded right against Jack's ear! In an instant, Jack's scalp went numb and his hair stood on end! He stumbled back several steps, staring at the door in terror, with only one thought: run! Run quickly!
But his legs were stiff and wouldn't move.
Then... "Click."
The gates of hell slowly opened before him. What t his eyes was a black-haired boy covered in blood. His pale face was spattered with dots of red and white sticky matter. The filth had stained his thick yellow gloves brown.
In his hands was a gleaming cleaver. The serrated blade was dotted with bits of at.
The boy looked down at him with those cobalt-blue eyes and slowly spoke: "Hello, would you like to join our Christmas party?"
Then that thing on his face curved into what might have been a gentle and kind smile.
"AHHHHHHH!"
Ethan stood in the doorway, tilting his head in confusion as he watched the burly man roll and crawl away in terror.
Were they that shy?
"Wizarding villages really have such simple folk customs... so harmonious and friendly." Ethan sighed, thinking this place was quite nice. He'd visit often in the future.
Ethan licked his lips, cleaning the plum jam from the corner of his mouth. Not very sweet, but rather tart and fragrant.
With a flick of his wrist, the cleaver in his hand transford back into a small dinner knife.
At Luna's call, he turned and went inside.
"Click."
The door closed behind him, concealing the festive chaos within.
"You know, Luna, I'm planning to paint an unprecedented mural for a professor at school who's been very caring toward ."
Crack, crack.
"Wow, that sounds really wonderful. Have you thought about what to paint?"
Pop pop.
"Yes! I researched so materials and finally decided to recreate a historically rich ancient castle built by the famous designer Hayao Miyazaki. It's called 'Sen's Castle.'"
anwhile, in a hidden corner of Hogwarts...
You disappoint so much! Useless!
"Please, please... gah!" Quirrell knelt on the ground, trembling all over, tears and snot streaming, his eyelids twitching from the intense pain.
He had failed again. Not only had Ethan not died in the challenge, but he had returned victorious. This caught Dumbledore's attention.
Quirrell knew that after this, he would never have another chance to strike at Ethan. Even his every move was under invisible surveillance. Ethan Vincent had beco Quirrell's complete nightmare, tornting him every single night.
Forget that brat for now. Focus on obtaining the Philosopher's Stone! Once I have the Stone and complete my resurrection, everything in this foolish school will be under my control!
"Yes, yes... Master." Quirrell kowtowed repeatedly, constantly agreeing.
Inside, he breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, he didn't have to deal with that sinister monster anymore...
Ethan just wanted to paint and improve his art. It had no conflict with his quest for the Stone. He wouldn't co to tornt him anymore.
Ethan Vincent... you may be powerful and supernaturally sinister beyond normal imagination. But once he got the Stone and resurrected his master, you'd be finished!
Thinking about Ethan kneeling and begging for rcy after he obtained the Stone for his master, Quirrell couldn't help but hum softly.
The next second...
You seem to be enjoying yourself? Looks like my punishnt isn't adequate.
"No, no! Master... victory... I will definitely retrieve the Sto..."
"rry Christmas, Luna."
In Luna's house, Ethan nestled comfortably on the sofa, smiling at Luna as she headed upstairs to her bedroom.
Luna held a candle, the warm orange light illuminating her gentle face. "You too, rry Christmas, Ethan. Tonight's plum jam cake was delicious. Good night."
Tap tap tap.
Light footsteps went upstairs. Ethan turned over on the narrow sofa, hands pillowed behind his head, looking up at the mistletoe hanging like withered hands.
He closed his eyes contentedly, thinking: This year was the best Christmas he could rember having.
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