Witcher at Hogwarts

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Ethan sat alone in the castle, lost in thought. After a long while, he finally stood up, his expression resolute.

He placed the heavy bag containing twenty thousand Galleons on the table.

Without hesitation, he slung the bag over his shoulder and stepped out of the castle, heading toward the village.

To his surprise, Reznov was waiting at the castle gate.

"Reznov?" Ethan raised an eyebrow as the man waved enthusiastically.

"Ethan! The villagers have approved the proposal to help the werewolves!"

Reznov exclaimed, hurrying forward with visible excitement.

"That's great news," Ethan replied with a faint, tired smile.

Reznov's grin faltered. "By the way, can I speak to Sir Sapkov? I need to report this development to him."

Ethan's expression darkened. "Sir Sapkov is dead."

The words hit Reznov like a thunderbolt. "What? No, that can't be true! How could this happen?"

"It's true," Ethan said somberly.

"Before he passed, Sir Sapkov entrusted the control of the castle to me."

Reznov's eyes narrowed with suspicion, his initial shock giving way to doubt.

"You're telling me all of this... but it sounds too convenient, Ethan."

Ethan remained calm, clapping his hands. Instantly, the castle's massive gates creaked open, and its darkened halls illuminated one by one, as though the building itself acknowledged his authority.

Reznov's skeptical gaze softened, though traces of doubt lingered.

The rules of castle inheritance were strict. Without a proper will, the control of a castle typically passed to the owner's next of kin. For a transfer to someone outside the family, a voluntary and uncoerced contract was mandatory.

Such a transfer was rare—Ethan's claim seemed almost too perfect.

Breaking the tension, Ethan handed Reznov the heavy purse of Galleons.

"Here," he said.

"This is the five thousand Galleons Sir Sapkov instructed me to give you before he died. Use it to rebuild the village."

Reznov's jaw dropped as he took the bag.

"Five thousand? That's... that's an enormous amount of money!"

Ethan nodded. "It's what Sir Sapkov wanted."

Reznov's expression shifted to something unreadable—a mix of gratitude, confusion, and suspicion. Doubts crept into his mind. Could Ethan have manipulated Sir Sapkov? Could this money be hush money?

After a moment of internal struggle, Reznov spoke, his voice steady but wary.

"Ethan, I'd like to see Sir Sapkov's body. I need to understand what happened."

Ethan met his gaze, unflinching.

"Very well. Follow me."

With that, the two men entered the castle, its flickering lights casting long, uncertain shadows on the stone walls.

Ethan had long known that Reznov wasn't someone who could be fooled easily.

With steady resolve, Ethan led Reznov into the castle.

Reznov followed hesitantly, casting wary glances at Ethan. His nerves were on edge, fearing Ethan might suddenly turn on him, sword in hand.

Yet, he also understood Ethan's immense power. If Ethan wanted to kill him, it would take little effort.

But he did no such thing. Instead, he guided Reznov through the dimly lit halls to Sir Sapkov's bedroom.

Reznov froze upon entering, his gaze fixed on the decayed corpse lying on the bed. A wave of shock swept over him as recognition dawned. The remains were unmistakably those of the old Sir Sapkov.

"What… what is going on, Ethan?" Reznov stammered, his voice trembling.

The sight defied everything he understood. He had met a youthful Sir Sapkov, and he knew the village's tragic history—the old Sapkov had reportedly perished in the great fire long ago. Now, the young Sir Sapkov was gone, and the elder's corpse had inexplicably reappeared.

Ethan met his questioning gaze calmly. "I can explain."

In a measured tone, Ethan recounted a condensed version of the truth. He carefully avoided any mention of the Ouroboros Rally, focusing instead on the essentials.

He explained how the old Sir Sapkov had survived the fire, resorting to dark magic to extend his life.

Using forbidden rituals, Sapkov had enslaved the Canines and fed on the villagers' souls to maintain his youth.

As Ethan's words sank in, Reznov sighed deeply. The revelation was almost too much to bear. The man who had caused so much suffering in the village turned out to be its own lord.

"I never imagined," Reznov muttered, his gaze fixed on the lifeless body.

"Before his death, Sir Sapkov repented for his actions," Ethan said gently.

"He instructed me to give you the money to restore the village. It's his final attempt at atonement."

Reznov stared at the corpse, his emotions a storm of anger and resignation. Finally, he sighed again.

"Let's bury him in the family cemetery. There's no point harboring hatred for the dead."

Ethan nodded, and together, they prepared the body, wrapping it carefully before carrying it to the Sapkov family cemetery.

Side by side, they dug a grave, lowering Sir Sapkov into the earth. The two men stood silently as they held a brief, solemn funeral.

As they placed the final stones on the grave, Reznov broke the silence.

"Ethan, I hope you won't share this truth with the villagers. They've suffered enough. Let them move forward without this burden."

Ethan gave a solemn nod. "I won't tell anyone."

With that promise, the dark chapter of the Canine incident finally came to a close.

The two men returned to the village, where the atmosphere was vastly different. The tavern was alive with celebration. Laughter echoed through the room, and the scent of freshly prepared food filled the air.

In the center of the merriment sat Gaga, her good-natured antics winning the hearts of the villagers. A mountain of food was piled high before her, offered eagerly by those around.

Gaga, despite not needing to eat, couldn't resist the bounty. She devoured the food with such enthusiasm that the villagers cheered on.

Opposite her, a group of wolf-children watched in awe as she polished off plate after plate. Occasionally, one of them grabbed a chicken leg from the pile, tearing into it voraciously. They spat out nothing but a clean, bare bone in mere seconds.

The joyful scene brought a rare smile to Ethan's face. For the first time in what felt like forever, the village seemed to breathe again.