The other side of the veil

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Ethan finally arrived at the most enigmatic section of the Ministry of Magic: the Department of Mysteries.

The accompanying Aurors, clearly visiting for the first time, glanced around with wide-eyed curiosity.

As they exited the elevator, a simple black door loomed before them. Without hesitation, they pushed it open, revealing a round room.

Ethan observed that everything was black—the ceiling, the floor, the doors—all identical. The unmarked, handleless black doors were embedded in the surrounding walls, spaced evenly apart.

Even the candles in the Department of Mysteries differed from the rest of the Ministry. They blazed with blue flames, casting a cold, eerie light on the marble floor, which shimmered like a deep black pool.

Ethan waved his hand above a candle flame, surprised by its lack of heat. The blue fire felt cold.

They pushed the bed carrying the unconscious Barty Crouch Jr. through the corridor. Their footsteps were soundless on the smooth marble floor. The silence was like they were the only ones in the entire department.

They halted before a door indistinguishable from the others. Ethan stepped forward and pushed it open.

Inside was a square room with a vast depression in the center. Stone steps spiraled downwards, steep like the Ministry's courtrooms. But unlike a courtroom, no chairs or judgment tables with chains existed. Instead, a stone platform with an ancient, dilapidated arch stood in the pit's center.

Ethan descended the stone steps, reaching the bottom where the archway stood. The arch had no walls around it, and a tattered black drapery hung from it, swaying gently despite the still air.

The Aurors kept their distance, eyes wide with fear. Everyone knew this veil was used for executions—the Ministry's death chamber.

Ethan approached the archway curiously, circling behind it to see the other side. The drapery floated eerily in the windless room. Using his witcher senses, he detected nothing but an overwhelming void.

"Ethan, I'm here!"

A voice echoed from the veil, making Ethan jump. It was Ciri's voice.

Ethan's mind raced. It seemed impossible for Ciri to be within the veil, yet her voice was unmistakable.

"Ciri, are you in there? Are you talking?" he called out, reverberating in the chamber.

The Aurors exchanged panicked glances, baffled by Ethan's sudden outburst.

Unperturbed, Ethan focused on the veil, ignoring the Aurors. The whispers from the veil grew louder, though indistinct, even to his sharp witcher senses.

Compelled, he stepped closer, straining to discern the whispers. So intent was his focus on the veil that he failed to notice the Aurors' growing alarm or the subtle changes in the room around him.

At this moment, Ethan stood perilously close to the curtain, so near that a single step would take him through. He was entranced, Ciri's voice seemingly whispering in his ear, though he strained to hear the words.

A powerful urge surged within him. He felt an overwhelming need to step into the veil and discover if Ciri was hidden inside. Slowly, he reached out his hand, inching closer to the swaying drapery.

Suddenly, a firm hand clapped on his shoulder, jolting him back to reality. He turned to see an Auror watching him with concern.

In truth, most people at the Ministry of Magic found Ethan intimidating these days. His reputation preceded him—known as "The Butcher of Knockturn Alley," famed for single-handedly defeating a swarm of Dementors, and shadowed by rumors of a horrific act against Barty Crouch Jr. Despite Tonks and Mr. Weasley's efforts to defend him, fear still lingered.

The accompanying Aurors had been on edge since Ethan entered the execution chamber. They observed his intense curiosity about the eerie curtain, his peculiar conversation with it, and his final, almost hypnotic urge to step through it.

Initially, they hesitated to intervene, fearing Ethan's wrath. But they couldn't stay silent when he appeared ready to enter the veil. If Ethan perished in the execution chamber, they would have no way to explain it.

Ethan, now fully awake, looked confused for a moment. Seeing the curtain so close, he realized he had nearly succumbed to its allure.

"Did you hear someone speak just now?" Ethan asked the Auror beside him.

The Auror gave him a wary look. "No one spoke, Mr. Ethan," he replied cautiously.

Ethan glanced back at the tattered veil. It was clear now: the drapery had some insidious power, capable of mimicking Ciri's voice to deceive him. A chill ran down his spine.

The veil likely held enchantments designed to confuse and entrap. Ethan shuddered, unnerved by the thought. He knew he needed to deal with Barty Crouch Jr. swiftly and leave this sinister place.

He stepped back and pulled the Invisibility Cloak from Barty Crouch Jr. The execution ceremony was about to begin, and Ethan wanted to be far from this ominous chamber as soon as possible.