"Ethan Vincent!" Snape's voice echoed through the corridor with murderous intensity.
"I'm here," Ethan replied cheerfully.
Snape found himself speechless once again. He wanted nothing more than to transfigure this smooth-talking brat into a toad and soak him in his cauldron for the rest of eternity!
Snape closed his eyes, took a steadying breath, and then looked around at their surroundings. He saw students lying motionless on the ground everywhere, silent as graves in an ancient cetery.
"What's the situation?!" His last mory was noticing sothing terribly wrong and rushing out of his office in alarm. Then everything had gone black and cut to nothing.
Just from fainting for a mont, Hogwarts was finished?
Snape clutched his aching back, anxiously scrambling up from the cold stone floor. He turned over the nearest Slytherin student and checked for breathing with trembling fingers.
Seeing the student was still alive, he breathed a massive sigh of relief. His racing heart finally settled back to a normal rhythm.
"They're just sleeping," ca a gentle voice from behind him.
Snape's heart, which had just settled, imdiately leapt back into his throat. Though the voice was pleasant and lodic, Snape felt his spine turn to ice with a chill that ran straight down his back.
He turned slowly to look, dreading what he might see.
There stood Ethan with his hands clasped behind his back in the dim corridor, smiling with perfect innocence. Bathed in cold moonlight streaming through the tall windows, his face had an ivory, almost ghostly quality that made him appear ethereal and otherworldly.
In that instant, Snape understood everything with terrible clarity.
He murmured hoarsely, "What did you do? Why did you do all this?"
Hearing this accusation, Ethan raised his eyebrows with genuine surprise. Worthy of being a forr Death Eater? Far more perceptive than ordinary wizards.
Ethan's smile never wavered. "I didn't do anything wrong. If I had to explain it, I was helping everyone."
With this experience, when facing Voldemort's future attacks, they'll be able to remain much calr and more prepared.
Ethan nodded to himself with satisfaction. No one understands Defence Against the Dark Arts better than I do.
Didn't do anything wrong? Snape thought incredulously. I'd sooner believe you're the Minister of Magic himself!
His teeth itched with barely contained fury. He desperately wanted to grab Ethan's shoulders, shake him frantically, and loudly demand, "What exactly did you do to accomplish all this?!"
Huff. Snape took a deep breath, struggling to calm his explosive emotions. He stared directly at Ethan, searching for even a trace of guilt or nervousness on that detestably innocent face.
However, there was absolutely none to be found. Flawless composure. As if he truly believed from the very bottom of his heart that he hadn't done anything remotely wrong.
Is your internal moral compass calibrated to the underworld?
"I think I must go report all of this to Headmaster Dumbledore imdiately," Snape declared with grim determination.
"Shall I help escort you there?" Ethan offered warmly.
Snape stared at him in disbelief. "..."
He angrily waved his black sleeves, pushing past Ethan with deliberate force, and stalked away in barely controlled fury, limping slightly from his earlier fall.
The elderly and their sudden mood swings, Ethan began to think, but Snape suddenly whipped around.
Not because he'd sohow heard Ethan's thoughts, but because he spoke with hoarse intensity: "I'll be watching you very closely from now on. You'd better not let catch you making any mistakes."
Saying this, Snape looked deeply at Ethan with calculating black eyes. Setting aside his supernatural thought processes, Ethan was indeed the most naturally gifted wizard he'd encountered in his decades of teaching.
Voldemort? Even Voldemort wasn't this unnaturally talented.
Ethan's infuriatingly casual deanour told Snape everything he needed to know—the boy and Dumbledore had clearly reached so private accord about recent events.
Snape's lips twisted in a sneer of disgust. "Naturally," he muttered under his breath.
He wouldn't be so easily placated by the headmaster's political machinations—no matter how cleverly orchestrated.
Even if Ethan tried to threaten him with Lily's mory again, she was... already gone forever.
He would definitely catch Ethan in so undeniable wrongdoing and properly address that brat's insufferably smug face!
anwhile, Ethan watched Professor Snape's imposing figure disappear around the corner with growing amusent. He couldn't help but allow his lips to curve slightly.
Exactly right. This is what makes everything interesting.
Without any real challenge, how could this place truly be called the Hogwarts family?
"Too bad sumr vacation is approaching so quickly... I really do hope next sester arrives soon, dear Professor Snape~" Ethan smiled, speaking the words slowly and deliberately.
While humming "London Bridge Is Falling Down" and taking light, cheerful steps, he went off to find the next unconscious professor. His figure gradually lted into the night's deep shadows.
When all of Hogwarts had finally been awakened, it was nearly dawn. The pitch-black night outside the tall windows had been veiled with a layer of grey-white gauze, effectively hiding the stars from view.
"Senior Penelope, I'm really perfectly fine," Ethan protested, his face scrunched up as he spoke indistinctly from within his senior's overly enthusiastic embrace.
"I saw you hadn't returned to the common room, and then the attack suddenly happened! I thought... rlin's beard! Thank goodness you're completely alright!" Penelope choked back tears of relief.
She hugged Ethan tightly against her, rubbing his shoulders constantly as if to reassure herself he was truly unhard.
Other awakened students also clustered around Ethan like they'd finally found their backbone and source of strength. They called out "Ethan, Ethan" repeatedly like baby birds desperately waiting to be fed.
Ethan gently pushed away from his senior's protective embrace and spoke with grave solemnity: "This attack was rely an appetiser for what's coming."
"After all, it only involved Hogwarts being completely blown up, all the school's teachers and students falling into magical sleep, and drawing the Minister of Magic here personally."
Everyone stared at him in horror. "..." This was just an appetiser?! How absolutely terrifying would the real 'main course' be?!
"We can't rely on our enemies' rcy or restraint. We must beco strong ourselves!" Ethan declared with passionate conviction.
"Strong enough that when the next crisis inevitably arrives, we can raise our wands with confidence and fight back effectively."
Like a lamp suddenly lighting up in complete darkness, Ethan's inspiring words ignited hope in the hearts of the frightened students.
"That's absolutely right! How can we always rely on others to protect us? We need to learn to stand up and defend ourselves!"
"Worthy of Ethan's leadership! Fearless in the face of danger. Even after encountering such a terrifying attack, he can still lead everyone to rally and recover!"
"With Ethan here to guide us, the Morning Star Club truly represents the embodint of our Ravenclaw spirit!"
Listening to everyone's reverent discussion and praise, Ethan felt smugly satisfied.
Just then, a familiar voice called out: "Ethan!"
Ethan turned to see Harry waving as he ran over with obvious urgency. Beside him trotted a house-elf with enormous eyes.
The mont the creature saw Ethan clearly, it widened its eyes in absolute terror, released a piercing scream, and disappeared with a loud pop.
Ethan touched his own face thoughtfully. Do house-elves have completely different aesthetic standards than humans? What's so terrifying about my appearance?
"Ethan!" Harry ran up to them panting heavily, about to speak when he was imdiately t with countless sharp, suspicious gazes.
Why is it Harry again?
Accusatory looks pierced through Harry like daggers, making his heart plumt as if falling into an ice-cold cave. He had stepped forward courageously to fight against evil, yet he was always the first to be suspected of wrongdoing.
Just because I'm a Parselmouth?
Harry clenched his fists in frustration but felt too emotionally exhausted to offer a single word of rebuttal. He slowly lowered his head in defeat, his excitent and enthusiasm gradually cooling into bitter disappointnt.
Suddenly, a strong, reassuring hand pressed firmly on his shoulder.
Harry startled and looked up to et Ethan's steady, gentle smiling face radiating warmth and understanding.
"Co, Harry. Have sothing to eat. You must be absolutely exhausted," Ethan said with genuine concern.
In his outstretched hand was a beautiful blood-red apple that seed to glow with inner light.
Harry stared blankly at Ethan in amazent. Under the dim moonlight streaming through the ancient windows, Ethan's face appeared porcelain white and completely flawless. His smile was utterly perfect, as if it had been carefully painted on with an artist's finest brush.
Sohow, this perfection made Harry shiver involuntarily, like glimpsing a serpent hissing and flicking its forked tongue.
He looks exactly like [Mr Lamp].
Harry shook his head vigorously, desperately banishing the treacherous thought. It must be because Dobby told so many strange, confusing things that I'm having such ridiculous ideas.
Ethan has always been working tirelessly to lead everyone against evil forces!
"Th-thank you," Harry stamred hesitantly, accepting the offered crimson apple.
It was crystal clear and perfectly round, as if specifically created by magic to tempt people into taking a bite.
"This is an enchanted apple that can restore all magical power and stamina. You must be completely drained," Ethan explained kindly.
Harry gripped the apple tightly, lowering his head and murmuring hoarsely with genuine gratitude: "Thank you, Ethan."
Ethan's lips curved in satisfaction. He turned to observe the anxious, uncomfortable faces surrounding them, his warm smile turning noticeably colder.
He remained perfectly silent, letting the tension build.
Until soone finally couldn't stand the oppressive atmosphere and began apologising directly to Harry.
"Sorry, Harry. I shouldn't have doubted your intentions."
"We didn't know the full situation; we were just making wild, unfair assumptions."
In the growing chorus of apologetic voices, Harry stared in blank amazent at this complete reversal of attitudes.
He hadn't stepped forward to fight for others' praise or recognition, but simply to protect everything he cherished from being destroyed.
But having one's sincere efforts appreciated and acknowledged was sothing any person would naturally want.
Just from Ethan's single supportive action and aningful look, the entire tide of opinion had turned completely.
What kind of person is Ethan exactly?
Harry looked down at the red apple in his hands, suddenly feeling as though he'd sohow sold his soul to a benevolent demon.
The sensation was quite pleasant, actually.
"Look, Harry." Hearing Ethan's quiet voice, Harry raised his head curiously.
He saw Ethan gazing out through the tall window toward the wider world that stretched beyond Hogwarts' protective boundaries. Those cobalt-blue eyes seed to see possibilities and futures that others couldn't imagine.
"Look carefully. The sun is rising."
Ethan turned back toward Harry, smiling with serene confidence. The dim horizon indeed showed the faintest hint of pale dawn breaking through the darkness.
Gentle morning light began breaking through the oppressive darkness, spreading slowly over this disaster-stricken castle and illuminating one side of Ethan's perfectly composed face.
Half bright with hope, half shadowed with mystery.
Like soone who beats you down while simultaneously providing you with protective armour.
Looking at the unhesitating confidence in Ethan's smile, Harry felt his inner turmoil and doubts swept completely away. He found himself smiling too, genuinely this ti.
He lowered his head and took a decisive bite of the magical apple with a satisfying crunch.
His eyes imdiately lit up with delight! rlin's beard! This is incredible!
The apple was so perfectly sweet it made Harry feel as though he were floating on air.
The Chamber incident ended as smoothly as anyone could have hoped. After all, the supposed culprit had dramatically revealed himself to the entire wizarding world.
For the students, the excellent news was that final examinations had been completely cancelled due to the extraordinary circumstances.
As for the Ravenclaw Round Table Council mbers, they lived in constant anxiety and sha. Their president Arthur had been discovered in the third-floor girls' bathroom, his body clearly showing extensive traces of excessive dark magic use.
Or rather, he'd used so much forbidden magic that he barely resembled a human being anymore.
Though the school administration didn't pursue the matter further due to Arthur's dire dical condition, anyone with functioning eyes could see that Arthur had definitely been involved in seriously dark activities.
The supposedly dignified Round Table Council president actually had direct connections with evil forces!
Imdiately, the Round Table Council beca an object of everyone's scorn and disgust.
Until several weeks later, at the final end-of-term feast, Arthur made his shocking reappearance.
"Clang." The Great Hall's massive doors swung open with ominous authority.
Arthur, having barely recovered a human appearance, shakily entered the Great Hall under his own power. Wrapped extensively in dical bandages, he bore irreversible damage that would mark him for life.
The Great Hall imdiately fell into profound silence. Every student turned to stare at this living reminder of the recent terror.
Ethan was no exception to the general fascination. He t Arthur's gaze directly and unflinchingly.
Arthur began trembling violently upon making eye contact, then, under everyone's horrified observation, he struggled determinedly toward Ethan's position.
This action made the forr Round Table Council mbers tremble with mortification and want to weep! Arthur! Please stop adding more 'glory' to our already ruined reputation!
Arthur stared directly at Ethan with undisguised intensity. His eyes burnt with endless hatred and poorly concealed terror.
Years of careful planning, my entire future, everything I worked for has been completely destroyed! I can only survive as a despised, broken cripple. This fate is more agonising than death itself.
You're clearly the real culprit behind everything!
Why... why was I the one who lost absolutely everything?!
Arthur had completely forgotten that when he'd declared war on Ethan months earlier, faced with Ethan's careful questions about his motivations, he had answered "yes" to every single inquiry with arrogant confidence.
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