Chapter 319: The Triwizard Tournament Ends!
[Immortal Advancement Conditions:]
[Condition One: Break the Mana Limit (Completed)]
[Condition Two: Soul Fusion Rate Exceeds 90% (Completed)]
[Condition Three: Defeat an Avatar of Fate!]
[Note: Achieving Immortal status is a necessary condition for advancing to the fourth-tier Painting skill!]
"Whoosh!"
A radiant glow washed over Ethan, making him squint with bliss.
It was as if he'd suddenly stepped out of an ice age and into the warm, lazy comfort of a farmer's cottage.
The massive magical reserves he'd drained were restored in an instant, and all fatigue vanished.
"Finally broke the 90% barrier!"
Ethan waved his wand-turned-paintbrush, drawing a dazzling streak of colour in the air.
He cried out joyfully, "And unlocked the next advancement path after 'Knower'!"
"Voldemort, you really are my benefactor!"
Come to think of it, every time his soul fusion rate jumped, it was after he'd given Voldemort a thorough beating.
A song titled "Voldemort, Listen: Thank You For Everything" played in his head.
[Warning! You have severely disrupted the course of fate, snatching someone from Death's grasp!]
[Death itself will now watch you!]
[And will stop at nothing to claim your life!]
"Boom—
—"
A chilling gaze pierced down from above.
Ethan looked up, meeting the fading blood-red eye that was vanishing into the clouds.
A faint voice echoed:
"Is it worth it? All this, just for these insignificant ants?"
The words faded. The eye disappeared, banished from this world.
At that moment, a cheer rang out from behind him: "Ethan!!!"
He turned to see figures gathering at the edge of the crater.
Dumbledore staggered toward Ariana, his wrinkled face streaked with glistening tears.
Snape, looking grim, was healing the wounded—though he looked like he wanted to poison them instead.
The Weasley twins supported each other, covered in soot, shouting and waving wildly.
They tossed colourful fireworks into the air, making the professors twitch in irritation.
Hermione ran to Harry, yelling, "I thought you'd been cooked and eaten!"
Cedric coughed, getting to his feet with a dazed expression, accepting Harry's embrace.
Then, with a goofy grin, he raised the trophy and shouted, "We're number one!"
Students poured out from the castle like a tide, flooding the crater and surrounding Ethan.
They ignored any talk of "fear" or "not fear," hoisting him up and tossing him in the air.
No one could tell who shouted first.
But Ethan's name echoed across the land, ringing in every ear:
"Ethan! Ethan! Ethan!!"
"Ethan defeated Voldemort! Ethan is our saviour!!"
The roar swelled into a thunderous wave, shaking the heavens.
The clouds parted, revealing the bright stars and moon, casting a gentle glow over the scarred earth.
But the crisis was only temporary.
Ethan raised his hand, gesturing for them to set him down.
He looked around, his gaze passing over Mr Diggory sobbing over his son, Mad-Eye Moody panting on the ground, and Draco Malfoy's proud, admiring expression.
Finally, his eyes settled on a silhouette with long, pale gold hair.
—Luna.
She stood at the edge of the pit, bathed in silvery moonlight, like an elf born only for the night.
Her clear blue eyes smiled at Ethan, as if saying, "No matter where you go, no matter what happens, I'll always be with you."
"Don't even think about shaking me off, okay?"
Ethan's heart stilled.
He looked at the eager faces before him and spoke, his voice deep and firm: "Voldemort is defeated! But he was never our true enemy!"
"Greater dangers await us ahead!"
"My friends!"
He raised his arms high, his eyes blazing with fire.
"We fear no hardship, and we will never surrender!"
"We must prepare to fight fate itself and carve out a better future for ourselves!"
Is it worth it?
Heh.
Is it worth it? Heh. Wait until the weight of all of us comes down on you. Then you'll know.
Then you'll know if it was worth it or not!
Amidst the cheers and applause, Ethan's eyes sparkled as he cried out, "Fight on! My friends!"
"From now on, the world will permanently enter Hard Mode!!"
The Weasley twins shouted, "Bring it on! Let's beat Mr Lamp!"
Besides Voldemort, Mr Lamp was their biggest enemy.
Right, Ethan?
No one died, no dark forces were revived.
A shower of dazzling spells lit up the night, bursting into beautiful fireworks.
Cedric held the trophy high, tears streaming down his face, hugging his father and friends.
He shouted, "I did it, I did it!"
No one would ever call Hufflepuff cowards again.
If anyone dared, Cedric's "close-quarters spellwork" would teach them a lesson.
Harry collapsed, utterly spent, muttering, "I think I can finally win that game of wizard chess."
Ron: "What?"
Harry gripped his wand, took a deep breath, and his eyes reflected a new kind of calm.
"I said, I think I'm starting to understand what 'tactics' and 'thinking before acting' really mean."
This time, he had tasted the bitter fruit of recklessness.
Though he didn't know why Mr Lamp hadn't killed Cedric, probably just playing around as usual.
But next time, Harry doubted he'd be so lucky.
At that moment, a familiar voice called out, "Harry! Are you all right?!"
He turned to find himself in the arms of his godfather, Sirius.
Sirius anxiously grabbed his face, rubbing and patting him like a malfunctioning Muggle appliance.
"Merlin! Are you hurt? I heard about Voldemort ambushing the last task—I came as fast as I could!"
Harry, dazed by the rough affection, stammered, "I was fine… you're going to bruise me!"
But deep down, his heart warmed.
He cherished the care of family.
"Next time, I won't let anyone get hurt because of me!"
Harry comforted Sirius with a firm pat, resolved.
…But where did Mr Lamp go after he vanished?
He'd disappeared in Hogwarts, where Apparition was impossible.
He was such a mysterious fellow.
Harry thought, glancing at Ethan, who was now surrounded by the crowd.
The grand Triwizard Tournament had finally ended.
Hogwarts was the undisputed champion.
This event would go down in history.
Even its organisers would be remembered for ages.
It would become a legendary case.
[Question: Why is Mr Ethan Vincent banned from all competitions after being suspended?]
But for most, the night was far from over.
Dumbledore, tears in his eyes, tightly embraced the portrait Ethan had given him.
It was like a long-overdue hug.
Even though only a fragment of her soul remained, he smiled.
Then Dumbledore offered Ethan the same request he had once refused another.
Elsewhere, Mr Crouch cast his final spell at the son he'd finally found.
In the blinding light, Bartemius Jr., now completely dazed, instinctively formed a mouth shape he hadn't made in decades.
No one knew what it was.
But the first letter looked like a "p".
Amidst the celebration, a faint but strong morning light broke through the night.
[Congratulations!]
[You have earned the admiration and support of countless people!]
[Lamp brightness increases!]
[You have obtained: Ancient Magic · Gravity Magic Fragment!]