Ethan stroked the smooth, hard scales in his hand, feeling the profound, innate vitality of the dragon within them.
By refining these into a potion through secret methods, he could grant the user the strength and life force of a dragon, generating a gargantuan surge of energy!
"I've searched so long for this; to think it would fall into my lap so easily."
The corners of Ethan's mouth quirked upward as he tucked the dragon molts away. His heart burned with anticipation. With this, all the preparations were finally complete! All that remained was to race against Death itself, utilizing everything at his disposal to create a painting capable of "slaying a god."
A storm brewed within Ethan's cobalt-blue eyes, which were usually as calm as the sea. He looked up at the newly reborn white dragon. Just as he was about to speak, he felt an incredibly massive presence rapidly approaching.
"ROAARR—!!"
A roar, dozens of times more earth-shattering than the white dragon's cry, swept in from the distance. Like a sudden gale, the trees shook and rattled violently. Hair and robes whipped wildly in the wind; the students had to scramble to steady themselves just to avoid being knocked over.
In the next second, accompanied by a heart-stopping pressure, a vast shadow loomed from above. A pair of crimson, vertical pupils emerged from the darkness. Then, pitch-black talons—each nearly half the size of the white dragon's body—suddenly snatched its shimmering, beautiful form!
Whoosh!
With a beat of wings wide enough to dwarf a carriage, the intruder ignored the white dragon's terrified wails. In the blink of an eye, the entire dragon was hoisted into the air! Carrying its "trophy," the beast flew leisurely toward the depths of the Forbidden Forest.
"Roar—"
The students stood dumbfounded, watching the two receding figures. In the sky, the roars gradually faded.
"...That... was that the Norwegian Ridgeback from before?" Ron stammered, his eyes bulging to their limit as he pointed a trembling hand. "I remember it definitely being a female."
The son wasn't hers, and the husband was kidnapped. What a lovely "blended" family! Are dragons always this wild?!
Even Ethan fell into a rare silence. After a long moment, he raised his wand and fired off several bursts of golden sparks that sizzled like fireworks. Watching the two dragons, now mere black dots in the distance, he smiled faintly.
"Happy wedding."
The crowd: "..."
Don't just accept it like that!!
"But it seems... there's really nothing we can do," Hermione muttered. "The white dragon is male, and they're both Norwegian Ridgebacks. There isn't even a species barrier."
Thinking about the massive size difference between the female and the white dragon... well, she could only silently wish for his future safety.
This little interlude hadn't just provided the students with an unprecedented dragon drama; it had also completely derailed this Care of Magical Creatures class, which had already been hovering on the edge of illegality.
The emotional Hagrid, having soaked his third handkerchief while applauding the "happiness" of the forest's dragons, finally realized the gravity of the situation. His lesson plan had literally flown away. Not only that, but the lesson plan had attacked his students and, in the process, smashed his teaching career to pieces.
His face turned as white as snow. He looked at Professor Noren in despair before finally slumping his head in defeat.
"I... I just wanted to give the students the most interesting Care of Magical Creatures class... but I've ruined everything again. Thank you for protecting my students just now. Merlin, I can't imagine what tragedy would have occurred if you hadn't been here! I would never have forgiven myself!"
Giant tears streamed from Hagrid's eyes. He let out a sobbing wail. "I... I'm a failure! I'm not fit to be a professor! I should have just stayed a gamekeeper for the rest of my life under Headmaster Dumbledore's grace!"
Hagrid's loud, raw sobbing echoed through the silent Forbidden Forest. The students looked at each other, unsure of what to say. Hermione finally sighed and whispered, "Unless Hagrid gives up his idea of what's 'interesting,' he really isn't suited to be a professor."
Quite a few students, Hermione included, looked toward Professor Noren with a glimmer of hope. They hoped he would, reasonably and logically, allow Hagrid to step down from the post.
However—
"Excellent."
Ethan tilted his head slightly, looking at Hagrid with an approving gaze. "You have indeed demonstrated a very exciting lesson to me. You've passed your assessment. I hope you keep up the good work."
With that, Ethan satifiedly took out a small notebook and drew a large checkmark next to the name "Rubeus Hagrid."
Hagrid blubbered, "I'll go pack my bags now, I understand your dissatisfac—wait, what?" He froze, looking up at Ethan with bloodshot, bewildered eyes, as if he had suddenly lost the ability to understand English.
"Bloody hell," Ron groaned, slapping his forehead in despair. "I knew this would happen."
Prohibit the torture and persecution of magical creatures, and instead, persecute the students. Perfectly logical.jpg
Hermione also let out a long sigh, though she felt a strange sense of relief. Watching the pleasantly surprised Hagrid, she couldn't help but offer a helpless, gentle smile.
"W-Why?" Hagrid stammered. "I clearly messed up the class!"
Ethan mused, "Hmm, I don't think you messed it up. Your topic was very interesting. I think all you need is an assistant."
Saying this, Ethan pressed his tongue against the roof of his mouth and let out a short, sharp whistle. Almost the instant the whistle sounded, a streak of red light teleported to the scene!
In a flash, a tall figure clad in silver-white armor appeared silently before Ethan. She dropped to one knee, bowing her head in a display of absolute reverence and obedience. Only two twitching pointed ears and a large, frantically wagging tail betrayed her inner joy and excitement.
"A werewolf?!" Hermione cried out in shock, staring at the thick, flowing fur. This was actually a werewolf knight who possessed reason!
"Long time no see, Miss Eve Black, my most loyal knight," Ethan chuckled. He reached out and rubbed the fluffy wolf head. It felt great, so he couldn't help but rub a few more times. The bushy tail wagged even harder, looking like a snowblower in overdrive.
Ethan turned to face Hagrid's stunned expression. "Protecting students is a professor's duty. How could I give up on teaching students just because a class is a little dangerous? That would be throwing the baby out with the bathwater!"
Ethan waved a hand grandly, his voice booming. "Do not worry! My purpose for this trip is to help the professors teach better and ensure students learn more! Therefore, I shall assign my Wolf Knight to protect the students. From now on, if students encounter sudden danger in the Forbidden Forest, she will step in to help."
The Wolf Knight had already been protecting students who wandered into the forest at night to some extent. Now, Ethan was simply extending that protection to the daytime. He looked at the stunned Hagrid, giving him an encouraging look.
"In the future, you no longer need to be so restrained. Teach your classes to your heart's content. I believe that under your guidance, the students will surely gain a deeper understanding of magical creatures."
Maybe another senior like Newt Scamander will emerge.
"...Y-Yes!" Hagrid trembled with excitement, looking at Ethan with an expression bordering on worship. He immediately began to plan. "I still have the Blast-Ended Skrewt Mk. II, the crossbreed of a Thestral and a Unicorn—yes! We can even go visit the giants! Grawp will be so excited to meet new friends—"
As he prattled on, the students' faces looked as if they had just seen a direct bus to Hell. Perhaps Hell would be more hospitable than Hagrid's "Wonderful Forbidden Forest."
Ron muttered, "Hermione, do you still have that Time-Turner? I want to go back to the beginning of third year and strangle myself for choosing Care of Magical Creatures!!"
If he had known there would be someone "aiding and abetting" this madness, he would have just jumped straight into the Black Lake!
Suddenly, Ron remembered something. "Eh?" he grunted, looking at the Wolf Knight who was affectionately nuzzling Ethan's palm. "Wait, I thought that Wolf Knight was Ethan's subordinate? George and Fred told me that the field of Moonseed, the key ingredient for the Werewolf Potion, is guarded by a Wolf Knight. Could it be another one?"
If they snuck into the forest at night, they'd likely be tossed out by her too. With a flash of red light, the knight disappeared back into the forest.
Because Professor Noren IS Ethan, Harry thought bitterly to himself, but he said nothing. He stood up unsteadily, staring at the cracked ground where the white dragon had been. Clenching his fists, he whispered, "Saved by Ethan... again."
After Hagrid's "Wonderful Forest Adventure" ended, Professor Noren remained active in various classes. He filled the Transfiguration classroom with jagged, giant serpents; while the snakes weighed down the wooden beams, they also caused Professor McGonagall's face to contort with fury.
In Potions, a few strands of red hair floated up from Professor Snape's cauldron, successfully making the old bat let out the most piercing shriek anyone had ever heard.
Divination, Herbology... almost every subject was terrorized by him. Strangely, only in Charms was Professor Noren quiet throughout. At the end of the lesson, he even praised Professor Flitwick as one of the best professors he had ever met, leaving the normally gloomy Flitwick so flattered that he accidentally fell off his high stack of books.
But other than those times, Professor Noren was nowhere to be found. Even if Hermione chased after him with a stack of books immediately after class, she could only watch as he walked straight into a wall and vanished.
It was as if the world was glitching.
"Or maybe Professor Noren himself is a BUG," Dean Thomas, a Muggle-born football fan, summarized while gesturing wildly. "Do you guys know what a BUG is? It's when an error happens in a Muggle game."
"It's not so bad. Checkmate," Ron said lazily, eating Seamus's king. "Professor Noren is busy with who-knows-what all day, so he doesn't have time to bother us. Besides, Harry hasn't had any nightmares lately. Everything is getting better—if it weren't for the O.W.L.s."
Harry, sitting alone on the sofa, barely managed to crack a smile. His face was clouded with gloom.
Everything is getting better... is it?
For some reason, he had an ominous premonition. In five years, not a single school year had ended peacefully. Could this time really be different? Harry thought of Ethan's no-longer-concealed attitude, and a strong sense of unease blossomed. It felt as though... he was destined to lose something.
And soon, Harry's premonition was proven right.
As the Ordinary Wizarding Level exams approached, Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor Noren left the school together to meet with the other examiners and finalize the exam content.
That night, a figure burst into the Gryffindor dormitory.
"Mr. Potter, Mr. Potter...!"
Harry was shaken awake. He opened his eyes blearily and immediately saw two "giant lightbulbs" pressed right up against his face!
"AH—!"
Thud!
A strong, sweat-dampened hand clamped tightly over Harry's mouth, forcing his scream back down. Harry scrambled to put on his glasses, gasping in surprise. "Dobby? What are you doing here?"
The large round eyes, the pointed ears, the spindly body—it was undoubtedly the free elf and Harry's loyal friend, Dobby!
"Dobby" blinked his red-rimmed eyes and whispered urgently, "It's terrible! Kre—Dobby has something important to tell Mr. Potter—poor Sirius has been taken by Ethan Vincent!"
"What?!"
Hearing his godfather's name, Harry's eyes widened instantly! His heart leaped into his throat! He grabbed Dobby by the shoulders and demanded, "What happened?! Ethan took Sirius? Why? Why would he do that?"
Dobby whimpered, "Dobby doesn't know why, he only heard Ethan mention things like 'sacrifice' and 'ritual'..."
Sacrifice? Ritual?
That sounded exactly like something Ethan would do. Harry's mind became a chaotic mess, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
Dobby continued to urge him, "Hurry! Mr. Potter! They went to the Department of Mysteries! Dobby heard the name Ethan whispered when they transported him! If you're too late, it will be too late, Mr. Potter!"
Under the constant pressure, Harry paused and said hoarsely, "I need to gather the others first, then use the fire to contact the ancestral home..."
As he spoke, Harry hurriedly pulled on his robes, his hands fumbling in his pockets as if searching for his wand. Eventually, he found it on his bedside table.
...What a clumsy, bumbling fool.
Behind Harry, where he couldn't see, "Dobby's" eyes suddenly turned cold and malicious. He curled his lips into a smug, sinister grin. No matter how Harry tried to verify it, he would never find a flaw. Because the fact that Sirius had been taken was the truth! He had been captured personally by his noble mistress, Lady Bellatrix!
And the one disguised as "Dobby" to lure Harry was none other than the Black family's house-elf, Kreacher. Sirius's kidnapping was a trap that Harry had no choice but to leap into. No matter what, Harry would go to the Department of Mysteries and hand over the prophecy ball with his own two hands.
"Once this is done, the noble mistress will surely accept me...! Kreacher will finally be able to serve the exalted pure-blood family again!" Kreacher muttered almost imperceptibly, his eyes shining. It was as if he could already see the beautiful future where his head would be cut off and hung on the noble walls of the Black house. For a house-elf, that was the ultimate honor.
"Foolish Savior, trusting those he shouldn't, betraying those he shouldn't! By the time you discover the truth, regret will be far too late... Hehehe..."
However, what Kreacher also failed to see was the flash of brilliant golden light that flickered from within Harry's robe pocket.
The Department of Mysteries
Rumble!
The lift dropped heavily. When the doors opened, the members of the Enlightenment Society, packed tightly inside, stumbled out. Before them lay a pitch-black corridor. At the end of the hall stood an ancient, dark blue door.
"This is the place from my dreams," Harry said hoarsely. The white light from his wand illuminated his sweat-streaked face. Their muffled footsteps echoed through the silent corridor.
Creak—
The door was slowly pushed open. When the scene inside appeared before Harry, he shouted, "Sirius!!!"
His godfather was there, forced to his knees in a wretched state. His face was covered in blood and filth. Upon seeing Harry, a flash of regretful realization burst in his eyes, and he shouted frantically:
"Run! Harry!! This isn't an enemy you can handle—mph!"
A spell flashed. Sirius's mouth snapped shut! His upper and lower lips fused together, eventually merging into his skin, rendering him unable to speak!
"Damn it! Finite Incantatem!" Harry roared, waving his wand to fire a spell into the swirling darkness behind his godfather. However, the spell vanished into the void without causing a ripple.
[ Heh... heh... heh... ]
A raspy, inhuman laugh echoed from the darkness. As everyone's gazes drifted upward in shock, a pale, smiling face emerged from the shadows—high up, near the ceiling.
Gulp!
Neville let out a muffled sound from the crowd. He stared dead-on at that face, his hand gripping his wand tightly.
"Merlin... what kind of monster is that?" Ron stammered.
Rustle, rustle.
A giant body, coiled like the wheel of a carriage, appeared behind the smiling face. Like a centipede magnified dozens of times, it had a long, dark red carapace and countless wriggling legs. Its massive form wound around the shelves filled with glass orbs, filling the entire space!
In the dead silence, the figure of "Dobby" suddenly rushed forward! He knelt excitedly before the terrifying hundred-legged monster and shouted in a hoarse, reverent voice:
"I have done as you commanded! I have brought the Savior to you! My beautiful, powerful mistress—"
"Miss Bellatrix Lestrange!!"
In the darkness, the corners of that unsettlingly smiling face curled upward. Like a pre-set program, it spoke one word at a time:
[ Go find the prophecy ball, Harry Potter... ]
[ Or watch your godfather—DIE!! ]
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