Chapter 237: The Chinese Chomping Cabbage Makes a Great Achievement! Severely Injures an Auror!
This commotion quickly attracted a crowd of students. The Whomping Willow's hammer-head-like nodes swayed left and right, as if showing off, appearing fearsome and awe-inspiring.
"Well done," Ethan said, his eyes curving upward with a smile. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a bottle of plant nutrient solution that Neville had sent. His wand flicked lightly, and the nutrient solution flew through the air, splattering against the tree trunk with a crack and seeping into that verdant bark.
The tree stump trembled, emitting "heh, heh, heh" sounds, reminiscent of laughter or wind passing through the branches.
Ethan smiled and withdrew his gaze. He walked unhurriedly toward the battered Auror. The gathered students saw Ethan approaching and all scattered, pulling at each other to get away.
"Ethan's here!"
"Everyone move, move—"
"Wait, let me land one more kick..."
Someone gleefully stomped a few times, adding several more large footprints to Dawlish's disheveled Auror uniform. These Aurors, having failed to catch Sirius for so long, had become increasingly crude and brutal under internal and external pressure. They frequently burst into classrooms without warning, especially the Defense Against the Dark Arts class that everyone loved. They looked at Professor Lupin with accusatory eyes. Even though Lupin was always good-natured about asking them to leave, most students felt indignant about it.
This Auror truly deserved it.
"Crack," Ethan's leather boots stepped in the snow, stained with some pink coloration. His cobalt blue eyes looked down upon the man's blood-soaked face. It was almost completely flattened, much like Hermione's ginger-colored cat.
"He... he won't die, will he?" Hermione opened her eyes wide, trembling as she spoke. Her mind conjured up one hundred and eight different ways of entering Azkaban.
"He's not dead," Ethan said. This Auror's chest still contained a soul-fire wrapped in magical power surging within, though somewhat weakened. Ethan added, "Hogwarts is the safest school in all England, and the Whomping Willow is a good tree. How could it actually kill someone? Just a bit of roughhousing."
He lifted his foot and moved the Chinese Chomping Cabbage that was still chewing on the Auror's backside. After moving it aside, he saw those two "hairy kiwi" cheeks. Ethan frowned. Truly ungraceful. Considering the Auror's dignity, Ethan thoughtfully placed the Chinese Chomping Cabbage back in position.
Next Christmas, I should send the Weasley twins some good things, Ethan thought to himself.
Just then, "Hmm?"
Ethan noticed a small pouch next to the Auror, about the size of a palm. He bent down and picked it up. Opening it, inside was a pale pink trumpet-shaped flower with delicate, fresh petals, just like growing on vines.
"Ah, that's a Sound-Carrying Flower!" Hermione exclaimed.
"Sound-Carrying Flower?" Ethan asked curiously. Through its exterior, he could see it contained magical power, somewhat similar to the Sonorous charm.
Hermione nodded, glancing at the Auror on the ground. "I read in a book that every Auror is equipped with a Sound-Carrying Flower. If you hold it in your mouth, it makes your voice echo across a hundred-mile radius. Used for emergency summoning, passing messages, things like that."
[You obtained the item "Sound-Carrying Flower"]
["One sound emanates, ten thousand gather" — 1643, Beacon Watch Brigade Chief Henry Weasley]
"I see, not bad," Ethan nodded in satisfaction. Without hesitation, he pocketed the Sound-Carrying Flower sealed in its pouch. He turned his head, meeting Hermione's stunned gaze, and said without blushing, "What's wrong? It fell on the ground and has no name written on it."
Hermione: "This is how it works?"
So if something drops, it becomes mine? Hermione thought dazedly. Though her heart harbored some doubt, since Ethan said so, it must be right. Hermione silently committed this principle to memory.
Professor Lupin hurried over. Seeing the Auror in such a pitiful state, Lupin raised an eyebrow and said slowly, "Oh, how terribly unfortunate."
Ron poked his ear, muttering, "Thought Snape was talking, gave me a start."
"Ahem," Lupin coughed twice, not correcting Ron's casual way of addressing him. He raised his wand, simply treating Dawlish a bit to ensure he wouldn't die. Then he woke Dawlish up, letting him feel the pain while conscious.
"Ugh, ah, help me, it hurts."
Listening to the Auror's anguished groaning, Ethan looked at Professor Lupin and clicked his tongue twice. Didn't expect you, with those thick eyebrows and big eyes, to have such depth. He silently promoted him to "Beacon of Gryffindor."
Lupin kept his expression unchanged. After briefly understanding the situation—of course, the media version—he floated the constantly groaning Dawlish away.
Ethan watched the Auror drift into the distance and thought: This Auror is merely Fudge's lapdog. Pulling one moves a hundred. This commotion is so large that it will definitely draw out the bigger fish behind. Let things escalate, the bigger the better.
Ethan muttered, his pupils deep and unfathomable, "When you're caught in the center of the vortex, drawing all attention to yourself, that's when my voice can spread as far and wide as possible."
Ethan gripped the Sound-Carrying Flower in his pocket. What I need to do is level up quickly. Enhance my painting ability and develop more innovative techniques. Prepare fully for the moment of judgment to arrive.
Just then, "Ethan—"
Suddenly, a clear voice rang out. Everyone turned their heads and froze.
Under that gradually brightening starlit sky, a massive moose slowly walked from the direction of the Forbidden Forest. Its sturdy, towering form was even taller than a car. Atop its head, intricate, twisted antlers branched like a crown, radiating an air of nobility and majesty.
And upon this enormous creature sat a slender blonde girl. Her smooth golden hair was like silk, swaying gently in the wind and glimmering with points of brilliant light.
"Ethan!" Luna waved continuously at Ethan, her voice clear and bright. Her pale face was flushed with two patches of red from the cold. She smiled with effort, her blue eyes curving into two crescent moons, wobbling as she sat on the moose's back. Around her swirled pale blue magical light spots, like fireflies.
"Wow, does Hogwarts have fairies?" A first-year murmured, eyes sparkling.
Seems Luna spent a wonderful day with her animal friends, Ethan thought, his lips curving upward involuntarily. Watching the moose approach, his heart felt cleansed, as if washed, and he felt a moment of peace.
As the moose's hoofsteps sounded, the night sky above also gradually rose, as if the moose itself had drawn up the night's curtain. As it approached, students instinctively retreated several steps in fear, both respectful and fearful of this enormous creature.
"Ethan!" Luna called out joyfully. She grasped the hand Ethan extended and hopped down nimbly. Turning around, she patted the moose and smiled, "Thank you, Moose Sir."
"Hoof—" The moose exhaled deeply and melodiously. It strode on four hooves, bathed in starlight, slowly heading toward the Forbidden Forest.
"Ethan, did you know?" Luna said excitedly. "Today I visited a unicorn herd! They even told me stories about two talking bears and a lumberjack! Plus a monkey king and squirrel brothers!"
Beside her, Hermione couldn't help but speak. "Unicorns don't tell stories! And there are no talking bears. Even if they're magical creatures, they can't talk!"
Luna turned her head. Her tone carried no irritation at being interrupted and contradicted, speaking gently, "We have two talking animals right here at our school, you know."
Hermione's eyebrows shot up. The other students exchanged glances, quietly muttering "Luna the Loony."
"Oh, by the way," Ethan pulled a handful of Butterbeer bottle caps from his pocket and handed them to Luna. "Here, last time didn't you say you wanted Butterbeer cork caps to make a necklace?"
"Yes!" Luna exclaimed in delight, her eyes brightening instantly. She happily accepted the bottle caps, carefully placing them in her cloth bag.
What kind of gift is this? Hermione couldn't comprehend. She pursed her lips, crossing her arms.
Luna chirped away, then took a long breath and said, "Your turn now, Ethan. How was your day? Did anything fun happen?"
Ethan nodded. "Yes. I'll tell you slowly once we're back. Including that seemingly broken, withered branch. I need to examine it carefully."
Just then, a first-year Gryffindor spoke in an extremely faint voice, "Maybe it was Ethan who beat the Auror severely."
Luna's ears twitched slightly. Her fingertip trembled ever so lightly. The next second—"Ah!"
There was a startled cry. The Gryffindor first-year who had just spoken was suddenly yanked down as if pulled by something, tumbling to the ground. "Ow, ow, ow."
The first-year's cheeks flushed red as they scratched at their snow-covered hair. They looked up, only to meet the fierce gaze of a Chinese Chomping Cabbage.