Chapter 252: With Ethan Around, Could Mr. Lamp Really Rule the World?
"Neville Longbottom?"
The Gryffindor who nearly gets boiled as potion stock in Professor Snape's class?
Students traded puzzled looks.
Neville only does decently in Herbology. How could he possibly be the key to a world-changing potion?
They pressed Ethan again, but he only smiled and said nothing. It looked like he was about to spring another "big surprise" that no one else was allowed to know.
Seeing this, everyone had to let it go and started chattering about yesterday's spectacle instead.
On the staff dais, Professor Snape raised his brows high, then gave a short laugh. Neville Longbottom? Passing over countless outstanding students only to choose Neville Longbottom, who can do nothing but blow cauldrons?
Even he, a Potions Master, had heard nothing beforehand.
Ethan, Ethan, you are getting a bit arrogant this time.
Snape set his goblet down hard and fixed a cold stare on Ethan's calm face. Just seeing Sirius's mood improve had already made his own sour.
He would like to see what Ethan Vincent could possibly make in the end. No matter what it was, there was no way it could be better than his improved Wolfsbane Potion.
At the Gryffindor table, Neville sneezed. A chill ran over him for no reason.
Harry laughed. "Someone's talking about you."
Neville muttered, "Feels clammy and gloomy, like it is packed with resentment."
"It is a sore-loser wraith," Dean said solemnly, leaning in to spook him.
"There is no such wraith," Hermione said. Then she pressed her lips together and could not help herself. "And have none of you thought about the prophecy?"
Harry blinked. "The prophecy? Professor Trelawney's?"
Hermione nodded, a little thrill in her voice. "Yes. Before, we thought it meant Sirius was going to kill you. It actually meant Ethan would judge Pettigrew. Prophecies are rather interesting after all."
Harry pointed out the obvious. "Doesn't that mean Ethan is the 'evil spirit' in the prophecy?"
The last line of it was that the evil spirit would judge the hero in the eyes of the world.
Hermione went silent. After a long moment, she snapped her head away and said dryly, "Right. Prophecies are nonsense."
Harry stared. That was not what you said before.
He looked helplessly across at Ethan at the Ravenclaw table, and felt something settle in his chest.
Ethan had given everyone a lesson. Do not believe in others too easily. Stand by yourself. Or rather, believe in him—believe in Ethan Vincent.
He was like a walking brainwash kit.
"Ethan is both terrifying and admirable," Harry muttered, eating his breakfast in ease. It felt like the title Savior would soon be in his hands to hand over to Ethan.
Ethan had stirred up so much and defeated so many enemies. Whatever his methods, deep down, he had to be trying to save the wizarding world as a superhero, not play some demon king.
Speaking of demon kings—
For some reason, the first image that rose in Harry's mind was not Voldemort but the mysterious Mr. Lamp he had met at the end of the second year.
Forget it. With Ethan around, could Mr. Lamp really rule the wizarding world?
Harry tossed the notion away without a thought.
A few days later, deep in the night, Ethan, Luna, Neville, and a "dog" walked through the Forbidden Forest. Two Ravenclaws, two Gryffindors. School rules knew nothing about adventure.
Neville held a lantern and spoke in a nervous rush. "B-because moonflower prefers shade, after several tries, I found the Forbidden Forest is the best place to grow it."
As if afraid Ethan would blame him for something, he rattled on without stopping. In the lingering chill of early spring, sweat gleamed on his face.
"Mhm," Ethan replied.
He turned, his pale face ghostly in the moonlight, and smiled at Neville.
Neville clamped his mouth shut and shook where he stood.
"Woof."
The Spotted Dog barked at his side, trying to cheer Neville on. It was the one who had always accompanied Neville into the Forest before. It had a soft spot for this timid but persistent boy.
This was nothing. Ethan's cosmic wardrobe was the thing that defied speech. Even Azkaban could take notes.
As a side note, with no deliberate "dyeing" from Ethan, Sirius's fur had gradually returned to its natural black.
"Th-thank you, Mr. Sirius Black," Neville said gratefully. "As expected of Ethan's pet, y-you are brave."
Sirius: "…"
He would have been happy if Neville had not added that last part. Why did everyone still think he was Ethan's pet even after they knew he was a man?
What exactly did Hogwarts teach its students?
Sirius barked twice in protest.
"Shh. Quiet," Ethan said, and the forest fell still.
Ahead came the faintest sound of water. A bright crescent hung over the deep tangle of trees. Silvery light spilled down.
Neville glanced around and whispered, "We are close. About ten more minutes, and there will be a large lake. The moonflower patch is on the shore."
Ethan nodded, but did not move. In his sight, a soft mist seemed to float ahead. That was the magical aura of the moonflowers. True to their name, they were an ivory-soft white like tonight's moonlight.
But that was not why he had stopped.
There was also an uninvited guest. Even from this distance, the magical pressure it gave off was as big as a small sloop. Ribbons seemed to float all over its body as it glided lightly through the lake Neville had described.
A massive creature.
Ethan narrowed his eyes, searching his mind.
A bell-clear voice sounded at his side. "A Kelpie," Luna said gently.
Ethan raised a brow and turned to look. In the moonlight, Luna's face had the soft glow of the moon. Her expression drifted. Her blue eyes seemed to see through the screening branches, far ahead.
"A k-kel-what?" Neville stammered.
To him, the girl whose aura was like a drifting ghost was far scarier than benevolent Ethan.
"It is a water demon covered in seaweed," Luna said softly. "It can change into the shapes of all sorts of creatures. It lures people to ride on its back, then drags them down and drowns them."
Her eyes seemed to be looking at something beautiful.
Neville sucked in a sharp breath.
Clearly, it had not been here the last time he came.
"It looks like the moonflowers drew this adorable little creature in," Luna said. "It must have swum here from another stretch of water and claimed this as its territory."