Insane! Insane! They were all insane!
Tusky was so shocked and furious he almost wanted to pack up and leave immediately! A half-giant who disregarded his own and his students' safety, and a first-year wizard who suddenly started commanding them.
Tusky came from the cold north, considered himself part of a fierce warrior race, and had therefore chosen a job dealing with dragons. But he never expected to encounter people even more battle-ready than him!
After not seeing each other for years, had Hogwarts become this crazy?!
Tusky cursed under his breath but still stayed. Following the boy's orders, he raised his wand and fired spells at the dragon.
Seeing this, his other companions quickly reacted, cooperating to cast spells using their usual dragon-taming methods. Another person tapped the ground, and the earth immediately rippled in waves, rolling Hagrid out from under the mother dragon's foot.
Hagrid tumbled to the ground, holding the hatchling and frantically expressing thanks.
"Stop bloody thanking us!" Tusky roared. "Don't you have a crossbow? Shoot it!"
Tusky didn't know how that boy had managed to freeze an entire raging adult mother dragon in one go. But seeing his deathly pale face and trembling body, he knew the young wizard couldn't last much longer.
"Oh, oh!" Only then did Hagrid react, stuffing the hatchling in his pocket and grabbing the massive crossbow from his back, drawing and aiming.
"Heave..." The bowstring, thick as an adult's finger, made sounds of strain.
"Bang!" A whistling sound cut through the air as the heavy iron arrow precisely hit the mother dragon's relatively soft belly! Blood immediately gushed out. Several more arrows followed, finally making the mother dragon cry out in pain and fury!
"ROAR!"
"No good!" Tusky covered his ears and shouted. "We can't make it sleep! At most we can only make it tired!"
"That's enough," came a calm voice.
Everyone turned to look at the young wizard who had remained composed throughout. Though in great danger, his eyes showed no wavering, no panic.
No, not entirely without change. He was excited!
Tusky discovered in shock that the little wizard's eyes were sparkling with excited, intense light! He wasn't looking at the mother dragon as a terrifying creature. He was looking at prey!
This first-year wizard was treating the mother dragon as his prey!
Was this fearlessness born of ignorance? Or was it natural courage? Tusky didn't know. But he was unconsciously influenced by Ethan, courage to persist welling up in his heart again.
Gritting his teeth, he raised his wand once more. At worst, they'd abandon the mother dragon and Apparate with the two of them. Afterward, he'd face questioning at most... at least he wouldn't lose his life.
Under the siege of spell after spell, the mother dragon finally showed signs of exhaustion. It shook its head, desperately trying to break free from its bonds, its eyes still flashing with bloodthirsty wildness.
"This is all we can do," Tusky said. "It's impossible to make it completely unconscious..."
"No," Ethan's eyes sparkled, "it's enough."
He could feel that he could now capture this disobedient dragon in the wardrobe!
Under the amazed and puzzled gazes of the others, Ethan let out a low shout, his eyes suddenly blazing like torches as all his magical power flooded into the artwork like a torrent!
The spherical chains extending from the wardrobe and binding the mother dragon suddenly tightened! They were actually slowly dragging the dragon into the wardrobe!
Everyone was stunned. They had never seen such magic! Could a single wardrobe really contain an entire dragon? How was this possible?!
Yet the impossible scene was unfolding before their eyes.
"ROAR!" The mother dragon struggled desperately, its claws scraping the ground frantically, carving deep furrows. But it was weakened and exhausted from the spells.
Finally, it was actually swallowed by the brilliant star mist pouring out and drawn into the wardrobe!
"BANG!" The cabinet doors slammed shut.
Struggling, unwilling roars came from inside as the doors were continuously battered from within. After several dozen seconds, silence returned.
"Phew!" Ethan collapsed to the ground.
He felt like he'd just swum across the Black Lake... soaked through, hands and feet trembling.
Success. He had successfully captured a raging dragon in the seal card! He'd caught the final boss that would soon welcome Professor Quirrell!
Ethan felt that after such effort and care, Professor Quirrell should be grateful to him. However... his magical power still wasn't enough.
Ethan looked at the wardrobe that had reverted to card form. Now the image showed a closed wardrobe. He couldn't seal the dragon for long. Every moment was consuming his magical power.
"If my soul fusion degree were higher, could I seal reality itself in a single brushstroke?" The thought was incredibly appealing.
Ethan waited for his breathing to steady, then looked up to meet several incredulous gazes. As if seeing a Flobberworm defeat Dumbledore or a troll knock down Voldemort.
Ethan thought for a moment and explained: "This painting incorporates an Extension Charm, so it can contain things larger than its actual space."
That's not what we're shocked about!
Well, though incorporating spells into artwork was also extremely rare. But most importantly, this first-year wizard had actually imprisoned an entire dragon in his bizarre painting.
Tusky hesitated: "Are you... a dwarf?" Actually older than you appear?
Ethan managed a strained smile: "Sorry, I'm pure human, and my wand is fourteen inches."
He'd grow tall in the future.
Tusky was speechless. Suddenly, his companion exclaimed "Oh!" in surprise: "You're that Ethan Vincent from the Daily Prophet?! No wonder you're so amazing..."
He turned to explain to the confused Tusky and others: "This young wizard is part of Hogwarts' special talent cultivation program, using unknown advanced teaching methods! They say Mr. Vincent lives at least sixty hours a day, using Time-Turners to repeat classes and training! His actual magical age already exceeds normal limits!"
"Oh, I see..." Everyone showed expressions of sudden understanding.
Tusky was about to curse "Are you completely mental?" but then thought: Without some special teaching, no normal young wizard could possibly reach this level. If not for his suspected record, this kid could directly apply to be an Auror!
On the other side, Harry and his friends were stunned.
"Is... is there really some talent cultivation program? This is too ridiculous!" Ron shouted.
Hermione rolled her eyes at him and nodded decisively: "There is. I seem to vaguely remember Professors Flitwick and McGonagall hinting at it. We don't know because the program is secret."
Harry and Ron exchanged looks: So... so that's how it is...?
"Worthy of being Ethan... to be specially trained by Hogwarts... Easily doing what ordinary people can't... truly Hogwarts' secret weapon..."
Hagrid was confused: "I've been at Hogwarts so many years and never noticed any 'talent training program'... Headmaster Dumbledore truly is unfathomable."
What idiots, Malfoy thought, rolling his eyes dramatically.
He strode forward, diligently offering the exhausted Ethan a potion, his face full of eager smiles.
Just then... "Chirp, chirp!" Hoarse calls came from Hagrid's pocket.
The hatchling struggled to emerge, its eyes looking much clearer. It stared at Hagrid for a moment. Then actually affectionately nuzzled him with its head!
"Oh, my dear Norbert! Do you want to come out?" Hagrid carefully placed the little dragon on the ground.
Under everyone's gaze, it actually wriggled toward Ethan and urgently called to him twice. Somehow, Ethan understood its meaning.
The sealed wardrobe reopened a crack, and this time, the little dragon crawled in by itself.
"It's looking for its mother!" Hagrid cried again. "Mother and child reunited... what a touching scene!"
Ethan looked at the artwork in his hand and said: "Don't worry. I have a good place where that mother dragon can express herself properly and return to good spirits."
The plan would advance. Tonight, he'd go beneath the trapdoor to set up his wonderful, engaging Sen Castle!
Meanwhile, late at night, Quirrell used trembling hands to treat the large lacerations on his body. Blood soaked his clothes as Quirrell nearly fainted several times.
Cursed... too bloody cursed! He'd been peacefully chasing a unicorn... why did a dragon suddenly appear?! Had the Forbidden Forest ever had such things before?!
"Anyway, I already know how to get past that three-headed monster. I'll lure Dumbledore away from school these next few days and get the Philosopher's Stone as soon as possible!"
Quirrell muttered, his face as pale as paper, his eyes flashing with desperate urgency.
Hogwarts was getting more dangerous... Originally he'd planned to wait until after student exams when things were chaotic... but now he couldn't wait that long! Once he got the Stone, he'd leave immediately!
Quirrell went through the process in his mind and felt reassured. After all, he'd personally participated in protecting the Stone and knew every obstacle clearly. Even he thought it was somewhat straightforward.
"Master, I guarantee this time will be absolutely foolproof..."