"What are you doing?!"
A sharp shout rang out. Ethan looked up from the new students who had begun chanting the spiritual core of the Morning Star Club. Through the blinding radiance, he vaguely saw Professor McGonagall's tall, thin figure.
Ethan asked politely: "Would you also like a club promotional poster, Professor?"
Professor McGonagall replied firmly: "I don't want one! Did you do this, Ethan? Put out this light right now!"
Ethan said righteously: "Light is truth. Our firm beliefs cannot be extinguished, Professor."
Professor McGonagall stared at him: "..." You're quite reasonable, aren't you?!
She was both shocked and angry. Last night's incident with Harry and Ron driving a flying car was infuriating enough. This morning she found the Great Hall had turned into a "pilgrimage chapel"!
This brilliant golden light was like the blazing sun overhead. But it had no warmth, only cold, piercing radiance. And within this light that shrouded the entire Great Hall, stiff chanting could be faintly heard:
"Welcome to join the Morning Star Club... Here, you can find..."
"Welcome to join the Morning Star Club..."
"Welcome to join the Morning Star Club..."
Multiple chanting voices overlapped, coming from all directions.
Professor McGonagall thought: I can't see... is this a cult gathering?
And now this "cult leader" was asking her in a gentle voice whether she wanted to join them too.
Professor McGonagall declared: "Using magic that harms others is forbidden at school... no, it's not allowed outside school either! I must deduct points from Ravenclaw..."
Before she could finish, a kind and aged voice spoke up: "Now, Professor McGonagall. This is just a small student demonstration. Don't be so harsh."
With a wave of his wand, the brilliant light gradually dimmed. The students who had been mesmerised by the poster also awakened, looking at each other in panic.
Feeling the card's effects being suppressed, Ethan raised an eyebrow. He looked toward Headmaster Dumbledore, who was walking toward him with a smile.
Old Dumbledore still has some skill.
"Give this old man a poster too?" Dumbledore reached out, took a poster, and examined it carefully for a while.
He sighed: "Enhanced Lumos, a bit of forbidden minor hexes, and paper with intense magical fluctuations... And using artistic skill to combine various elements into the image, outlining magical runes with overlapping lines. Is this how you created it?"
Ethan nodded: "I've already self-studied the third-year elective Ancient Runes completely."
Upon hearing this, the surrounding students gasped! Only a second-year and already self-studied everything? And could perfectly apply it to artwork, achieving effects that ordinary spells couldn't reach!
Even upperclassmen were still at the "translation" stage, nowhere near practical application! Ethan, what kind of connection do you have with Merlin?
The approval in Dumbledore's eyes grew stronger. "The appearance of simplified spells has made fewer and fewer wizards willing to spend effort studying the complex magic of old. But now it seems that sometimes complex things can also display more powerful force."
Dumbledore turned to Professor McGonagall and said: "We don't encourage this kind of progressive behaviour enough. Should we suppress it instead?"
Though the final effect was a bit excessive.
Dumbledore continued: "So I think we should actually give Ravenclaw ten points for Ethan's creative poster."
Creative poster? More like a dangerous poster!
Not just Professor McGonagall, even Prefect Penelope stared in amazement. She and the surrounding Ravenclaw students who had come upon hearing the news looked at each other. Then, seeing their house hourglass higher than the others, they couldn't help showing delighted expressions.
An auspicious start! They, Ravenclaw, were the first house to earn points!
You have lit the lamp!
The lamp's reach is more widespread, injecting power into the artwork "Breaking Shell"
Current breaking progress: 15%
When it reaches 100%, "Breaking Shell" will upgrade further
Ethan's eyes lit up slightly. It could actually continue upgrading!
Unlike other artworks that were upgraded by adding stronger spells or changing painting materials, "Breaking Shell" absorbed the power of faith. Indeed, vigorously developing the club was the right path!
Soul Fusion increased
49% becomes 50%
Soul Fusion has reached maximum; please complete advancement conditions quickly!
Immediately, magical power surged within his body. Ethan could feel something blocking it. Once he broke through 50%, it would surely burst forth like a dam breaking!
Ethan raised the corners of his mouth and smiled: "Thank you for your encouragement, Headmaster Dumbledore. I will continue working hard."
Dumbledore replied cautiously: "Mm, just do what you can."
Professor McGonagall kept a stern face, saying nothing. She had a sense of worry and unease. Light without heat represented force and ruthlessness. Ethan's influence at Hogwarts would expand further through his club. If they continued letting him run free, she felt Ethan would eventually cause big trouble...
Just then: "Oh, oh...?"
Professor Gilderoy Lockhart on the ground slowly regained consciousness. He looked up in confusion at the circle of people looking down at him.
Ethan said kindly: "You're awake? Thank you for testing my poster. The effect seems quite outstanding."
"..." Lockhart was stunned.
His recent memories flooded back, making his cheeks flush red! What had he just done?! To be publicly fooled by that brat... that thing was too sinister!
Lockhart felt his brain was still throbbing faintly.
Ethan continued: "Speaking of which, this is thanks to you. If you hadn't taken me to Knockturn Alley, I wouldn't have found such extraordinary painting materials."
Ethan tilted his head and said innocently: "You must have gained a lot from that journey too, right?"
Lockhart thought bitterly: "..." Critical Hit! Gained a lot? When he fainted at that tavern, some thief had stripped him completely bare! He'd lost so much money!
"Th-that's right, of course!" Lockhart said stubbornly.
He got up, trying hard to puff out his chest, and said loudly: "No need to thank me! Ethan! I was naturally cooperating with your performance on purpose... actually, I anticipated all this!"
Lockhart grinned, showing his white teeth. Unfortunately, with his dishevelled appearance, these words had very low credibility. Professor McGonagall even rolled her eyes directly at him.
Feeling the suspicious gazes of surrounding students, Lockhart's smile became more forced. Ethan Vincent... was simply his nemesis!
For a moment, Lockhart seemed to return to his school days. When Hogwarts was full of talent, under so many brilliant lights, he wasn't even worth mentioning.
This "intense club competition" ended under Dumbledore's intervention. The Great Hall could see clearly again, and Ethan's promotional poster was confiscated in the name of "research".
But the glorious achievement of the Morning Star Club left a vivid mark in everyone's memory and retinas.
Hermione declared: "I absolutely must join the Morning Star Club!"
Ron pointed out: "Hermione, the goblet is on your left. Why are you grabbing around on your plate?" Are you blind?
Weasley twins whispered: "We secretly kept a poster! Let us see... Welcome to join the Morning Star Club..."
The promotional effect was excellent. Ethan was very satisfied with this result. There would definitely be many people coming to play in his Sen Castle, right?
On the bulletin board, the Morning Star Club poster retained some of its radiance. Among the gaudy posters, it glowed simply and unpretentiously, extremely eye-catching. Coincidentally, it completely blocked the adjacent Gobstone Club poster.
Gobstone Club president Wallace stared at it: "..." Ethan!
"Damn it, the Gobstone Club was already niche. Now we'll recruit even fewer people. The club only has us few guys, we'll be lonely forever!"
Wallace looked with envy, jealousy, and hatred at Ethan surrounded by girls. Even though he had diligently changed the smelly juice that gobstones spat out to vegetable juice, still few people joined the club. Maybe they thought staying indoors playing marbles was too nerdy.
Suddenly... Ah! Wallace had an idea!
Ethan had said he didn't need that many people in his club. Probably few could pass the Sen Castle trial anyway. So could he recruit Ethan's overflow?