Two seconds of deadly silence.
"It... it got out!"
The classroom erupted into shouts. Desks and chairs toppled. Most of the students grabbed their textbooks and bolted for the door. Only a few remained, pale-faced and frozen in place, clinging to their trust in Professor Lockhart.
Justin from Hufflepuff was one of them. He swallowed hard, staring at the monster surveying the room with hollow sockets lit by ghostly blue fire. Trembling, he asked, "P-Professor Lockhart, this is also part of your teaching plan, right?"
As he spoke, courage stirred. He looked at Lockhart with burning eyes. "I'm different from those cow... cowardly students. I believe you definitely have the ability to deal with it!"
Lockhart said stiffly, "O-of course!" He turned to glare at the ugly thing. Terrifying to look at, sure, but perhaps not that formidable after all. "Peskipiksi Pesternomi!"
A white light burst from the tip of his wand and struck the creature.
Ethan raised an eyebrow. Whether that had any attack power remained to be seen, but it definitely had a berserk effect.
"ROAR!"
A piercing shriek split the air. Blue fire flared inside the skull. The monster whipped its long neck like a whip and, with a single crack, snapped Lockhart's wand clean in two.
Lockhart gaped. Justin and the others stared, stunned.
What frightening strength.
Ethan's eyes brightened as he watched the Death-Bird, barely as big as an arm. A peck from that would bore a hole straight through a person.
Lockhart stared at the broken wand, dumbstruck. "This..."
He backed away, forcing a smile at the furious monster. Looking up at the students, he said, "I suddenly remembered I have something else to do. I promised to help Professor Snape brew potions. Farewell."
The next second, he bolted for the door.
Ethan had anticipated that. He flicked his wand.
Bang, bang, bang.
Windows slammed shut. The door boomed closed. Then, with a thunderous crash, the office door also shut, cutting off all escape.
The room darkened, lit only by cold blue fire and the flicker in Ethan's cobalt-blue eyes. He sat quietly, watching Lockhart, voice soft.
"Well then, Professor. It is time to show us how you plan to deal with this monster that is more difficult than my club assessment."
He emphasised the last few words. He was petty like that. What gave him the right to compare himself to Ethan Vincent? Some people asked for a lesson.
Lockhart stared in bewilderment. For a moment, Ethan's figure overlapped with the shadow of Mr. Lamp in his memory. That was impossible. The one who razed Knockturn Alley couldn't be a second-year student.
"Haha, Ethan, this is all a misunderstanding..." Lockhart forced a smile, backing away.
Something heavy settled on his shoulder.
He froze. Cold breath washed over his cheek like winter wind from the grave.
He turned, very slowly, and met the monster's hollow eyes of blue fire.
[Your artwork has left a deep impression on others!]
[Soul Fusion increased by 2%!]
[Cannot continue increasing as Soul Fusion has reached maximum!]
[Accumulated Fusion: 2%]
[Magic Learnt: Soul Shriek]
[Comprehended from countless suffering souls, when released, it can emit terrifying howls that make listeners feel fear, intimidating enemies.]
Good news: a new spell. Bad news: Soul Fusion was capped. Hiss, that was uncomfortable.
Ethan grimaced. Like the moment before liftoff when someone barged in without knocking.
"When this erupts, won't it be stunning? Let me paint something even better," he murmured, smiling at the thought.
Across the room, Justin stared in terror, not daring to move. It looked like their Defence Against the Dark Arts professor was about to die at the start of term.
When the students finally returned with Professor Snape and Headmaster Dumbledore, they ran into a group of dazed Hufflepuffs shuffling out.
"Are you alright, child? What happened?" Dumbledore asked kindly.
Justin fell silent for two beats, then said quietly, "I think Ethan should be teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts."
He was the best proof.
Inside, only Professor Lockhart lay on the floor, clothes in tatters, while a window stood shattered with a wide hole blown through it.
Dumbledore sighed. "Oh, poor Professor Lockhart. How did he provoke Ethan again?"
Snape stared at him. Already assuming it was Ethan?
Lockhart came to under Dumbledore's magic. He grabbed the headmaster's robes and shouted, "Headmaster! Ethan conjured a monster. After attacking me, it broke the window and flew toward the Forbidden Forest! I saw it clearly!"
Dumbledore blinked. "That is lovely. It increases the biodiversity of the Forbidden Forest. I am sure Hagrid will be very happy."
Probably just a small animal that escaped. Look how frightened this incompetent man was.
Lockhart stared. Was Hogwarts really this... open?
"I... I must tell you a secret. A shocking secret I discovered!"
"Oh? What is it?" Dumbledore asked mildly. Even Snape leaned closer.
"Ethan is actually a demon. He is not human at all!"
Dumbledore and Snape both stared.
"I believe the Quill of Acceptance and the Book of Admittance verified Mr. Vincent's human status before term began," Dumbledore said gently. "He is indeed human. Moreover, I thought I reminded you not to provoke Mr. Vincent."
"What? When I asked you then, you only said, 'Do not approach Harry,' not that I could not approach Ethan!"
Dumbledore shrugged. "Well, does not everyone commonly say, 'Principally impossible means possible; officially possible means impossible'? I thought someone as clever as you would understand my implication."
Lockhart was speechless. Then his face flushed. "Anyway, I quit!"
This time it was a bird. Next time it might be a big dog with three heads.
He stormed into his office, forgetting the letter where he had once declared his delight to take the job.
"Stay away. Yes, I have to stay away from that sinister brat. I should have done this long ago, hm?"
He stopped. On the desk lay a blank, unsigned letter. The window was open. A cool breeze drifted in.
Outside, Snape muttered, "We should have made Ethan leave school long ago. He is basically a demon among the flock. And that Morning Star Club already looks like Death Eaters—"
"Severus," Dumbledore said sharply. "We should not make such arbitrary judgements."
Expelling Ethan would put him directly on the path to becoming the third Dark Lord, Dumbledore thought.
"In any case, we also inspected Ethan's Sen Castle and made modifications more suitable for young wizards. There will not be any problems."
The Philosopher's Stone protections were thoroughly checked too. A mural had still managed to appear out of nowhere.
Snape snorted. "Since you insist on letting that brat run wild, at least send a professor to accompany him so nothing happens."
"Mm, that is a good suggestion," Dumbledore said. "But the staff are busy, and now Professor Lockhart wants to resign. Who could follow Ethan—"
An urgent voice cut in. "If you do not mind, I will follow Ethan and oversee his club activities. How about that?"
Lockhart stepped out of his office with a frozen smile. Strangely, as if something invisible compelled him, he was pale, but his eyes were unusually clear.
"Weren't you going to resign, Professor Lockhart?" Dumbledore asked, surprised.
"No. I changed my mind," Lockhart said through trembling lips. "Thinking it over, Ethan is a brilliantly talented individual. How could we abandon him just because his mind is a little strange? Let me be the one to oversee his club. I believe no one could do it better than me."
Dumbledore and Snape exchanged glances. Something felt off, but nothing explained this sudden change.
"Alright," Dumbledore said slowly. "Since you insist. Club recruitment is coming soon. You can supervise."
In truth, the idle Professor Lockhart was the best choice. Even if Lockhart was unreliable, other methods were reliable.
No one noticed the letter clenched in Lockhart's hand. It read:
[Unconditionally assist Ethan in conducting club activities.]
Signed: [Mr. Lamp]