Hogwarts Second Floor...
Zabini and the others panted heavily as they rushed up the stairs. Collapsing on the carpet, hearts beating violently, almost jumping out of their mouths.
What the hell were those things? Was this still Halloween?
"Damn it, what kind of special training did that Ethan guy give his club members? How did they all turn into inhuman appearances?"
Nott couldn't help but curse. Looking down at his clothes covered in black handprints, his mood became even worse.
Just then, light footsteps sounded. Several people sprang up, their eyes showing inevitable dread. What else was coming? What other surprises awaited them ahead?
Right now, what Zabini most wanted to do was drag Malfoy over and make that slippery traitor suffer with them.
They prepared for battle. From the darkness ahead, a round figure slowly appeared. It was Neville Longbottom.
Immediately, they all relaxed. Zabini grinned, looking at Neville's nervous appearance and sneering: "Looks like Ethan Vincent is out of tricks, actually sending you, this waste! Simply laughable!"
The tall girl Millicent laughed heartily, her fat rippling like waves.
Neville's face changed, gritting his teeth: "Don't... don't look down on me!"
Looking down on him was looking down on Ethan, who personally accepted him into the club and trained them himself. Only Ethan would treat him equally, not thinking he was unworthy of being a Gryffindor. He absolutely couldn't let down Ethan's cultivation.
Thinking of the two months of training, Neville couldn't help but shiver. Parts of his memory were automatically blocked by his brain, leaving only everyone's painful, frenzied groaning.
Neville remembered Ethan once earnestly telling him: Suffering is torment; torment is grace. You need not fear. This is bestowing great trials as blessings upon others. Just do it once, and you'll understand the joy within.
That's right. He was ready to spread grace.
Neville looked up, forcing himself to meet these Slytherins' eyes. Then he put his fingers to his mouth and blew a loud whistle.
"What are you whistling for?!" Flint said impatiently, raising his wand.
Just then, they suddenly noticed... The walls were moving. As if they had come alive, casting constantly writhing shadows on the ground.
What... what was this?
"Lumos!" Dots of white light appeared.
When they saw clearly what was on the walls, they immediately held their breath! It was Devil's Snare! Overwhelming Devil's Snare! This Devil's Snare was some unknown variant... it was purple! Clinging to the walls like blood vessels, pulsing and throbbing.
And it wasn't afraid of light. Seeing light made it even more excited as it lunged forward!
"Don't... don't come over! Confringo!" "Idiot! Do you want to blow us up too?!" "I... I can't breathe..."
Neville watched as the several people were quickly submerged in the mutant Devil's Snare's tentacles. His mouth twitched, forming a smile.
Haha, I... I'm not afraid of you!
Unfortunately, Ethan had instructed him not to let them all perish. They had to enter the third floor completely intact.
Neville thought regretfully. He pulled out two Snapping Cabbages from his pocket, placed them on the ground, patted their leaves, and whispered: "Go on. Don't kill them."
In the middle of the round cabbage leaves, grinning fangs snapped up and down. Bouncing, they pounced toward the Slytherins. Adding a new flavour to the screams.
Outside Hogwarts...
Watching the gruesome scene on the water screen, all students were dumbfounded. The Weasley twins were one thing, and Cedric using "Stupefy" as a physical attack was another, but what was up with Neville Longbottom?
Gryffindor... Dean Thomas, who shared a dormitory with Neville, murmured: "Neville... when did he become so amazing?"
Every day they only saw Neville leaving early and returning late, making himself dazed and filthy. They had mocked Neville then for becoming Ethan's punching bag. Who knew that in just two months, he could 1v5 five Slytherins until they cried for their parents!
Plants? Plants were also part of one's strength!
Dean felt so uncomfortable his features twisted. It was confirmed. Ethan's Morning Star Club was Hogwarts' talent training programme! Professor, we want to learn too!
Up front... Dumbledore said in surprise: "That colour of Devil's Snare... it's a new breed, isn't it? I've never seen it before."
Herbology Professor Sprout was also surprised: "Indeed! And I'm ashamed to say this wasn't something I taught. These past two months, student Longbottom has indeed asked me for considerable knowledge... but I never imagined he could actually successfully breed a new Devil's Snare variant!"
Of course, there were reasons no one had bred this before. Making Devil's Snare unafraid of fire and light? What's the difference between that and breeding cold-resistant mosquitoes?
Sprout sighed: "It seems Neville has a more capable teacher who can better bring out his potential."
Dumbledore nodded: "Teaching prank-loving twins continuous Blasting Curses, having close-combat expert Cedric use armour and weapons... Having herbology-interested Longbottom breed variant plants. Hehehe, it seems Ethan is truly putting his heart into training his Morning Star Club. I must give Ravenclaw twenty points."
Just that the cultivation direction was a bit off.
Dumbledore gazed at the Slytherins suffering ultimate torment in the Devil's Snare.
"By the way," Dumbledore suddenly said leisurely, "regarding those Slytherin students' attitude toward student Longbottom earlier..."
Professor Snape: "..." Sweating profusely. These idiots!
Helplessly, Snape could only grit his teeth and deduct five points from his own house. Five points per person.
Hogwarts Third Floor...
Five students lay sprawled. Unable to fight anymore... Everyone's eyes were vacant. Completely brutalised.
"Don't... don't give up!" Zabini gritted his teeth, struggling to get up from the ground. "Though Ethan's club members are sinister, we ultimately reached the final checkpoint through our own efforts! Are we going to give up like this?! We carry Slytherin's honour on our shoulders!"
The passionate words were like adrenaline injected into their bloodstreams. They looked at each other and got up one by one.
Yes! We can't give up! Hope is right ahead; other classmates are still watching us! Let them see that Slytherin will never submit to Ethan!
Their eyes blazed with fighting spirit and hope. "Last floor, let's go!" Zabini waved his hand grandly.
Staring at Flint and Crabbe, whose feet seemed rooted to the ground, unmoving.
Flint: "..." This is how you cheer us on?
The group rallied, encouraging each other, cautiously walking through the corridor. However, after walking most of the way, they encountered no one and no danger.
Had Ethan forgotten to set up the third floor? Where had Ethan himself gone?
Just then... "What is that?!" Millicent suddenly shouted, fearfully stuffing her fat fingers into her mouth.
Ahead on the ground lay a pale shadow. Like a ghost that had fallen to the ground. They cautiously approached. To their shock, it was a golden-haired girl in white clothes, unconscious on the ground!
"I remember; she seems to follow Ethan around." Zabini muttered, poking the girl's body with his toe. Why was there no reaction at all? Would she suddenly jump up to scare them?
However, on the other side, watching the water screen, Dumbledore suddenly frowned. Something seemed... wrong...
The next second, under everyone's gaze, the shadows cast by the approaching Slytherins moved. As if an entire wall had come alive. Slowly, slowly writhing.
But this time, it wasn't Devil's Snare. In an instant, as if a giant hand had reached out to extinguish sound and grip everyone's necks, the scene fell instantly silent.
They stared wide-eyed at the massive creature revealing black scales. An extreme fear impacted their brains, beyond their comprehension, freezing them in place.
That... what kind of "monster" was that?
Dumbledore's pupils contracted sharply as he raised his wand to dispel the water screen! However, it was still a step too late.
Under the gaze of nearly all Hogwarts students, a massive golden eye opened suddenly from the writhing black serpent body.