Upon hearing this, the Slytherin students' faces turned ashen. They wanted to shout, wanted to slam the table and roar in protest!
Why?! All five of their people had fallen! One was even the Quidditch team captain... they'd probably lose to Hufflepuff this year! Why did they still have to fulfil the bet?! Couldn't they just let it go?!
However, they didn't have Ethan's boldness or eloquence. Looking at the countless silent gazes watching them in the Great Hall, their eyes gradually filled with terror! As if they had become an island.
"We lost..." One Slytherin said dejectedly. For a moment, he even wanted to lie in the hospital wing like those five.
Several seconds of oppressive silence passed before the collective pressure from the entire school finally became unbearable. A tall, thin boy with sharp features rose shakily from his seat.
"I... I'm the Slytherin prefect... also the club leader, Yaxley... I represent all of Slytherin in apologising to you."
Ethan blinked, observing the prefect who stood rigid as a statue. With a perfectly innocent expression, he said: "I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that. Could you come over here and say it again?"
Trying to finish this while standing there? Dream on.
"..." The tall, thin prefect's face looked even paler. In the dead of winter, beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
No! This won't do! You're a noble pureblood... how can you bow and scrape to a mudblood?!
However, looking at those cobalt-blue eyes watching him, Yaxley trembled violently from his very soul. His hands and feet moved of their own accord. Stiffly, under countless gazes, he walked step by step to Ethan's front.
"I apologise..."
Ethan narrowed his eyes. His lips parted, uttering one word: "Bow."
"Ugh!" More sweat appeared on Yaxley's forehead. Facing this child several years younger than himself, sweat poured down like rain.
Yaxley glanced over and saw Headmaster Dumbledore still saying nothing. His heart immediately filled with despair. He gave up struggling.
Trembling, slowly, slowly, he bent the waist that his family had kept proudly straight for hundreds of years in public.
"I... I'm sorry, Mr. Ethan Vincent. As Slytherin prefect... yet unable to manage my fellow students properly, I sincerely apologise to you... Effective immediately, I will disband all Slytherin club activities... never to hold activities again... And I will restrain the students, guaranteeing we won't cause you any more trouble..."
Yaxley finished speaking. But still didn't dare straighten up. After all, there's no honour left to speak of, is there?
In the hall, everyone was stunned. When this actually happened, they realised how incredible it was!
"I actually got to see a male Slytherin prefect bowing and apologising to someone else." Percy said dazedly, raising his hand without realising he wasn't holding a cup.
"Merlin! He always looked down his nose at me, and last time he threw away a handkerchief I accidentally touched!"
On the other side, click. Photography enthusiast little Colin instinctively aimed at Ethan and the male Slytherin prefect and pressed the shutter.
Ron: "Ha! Well done, Colin! Look at the Slytherins' faces! Like they ate a big dung bomb! Hahaha!"
Harry couldn't help laughing too. It somewhat dispelled last night's gloom. He couldn't help glancing at Snape. The latter's terrifying expression made Harry both afraid and exhilarated.
At the Hufflepuff table, Cedric clenched his sandbag-sized fists, staring at Ethan with blazing eyes! So cool! Ethan was truly worthy of being his lifelong target to follow!
There was still so much he could learn from Ethan. But how had Ethan managed to be so commanding?
Cedric tried to imitate that intimidating expression, twisting his features experimentally. Justin beside him stared in shock: "Cedric, are you all right? You look like you're in agony!"
Cedric immediately returned his face to its normal state, saying nothing.
Just then, with a thud, a figure stood up from the Slytherin table. Draco Malfoy.
Under everyone's gaze, Malfoy carried a wooden box two sizes smaller than a suitcase, walking with steady, proud steps to Ethan's front. His face immediately broke into a brilliant smile!
Ron was stunned: "Bloody hell, get me a basin, I'm going to throw up."
Malfoy: "Congratulations on your victory, Ethan. This is a small token of respect from the Malfoy family. Please accept it."
Ethan calmly took it and opened the golden clasp. In an instant, the golden light that burst forth almost blinded Ethan! "Bang!" Ethan slammed the lid shut, still shaken.
So... so close! He almost got swallowed by the golden light! Is this the power of corrupt money? So terrifying!
Seeing this, Malfoy's smile grew even brighter. "The first layer has some Galleons, roughly equivalent to over ten Nimbus 2001s... The second layer has pearls, gems, and rare minerals... The third layer has some potions, like Felix Felicis..."
As Malfoy introduced it like a menu, Ethan's eyes gradually trembled. He felt the seemingly ordinary wooden box in his hands becoming more and more pleasing to the eye.
Ethan solemnly put away the wooden box. Let him bear this monetary sin!
Patting Malfoy's shoulder, he gave him an approving look. Malfoy couldn't help grinning.
This upstart is getting more and more skilled and comfortable with it. He glanced sideways, contemptuously looking at the dumbfounded prefect Yaxley. Trash. Doesn't even know how to give gifts. Doomed sooner or later.
At the staff table, Professor McGonagall was puzzled. Watching Ethan and Malfoy whispering together, not knowing what they were doing. "Are they friends? Friendship is so nice."
Flitwick, with mixed blood and better hearing: sweating profusely. Who would have thought Ethan would become a member of society before even leaving school... and one of the higher-ups!
This action by Malfoy was deeply imprinted in the Slytherin students' eyes. They couldn't help but feel a touch of admiration.
"So the Malfoy family was the smartest one..." "We were too foolish before..." "I'm writing home right away..."
If this were before, they would have severely despised Malfoy's bowing and scraping behaviour! But now, the water in their brains had been knocked out. Sudden enlightenment.
Who said Ethan was a mudblood? His blood was pure... purer than anyone present!
Under numerous admiring gazes, Ethan returned to his Ravenclaw seat like returning to a throne. A full harvest. Even his steps were much heavier.
"Here," Luna handed over a full sandwich and a plate of sliced apples, "Breakfast is over; eat this first to tide you over."
Ethan almost blurted out "Mom". Beside them, Michael was envious. Childhood sweethearts, wealth overflowing. In this situation, one could only say... Dad!
At this moment, on the platform, Headmaster Dumbledore wiped his sweat with a handkerchief and said seriously: "Now, let me explain what happened last night."
The Great Hall immediately quieted down. Ethan bit his sandwich while leaning forward, listening intently.
Dumbledore: "Please don't worry, everyone. The five Slytherin students are not in life-threatening danger. Last night, after the professors and I sent the students to the hospital wing, we also conducted a thorough search of Hogwarts. No abnormalities were found. As long as the professors and I are here, we will guarantee your safety. We will never let evil defile this pure land of Hogwarts!"