Chapter 177: Pitch Accident
In the heavy rain, the match continued.
The sky grew darker, as if night had arrived early.
Ethan saw Harry narrowly avoid two collisions: one with a Slytherin Beater, and another with Fred's girlfriend, Angelina.
This super vision came from taking the Blood Magic Potion and changing his bloodline.
He wondered if this Potion could cure nearsightedness, but Ethan would never let this Potion recipe spread. If nothing unexpected happened, he might never have the opportunity to conduct this experiment in his lifetime.
The time had already reached afternoon.
Everyone was still enthusiastically watching the match on the field. For lunch, everyone had some pre-prepared snacks; they had bought a lot of these small items during their recent trip to Hogsmeade.
After all, when coming to watch a match, if you didn't prepare something to eat and drink, it just didn't feel right.
As for the Quidditch players, they could only go hungry.
Accompanied by a flash of lightning, Madam Hooch blew her whistle, which meant someone had requested a timeout.
Everyone else controlled their flying broomsticks and went under the umbrella by the Quidditch Pitch, except for Harry, who was still darting around the field.
It was Wood who re-entered the field and brought Harryback.
Arriving under the large umbrella by the Quidditch Pitch, Harry immediately took off his glasses and wiped them with his robe.
When he was flying in the sky just now, everything was blurry; he couldn't even distinguish his teammates, let alone catch the Golden Snitch.
"What's the score?"
Due to his obstructed vision, Harry couldn't see the scoreboard, and he also didn't have time to observe these things.
Not only did he have to find the Golden Snitch, but he also had to dodge Bludgers, and Draco would sometimes make small moves.
Harry had never felt that a match could be this difficult.
"We're leading by fifty points!"
Wood sounded a bit proud when he said this.
He had strictly required his team members to train regardless of wind or rain, while Slytherin would only come out when the rain wasn't too heavy. Once the weather became too severe, the entire Quidditch Pitchwould only have the Gryffindor team.
Effort paid off; now Gryffindor was adapted to fighting in this weather. What was originally an evenly matched game was now a fifty-point lead.
"That's good!"
Hearing this result, Harry breathed a sigh of relief.
"But if the Golden Snitch isn't caught, even if it's midnight, the match will still have to continue."
"This is up to you. As long as you catch the Golden Snitch, the match will end, and we will win directly."
Wood looked at Harry with encouragement.
He knew about Harry's flying talent. Harry was the primary contributor to their victory over Slytherin last year.
Whether it was catching the Golden Snitch or donating the nimbus 2001 to the Gryffindor Quidditch team.
"But I can't see clearly!"
Harry gave a wry smile and looked at his teammates.
If the weather had been good, he wouldn't have been in such a state, but now he truly had no choice.
He could only occasionally see a golden blur flash past his eyes, but trying to pinpoint the Golden Snitch's exact location was quite challenging.
Everyone also didn't know what to say; if they insisted Harry catch the Golden Snitch, it would be too difficult for him.
"By the way, does anyone here know how to use the Head Bubble Charm?"
"Use a Head Bubble Charm on me; as long as my glasses don't get blurred by the rain, I can see the Golden Snitch, and then I can catch it."
Looking at his dejected teammates, Harry noticed the spectators above who were using bubble raincoats.
As long as the Head Bubble Charm could cover his head and keep the rain out, it would be fine; he didn't expect his teammates to cast advanced spells like Ethan.
"I do, but Ethan just said it would affect the game. Are you sure you want to use it?"
Wood, as a seventh-year, had naturally learned the Head Bubble Charm and cast it well, but only with standard casting.
"Yes, it's much better than not being able to see anything now!"
Harry nodded affirmatively.
"Alright then!"
Wood agreed after a brief consideration; this was his last year, and he didn't want to have any regrets.
"Bubble-Head Charm!"
"Now I can see!"
Harry, with the bubble over his head, ran into the rain to test it for a while, then quickly ran back, a hint of surprise on his face.
"Good, let's seize this moment! Let's go quickly and take down Slytherin in one fell swoop!"
Wood immediately shouted excitedly.
After re-entering the field, Harry was still hit by the cold rain and shivered in the strong winds, but he could see.
After once again dodging a Bludger, Harry moved through the storm, searching for the Golden Snitch.
Boom!
A huge zigzag lightning bolt struck the Quidditch pitch, and Harry realized he needed to hurry.
At high altitude, it was easiest to attract lightning.
If it struck a person, Madam Pomfrey would absolutely not be able to save them.
Just as Harry was about to return to the center of the pitch, through the flash of lightning, he saw a shaggy black dog, which was staying in the empty seats of the top row.
This sudden discovery caused Harry's frozen hand to slip on his broom, and he dropped a few feet, but by the time he stabilized himself and looked again, there was no trace of the black dog.
"Harry!"
Just as Harry was about to continue searching for the black dog's tracks, Wood's painful shout came from the Gryffindor goal:
"Harry, behind you!"
Harry quickly turned his head to look; Draco was swiftly flying across the pitch towards him, and between them, besides the heavy rain, there was a golden speck.
And on the other side, Ethan was squinting his eyes, looking at the thick clouds.
Many magical creatures were gathering above the clouds.
As expected, they were Dementors. He had thought these Dementors would be more well-behaved after being beaten so badly.
Unexpectedly, their courage was still so great.
As for the reason for their arrival, it was simply that they couldn't resist the temptation of delicious food.
Compared to the gloomy Great Hall that day, the excitement and emotional surge of the young Wizards watching the Quidditch match now were absolutely a feast comparable to a Manchu Han Imperial Feast for them.
So much so that these Dementors, who had been hungry for a long time, could temporarily forget the threat to their lives and follow their instincts to come and feed...
"What are you looking at?"
Cho Chang, sitting next to Ethan, looked at him puzzled.
Not watching the game, but looking at the clouds?
"The Dementors are coming!"
Ethan had already planned to bind some more Dementors as backup later; after all, Ethan didn't mind having too many of these things.
However, he still had to wait for the Dementors to make the first move; only then would he have an excuse.
For example, as Harry's friend, seeing Harry get hurt, his emotions got a bit out of control—this reason was excellent.
No one could find any fault with it.
Harry rushed halfway, then suddenly found the entire Quidditch pitch eerily silent. Although the wind was still fierce, it had forgotten to roar, as if he had become deaf.
And a terrifyingly familiar chill was coming towards him. Harry immediately realized something was wrong. The moment he looked up, at least a hundred Dementors were gathering towards him.
His thoughts began to spiral out of control…
And in the eyes of the spectators on the sidelines, hundreds of Dementors emerged from the clouds above. Harry's entire body stiffened, then he lost control and fell from the sky.
Only then did they realize that the Dementors had attacked again, and the first victim was Harry.
Immediately, the young Wizards screamed in panic and prepared to run into Hogwarts Castle.
Ethan felt that the time had come, so he immediately stood up and raised his wand.
Just as Ethan was about to cast the Patronus Charm, a silver-white Phoenix flew out of the tower, crashing straight into the group of Dementors, radiating silver-white light all over its body.
With a sudden blow, the Dementors were awakened. Although the food was delicious, they needed to be alive to enjoy it.
Immediately, they all turned and ran.
Only Ethan was left behind, standing in place with a regretful expression.
Ethan was certain that Dumbledore, that old scoundrel, had definitely prepared the Dementors in advance.
His purpose was to act before him, to prevent Ethan from having a chance to interfere.
It was truly too much. Was there no trust left between people?
The Dementors came quickly and left even faster. The young Wizards, relieved that the Dementor crisis was over, also relaxed and sat back down.
But in that short time, Draco had already caught the Golden Snitch.
He was now raising the golden winged sphere high in his hand amidst the cheers of the Slytherin players.
Although most people's attention had been on the Dementors just now and they hadn't seen how Dracocaught the Golden Snitch, according to the rules, catching the Golden Snitch ended the game.
Gryffindor had originally led by seventy points, but because Slytherin caught the Golden Snitch, they gained one hundred fifty points directly, now surpassing Gryffindor by eighty points.
However, the audience on the field was not discussing the outcome of this Quidditch match, but the Dementorattack.
Ethan was indeed right; where there's one, there's two. The Dementors were relentlessly trying to attack Hogwarts students.
This time it was on the Quidditch pitch, the Professors were all there, and the Principal made his move.
What if they encountered Dementors when they were alone?
Immediately, each of them decided to contact their families once they returned to their dormitories.
Chapter 178: Completing Animagus
The storm and thunder continued until midnight.
Ethan didn't want to wait any longer, so he immediately braved the heavy rain and went into the Forbidden Forest.
He had truly waited long enough for this day. Fortunately, he was in Scotland's Highlands.
If he were in a desert region, he might have to wait a lifetime.
Blowing a whistle to summon an Acromantula, Ethan directly had it drag him to their lair.
As a dominant force in the Forbidden Forest, Acromantulas now only feared Dragons and Thunderbirds; other creatures, whether in groups or solitary, dared not provoke them.
Ethan was absolutely confident that the Potion was safely buried near their lair.
Arriving at the rock beside the lair, Ethan squatted down and dug for about ten minutes before finding the bottle he had buried.
He had buried it quite deep at the time to avoid any interference.
Moreover, Ethan was also afraid that if he used too much force, he might break the bottle.
Using the faint light of lightning streaking across the sky, Ethan could clearly see that the originally turbid liquid inside had now turned blood-red.
The pupa of the Death's-head Hawk Moth and the Mandrake leaves were now gone.
Tucking the Potion into his pocket, Ethan re-mounted the Acromantula and returned to the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
Performing the Animagus transformation here was certainly not an option. There were still some risks in this process, allowing no room for error, so a quiet and safe environment was necessary.
He arrived at the Room of Requirement, where Cassandra and the others were already waiting.
Ethan took out the blood-red Potion and showed it to everyone.
After a careful comparison, Cassandra and the others found no problems with the Potion, so they returned it to Ethan.
He walked to the center of the empty space.
Ethan drew his wand, poked it into his chest, aiming at his heart: "Amato, Animo, Animato, Animagus."
This was also the essential incantation to complete Animagus.
It needed to be started when the crystal vial of Potionwas buried, and performed once at every sunrise and sunset.
It could not be interrupted, nor could there be too many or too few repetitions, until one could feel a second heartbeat during the process; only then was one considered to have entered the gate.
But even after entering the gate, one could not stop; this step had to continue until the moment the thunder and storm arrived, and only after taking out and consuming the Potion was it considered complete.
Therefore, Ethan was now very familiar with this procedure. After feeling his second heart begin to beat again, he gulped down the blood-red Potion.
The Potion was cold when held in his hand, but upon entering his throat, it became scalding hot. He felt his entire mouth and throat burning, and soon the sensation spread to his entire stomach and body.
Ethan only felt as if his entire being was in a furnace at that moment.
At the same time, Ethan could clearly feel his heart beating violently, and it was two hearts beating, strangely at different frequencies.
At this point, the image of the creature he was about to transform into appeared in his mind: a stout Dragon with five heads, each a different color—white, black, green, blue, and red—and its massive, robust body was covered with beautiful stripes composed of these colors.
The creature's image that appeared in his mind at this moment was the Animagus form.
Indeed, there was a connection between the Patronus Charm and Animagus. If nothing went wrong, whatever Animal appeared for the Patronus Charm would also be the Animagus form.
Dumbledore's Animagus form was definitely a Phoenix, and the reason he didn't reveal it was probably because an Animagus in the form of a magical Animal was too terrifying, which is why it wasn't registered and he didn't use it in front of others.
Ethan continuously sensed himself. At this moment, the pain was diminishing, and the two distinctly different heartbeats also began to slow their frequency, gradually synchronizing.
Ethan knew that so far, all his states were positive. He just needed to maintain them to complete the Animagustransformation.
As his heartbeats synchronized, he closed his eyes. This was the beginning of his first Animagus transformation.
First, he felt his skin changing, somewhat similar to his previous Dragon transformation, where a layer of Dragonscales began to grow, only now the Dragon scales were much thicker.
Then came the changes in his muscles, organs, and all bodily structures. This process was very slow, and the pain was manageable at this point.
However, during this process, negative emotions such as rage and destruction involuntarily surged in Ethan's mind.
The books also had relevant records: maintain clarity and do not let the Animal's thoughts influence you.
Compared to ordinary Animal-form Animagus, Ethan's current form was much harder to control.
But fortunately, he had many buffs, including improvements in his thinking and mental resistance from the 'Steadfast' talent.
The mental resistance, which had previously seemed useless, now showed its importance.
Otherwise, it would not have been as easy for Ethan to remain calm as it was now.
During this process, Ethan noticed his clothes beginning to disappear and transform into Dragon scales.
Then his arms completely became Dragon claws, and his legs could no longer support him standing on two feet.
Forced to drop to all fours, Ethan felt an itch on his back and above his buttocks. A thick, scaly black tail first pushed out, followed by two Dragon wings growing from his back.
Each flap created a huge wind pressure around him, forcing Cassandra and the others to continuously retreat.
This flapping was not controlled by Ethan; it was purely his body's instinctive reaction.
Having reached this point, stopping was impossible; otherwise, this world might gain a five-headed Dragon-like magical Animal.
magic filled his entire body, aiding the successful completion of this Transfiguration.
Ethan then felt himself rising higher and higher from the ground, a result of his body growing larger, and he understood this point.
His head began to throb with pain at this moment, and something seemed to be pushing out from his forehead; this step was crucial.
From the moment the head began to transform, one needed to remain especially clear-headed, otherwise, it was easy to lose oneself in bestiality.
Who knows how many people stumbled at this very step.
Ethan also felt various negative emotions growing more severe, and he could only force himself to calm down.
Then, his neck began to itch and ache, and a blue Dragonhead stretched out.
Then, the blue Dragon head and the red Dragon head began to stare at each other.
They could clearly see what the other looked like at that moment.
Ethan found that both heads were under his control; there wasn't an extra mind just because there was an extra head. This feeling was very unaccustomed to Ethan.
Next, the green Dragon head, black Dragon head, and white Dragon head emerged one by one, completely transforming Ethan into the form that had appeared in his mind just moments ago.
At this point, Ethan found that he could control his body, but it was very uncoordinated.
When controlling the red Dragon head, the other four heads remained motionless as if frozen.
But if he tried to control all five heads simultaneously, there were too many fields of vision, and he couldn't keep track of everything.
To control them perfectly, he still needed a lot more practice.
Carefully sensing his body, Ethan discovered that he was over a hundred meters long, and if his wings were spread, they would exceed three hundred meters, which was too terrifying.
Even Onyxia, who was already considered a behemoth among the Dragon population in their native world, was like an infant in front of him.
As for his current abilities, Ethan could breathe fire, and his magic could be cast wandlessly. Other abilities still needed to be explored.
He directly asked the Room of Requirement for several super-sized targets.
Ethan turned his body, and a few steps caused the entire room to tremble.
The red head opened, and a cone of flame erupted from the Dragon's mouth, incinerating the target. It was as simple as breathing, with no difficulty at all.
The black head, on the other hand, spat out acid, which directly corroded the hit target to nothing.
The white head spat out a conical blast of cold air, freezing the target into a large block of ice.
The blue head spat out a linear bolt of lightning, and the damage was also good, directly shattering the target.
The green head spat out a conical corrosive gas, similar to the black Dragon's, but one was liquid and the other was gaseous.
After testing his basic abilities, Ethan planned to try something else. Immediately, his wings flapped violently, and the entire Dragon soared into the air.
But he crashed immediately after taking off, and it was a face-plant. His five Dragon faces plowed furrows in the ground, and the entire Dragon felt unwell.
Fortunately, his body was strong enough, and his face was thick enough, so after getting up, Ethan didn't feel any discomfort.
After careful consideration, Ethan took a running start and took off. After several consecutive face-plants, he finally found some tricks. Fortunately, his learning ability was strong enough, otherwise, he didn't know how long it would take just to learn to fly.
A moment later, a strange-looking Dragon was seen flying erratically in mid-air, causing Cassandra and the others below to worry. They weren't afraid that Ethan would hurt himself, but that he would fall on them.
"Try some magic on me! I feel incredibly strong right now!"
The five Dragon heads spoke simultaneously to Cassandra and the others below.
Then Ethan saw their hair and Wizard robes blowing backward, and they looked bewildered.
After a while, once they recovered, Ethan controlled one Dragon head and lowered his voice to communicate.
Dragons naturally have high magic resistance, let alone his current form, and with the added "Steadfast" talent.
Watching Cassandra and the others cast everything from Diffindo to Powdered Bone, and even Thunderbolt Explosion, not a single mark was left on Ethan's scales.
Finally, he had to borrow a Mjölnir, and only then did he find some traces on the Dragon scales.
The testing was almost complete, and Ethan was ready to revert to human form.
During this process, Ethan could clearly sense the changes in his body, and it took a relatively long time, only reverting after several minutes.
To instantly transform between human and Animal like Professor McGonagall, he still needed to work harder.
Chapter 179: Merlin Order First Class Badge
The next day, Sunday, it was still stormy outside.
Ethan, having successfully completed his Animagus, was still extremely excited and in excellent spirits, even though he hadn't slept all night.
Upon arriving at the Great Hall, Ethan noticed a large number of little Wizards gathered around the notice board.
What new trick was Dumbledore up to now?
Ethan had no intention of pushing his way through. Yesterday's Animagus transformation had left him extremely hungry, and he desperately wanted a hearty meal.
Besides, Terry had rushed over immediately upon noticing the situation.
Given his personality, he would definitely come back and spread the news once he figured out what was going on.
Sitting at the Ravenclaw long table, Ethan, who was eating, drew frequent glances from the surrounding little Wizards.
Penelope and Cho Chang were helping him get food on either side of him.
They were truly envious to tears, and he ate so much!
Ethan had always been a big eater, needing to consume at least four or five times the amount of food a normal person ate to feel full!
But now, it was at least ten times the amount!
And he was still eating, showing no signs of stopping.
Fortunately, meals at Hogwarts were free and self-serve; generally, you ate as much as you took.
They just couldn't understand it. While Ethan's physique was tall and strong, there were older students who were taller and stronger than him.
But none of them could eat like this, and after Ethan finished eating, his stomach wasn't bulging, nor did he gain weight.
Did eating more mean higher talent?
Ethan had no intention of bothering with other people's thoughts. He ate continuously for over half an hour before slowing down!
"Alright, I'm pretty much full!"
Chewing the smoked meat in his mouth, Ethan finally told Penelope and Cho Chang to stop.
All the food in this area had been devoured by Ethan alone, and he was about seventy percent full, which was enough!
He just didn't know if this surge in appetite was a temporary side effect from the massive energy and physical exertion of using his Animagus form.
Or, if this appetite would be his new normal from now on.
"We won't turn out like this too, will we?"
Penelope prepared her own breakfast and then sat next to Ethan.
Her face showed clear worry.
She was the type who ate relatively little at all three meals, especially rarely eating meat.
If her appetite suddenly surged, she didn't know if her body size would also increase accordingly.
The parts of her body that needed to be large were already large enough; she didn't need more nutrition.
She had always been a bit worried. Ethan's appetite was initially only slightly more than average, but the day after taking the Magic Blood, it soared to four or five times that of a normal person.
Now, after learning Animagus, his appetite was even more terrifying.
It wouldn't be long before she would also have to take the Magic Blood, and as for Animagus, according to Ethan, it was something she absolutely had to learn, but only after reaching a sufficiently high level of Transfiguration.
"Your appetite will definitely increase somewhat, but it won't be like mine, don't worry."
"Moreover, with the improvement in physical fitness, your digestion and metabolism will also improve. As long as you don't consume excessive energy, you won't get fat."
Ethan naturally saw their concerns.
But they didn't have bloodline sublimation; they just had ordinary Animals bloodlines, so the various improvements they gained wouldn't be as significant as Ethan's.
Cho Chang, on the other hand, didn't have this problem. Her Cat-like Animagus was small and not fat, and her appetite was small. It was highly likely that there wouldn't be much change after she took the Magic Blood.
After all, except for a few specific types of cats, other cats aren't fat; their fur is just longer, making them appear larger. Once wet, they revert to their true size.
"Ethan, you've eaten all the breakfast here!"
Terry, pulling Michael and the others, walked over from the notice board, looking at the empty breakfast area around Ethan, feeling a bit incredulous.
Although Ethan could eat a lot, he hadn't reached this point!
"Hmm, what's written on the notice board?"
"Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge is coming tonight. He's going to explain about the Dementor incident. That's all it says."
After reading the announcement, he had talked with other little Wizards there for a long time.
Everyone speculated that Fudge couldn't withstand the pressure anymore.
After all, after Harry was attacked on the Quidditch Pitchyesterday, the little Wizards, who had already calmed down a bit, started communicating with their families again.
Many of those who communicated with their families used the same template: "I can't study at all this term. I could be attacked by Dementors at any time. If this continues, you should transfer me!"
This template first spread from Ravenclaw but was quickly copied by other little Wizards.
Being attacked by a Dementor, putting aside the question of life or death, just fainting in public or wetting your pants would likely lead to social death. Forget about surviving at Hogwarts; it would be hard to get by in the Great Britain Wizarding World.
"It seems Fudge finally couldn't withstand the pressure!"
"Tell me about it!"
"I just heard them say…"
Terry couldn't even bother to eat his breakfast now, rambling on about what he had just heard and his own speculations.
The surrounding little Wizards were mostly in the same state, discussing the matter, and their faces were clearly excited.
It was clear that their side had won this round; Fudge had made his choice and was going to take the Dementors out of Hogwarts.
After all, if he didn't take the Dementors away, no one would listen to his explanations, and everyone would continue to report the situation to their families.
…
At 6:30 PM, the little Wizards had already gathered in the Great Hall.
The Great Hall was redecorated today; while it couldn't compare to Christmas or Halloween, it was on par with the level seen on the first day of school.
Dumbledore, with his team of Professors, was already prepared on the high platform. Sitting beside him were Cornelius Fudge and the pink toad. Besides them, there were a few unfamiliar faces.
Unsurprisingly, these were all Ministry of Magic officials.
Dumbledore was still the first to stand up. He was dressed as usual, a slight smile on his face as he looked down at the little Wizards below.
"Students, today, regarding the multiple Dementorattacks on Hogwarts, we must give everyone an explanation!"
Fudge, who had barely managed to maintain a smile, stiffened instantly upon hearing Dumbledore's words.
Wasn't this clearly giving him a hard time?
I'll remember this grudge!
"Now, I invite the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, to come forward."
Saying this, Dumbledore gave Fudge a smile.
Last time, Ethan had killed dozens more Dementors at once, and Dumbledore thought he would be called in for a talk.
Unexpectedly, the little Wizards had pressured Fudgethrough their parents. Not only did he not have to go to the Ministry of Magic for tea, but instead, Fudge had to give him an explanation, which put Dumbledore in a very good mood.
Not to mention, Fudge would also be taking the Dementors away soon.
Fudge forcibly put on a fake smile and stepped forward. As for the smile Dumbledore had just given him, Fudgehad already interpreted it as a provocation.
However, he had indeed lost this round.
"First, I am very sorry for the series of incidents caused by the Dementors!"
Fudge said, bowing to all the little Wizards. His attitude at this moment was extremely humble, trying his best to appear gentle and modest.
"Starting today, I will remove the Dementors from Hogwarts and guarantee that they will never set foot in Hogwarts again."
"Previously, I was too hasty, too eager to capture Sirius Black, the most evil prisoner in history, which led me to make many mistakes. I apologize to everyone again here and hope to gain your understanding!"
Saying this, Fudge bowed to the little Wizards below.
This was also a compromise made out of necessity.
Over twenty pure-blood families and every Wizarding family had expressed their dissatisfaction in various ways.
If he didn't handle this well, his position as Minister for Magic would be unstable.
For his future, what was an apology now?
As for retracting the Dementor patrols at Hogwarts, an action he had strongly advocated, Fudge no longer cared.
Wasn't it just losing face?
If he had known earlier that the Dementors would cause such a huge mess, he would never have let them come.
The young Wizards below, hearing Fudge speak like this, neither applauded nor offered any opinions.
Anyone with a normal brain could hear the evasion and insincerity in Fudge's words.
But Fudge was, after all, the Minister of magic, not someone they could casually criticize.
Fudge wasn't surprised by this; what he needed now was a way out that both sides could accept.
"In addition, due to Ethan Adrien's actions in saving numerous Hogwarts students, we have decided to award him the Merlin Order, First Class!"
"Now, please welcome Ethan Adrien to the stage!"
To be honest, Fudge really didn't want to present this medal.
Ethan's two mass slaughters of Dementors were undoubtedly a disregard for his authority, but admitting his mistake meant acknowledging Ethan's Merits.
Otherwise, how would Ethan saving the young Wizards of Hogwarts be accounted for?
He couldn't just ignore it!
Immediately, the entire Great Hall erupted in warm applause, and Ethan walked onto the stage amidst it.
Fudge took the Merlin Order medal brought by a Ministry of Magic member and personally placed it on Ethan.
Compared to the last time, although this award ceremony was quite informal, having so many young Wizards as witnesses was still acceptable; it was just that Ethan didn't receive the achievement completion prompt even after stepping off the stage.
It seems this reward doesn't have an advancement path; it can only be obtained once.
Fudge stepped down after presenting the medal, and Dumbledore continued speaking.
First, there was a two-hundred-point bonus for Ravenclaw, followed by arrangements regarding the Dementors' departure from Hogwarts, and so on.
Chapter 180: Dementor Experiment and Successful Potion Brewing
Time came to December.
The Dementors had left the Hogwarts campus, and Ethan felt quite reluctant about it.
With no temporary source of replenishment, the Dementors he had on hand were dwindling, unless one day he went to Azkaban for a big score.
This made Ethan extra cautious when conducting research, fearing he might waste another Dementor; experiments that could threaten life were basically done with Boggarts.
They were cheap and numerous, so their lives were cheap!
Dementors could actually reproduce, but not through biological reproduction like male and female mating.
It required a special environment, assistance from negative emotions, and the help of other Dementors to give birth to new Dementors; Azkaban was one location that could meet these conditions.
Ethan naturally couldn't achieve these conditions, making self-reproduction impossible, so he could only focus on the Dementors in Azkaban.
Other young Wizards, however, were overjoyed by this news, especially Harry; after leaving the hospital, he learned that the Dementors had been removed from the Hogwarts campus and was happy for several days straight.
It's just unknown if he, without the pressure, would still be able to learn Expecto Patronum.
Or, if Hogwarts had no Dementors, whether he would even bother learning this spell was uncertain; of course, this spell had little effect on Lord Voldemort.
In the Ravenclaw Chamber of Secrets, in the workbench cubicle.
Ethan carefully cut the Boggart on the table using a Goblin Soul Tool; less than a third of the Boggart's body remained on the table.
Ethan had tried both Boggarts and Dementors multiple times, experimenting with all sorts of ideas.
The soul and body absolutely could not be separated; if forcibly separated, the only outcome was complete dissipation, which blocked Ethan's idea of stripping pure souls.
So Ethan later stopped fixating on the separation of soul and body, and instead tried to preserve their core, which was the heart and brain, while removing the superfluous parts.
By today, he was finally close to success, and Ethan's cutting speed also became slower and slower.
Until only two pitch-black objects remained on the workbench, Ethan put away his knife.
The two remaining objects were still constantly beating, just like real hearts and brains.
But as time passed, the frequency of their beating became lower and lower.
If Ethan's guess was correct, they were losing vitality.
It seemed they still needed a body to support them; after seven minutes, the beating frequency was almost stopping, and only then did Ethan take action.
He immediately sacrificed a Helheim magic-made spirit body; this was not a spirit body made from the Werewolves Ethan had harvested previously, but a Goblin spirit body.
These little things also contained magic and were qualified to be spirit bodies, and their numbers were extremely high.
Not to mention their global distribution, Goblins were rampant in many places, and with just a few Galleons, one could acquire a large quantity.
They truly seemed inexhaustible; Ethan had already sacrificed hundreds of them to Nibelungen to enhance its stability and range.
As the blue light points merged into the two pitch-black objects, they immediately began to beat, as if injected with adrenaline, and their frequency was even more intense than before.
It seemed his idea was correct; pure magic and life force could also keep these things alive, without relying on a body composed of various messy things.
After sacrificing two more Goblin spirit bodies, Ethan put them away.
Judging by their vitality, there should be no problem in the short term.
Then Ethan pulled a Dementor out of Nibelungen.
Before Ethan could even use the Spirit Expulsion Curse, the Dementor trembled and prostrated itself on the ground.
It was afraid!
During this period, any Dementor pulled out by Ethan had never reappeared; what this implied, they certainly knew.
But there was nothing they could do; their lives were in his hands.
Ethan glanced at it, cast a spell on its body, and then the Dementor obediently lay on the workbench.
Since Fudge took the Dementors away, this was the first time Ethan had operated on a Dementor; before, he had always used Boggarts.
Now that he had some results, it was the Dementor's turn.
He tossed aside the tool, whose durability was mostly consumed, and took out another Goblin from the Undetectable Extension Charm box, then used the Avada Kedavra to harvest its life, and its soul as a knife.
Ethan was already quite familiar with this procedure; after completing all of this, the cloak on the nearby shelf floated over the Goblin's corpse, cleaning up the scene.
VoldyBat, Boggart, and Dementor were all similar creatures.
However, in terms of quantity, VoldyBat were much rarer.
Dementors at least had a habitat with hundreds of them, but VoldyBat lived in tropical rainforests, were incredibly rare in number, and were solitary.
Ethan had also sent Slytherin's people to collect them; currently, five were held at the American headquarters, most of which were captured in the Amazon, but this quantity was still far from enough.
A portion of the poacher team was still capturing them inside, and Ethan was personally funding this part.
Of course, this cost was much cheaper than buying them outside.
The reason for this was that even as a boss, you couldn't expect your subordinates to work for free!
Otherwise, who would follow you?
Even with the Ghost Servant Mark, if the subordinates were not convinced, they would only go through the motions, and the problem would still not be solved.
Anyway, he had plundered the former Slytherin Organization leader's decades of savings, and the Slytherin Organization was continuously providing money, and the cooperation with the Worre Family had quarterly income; only little Tom's Knockturn Alleycurrently had no profit, and the protection fees collected could only cover some expenses.
In short, Ethan really wasn't short on money now.
Only the Dementor by his side had been with him for so long that he hadn't been able to lay hands on it.
Otherwise, he would have started experimenting with it long ago.
Ethan held the tool, which was entirely cerulean blue and composed of magic and soul, and continuously sliced across the Dementor's body.
Ethan was already thoroughly familiar with every part of the Dementor's body; in just a moment, most of its tissue had been excised.
These excised tissues, after only thirty to fifty seconds, turned into black smoke and dissipated.
As Ethan's cutting hand became slower and slower, the Dementor's body tissue also became smaller and smaller.
Unfortunately, in the end, it was unknown which step went wrong, and the separation failed!
This caused the remaining part of the Dementor's body to directly turn into black smoke and dissipate.
Having no choice, Ethan pulled out another Dementorand repeated the previous actions.
It wasn't until the fourth Dementor that he succeeded.
Just like with the Boggart before, only two pulsating objects remained, except the Dementor's remnants were larger and slightly grayish-white in color.
Similarly, before long, both the Dementor's brain and heart began to slow their beating rate; to maintain their vitality, Ethan could only sacrifice another Helheim spirit body.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
A knock on the door came, and Ethan immediately put away all the items on the workbench.
He was currently in the Ravenclaw Chamber of Secrets, so the only ones who could be knocking were Cassandraand the others.
Besides conducting experiments today, it was also the day the Magic Blood was successfully brewed.
Since the final step wasn't very troublesome, it only required someone to monitor it and extinguish the flame to cool the Potion at the most opportune moment.
This step could be done by anyone with a basic understanding of Potions.
Ethan had deliberately staggered the brewing time for each bottle of Potion.
This was to facilitate operation, as both adding blood and stirring required time.
So there was a nearly three-hour interval between the first and last bottle.
With such a long time, Ethan naturally couldn't just stand by and wait, so he entrusted this final step to Cassandraand the others.
Ethan then came here to conduct experiments, telling them to call him when they succeeded.
"The Potion is ready?"
Ethan pulled open the door, asking Penelope outside.
"It's done, every bottle!"
If they couldn't even do such a small task, then they would be unworthy of being seventh-year students.
However, despite saying that, the girls were still very nervous just now; for over three hours since they arrived at the Ravenclaw Chamber of Secrets, they had been staring at the brewing cauldron, fearing any mistake.
They knew how difficult and costly it was to brew this Potion.
"Alright, I'll go take a look!"
Saying that, Ethan walked towards the area where the Potion was being brewed.
The alcohol lamps that had been burning for several months here were now extinguished, and the cauldrons had been magically cleaned and placed aside.
On the table were several bottles of Potion as red as blood; Ethan, who had already consumed it once, recognized at a glance that it was a success.
And each Potion bottle had a small label attached.
[Cassandra Vaurie, Dragon/Magic Blood!]
[Penelope Clearwater, Thunderbird/Magic Blood]
[Cho Chang, Cat Leopard/Magic Blood]
[Hermione Granger, Unicorn/Magic Blood]
[Nagini, Basilisk/Magic Blood]
[Luna Lovegood, Cat Leopard/Magic Blood]
These labels and the containers for the Magic BloodPotion were all prepared by them in advance.
And at this moment, everyone except Luna was here.
Luna was currently not suitable for consuming this Potion, for reasons already stated.
"Bring all the Potions; we're going to the Room of Requirement. The commotion later won't be small, and this place can't handle the disturbance!"
Ethan, who had experienced it once, immediately reminded them.
The moment one takes the Magic Blood, it's like a surge of magic when a young Wizard awakens, but this is an enhanced version.
[I'll make up for a chapter tomorrow. I'm going to sleep. My head hurts. I don't know if I have a cold.]
Chapter 181: The Impact of Magic Blood
Ethan arrived at the Room of Requirement with Cassandra and the others.
Looking at the girls in front of him, Ethan asked:
"Who wants to go first?"
Although Ethan was not in any danger when he took the Magic Blood previously.
However, the process was very uncomfortable, and he was in an uncontrolled state.
In this uncontrolled state, Ethan felt it was better for him to stay here and observe. Even if something unexpected happened, he could help.
As for the danger caused by losing control, it was not a problem for Ethan.
Cassandra and Hermione exchanged glances. Just as Cassandra was about to step forward, Penelope spoke first:
"I'll go!"
Ethan nodded; Penelope was indeed more suitable.
Among the girls, besides Nagini, Penelope was the strongest and the oldest.
"You all can wait in the small room nearby, or you can go outside. Just leave me here alone."
Ethan could guarantee his own safety, but he couldn't guarantee the safety of everyone else while observing Penelope.
"Okay, then we'll go out and wait. We won't take up the Room of Requirement's space from Penelope."
Cho Chang quickly made a decision.
Last time, she had heard Ethan explain in detail the process of taking the Magic Blood.
She naturally knew that when Ethan used fire, the Room of Requirement continuously expanded its space to prevent being destroyed by the rampant magic and flames.
This indicated that the Room of Requirement had its limits. It couldn't give you a world of your own just because you asked for it, nor was it indestructible. If its capacity was exceeded, it could be destroyed.
If they were to ask the Room of Requirement for a room now, it would take up a portion of the Room of Requirement's magic and space.
Moreover, the Room of Requirement had an interesting feature: as long as there were people inside.
If the people inside requested that no one from outside enter, then no one outside could open the door of the Room of Requirement by any means.
Until only Ethan and Penelope remained in this vast and empty room.
"If you're ready, you can begin!"
Saying that, Ethan retreated, leaving the entire central area to Penelope.
Penelope nodded, then stared intently at the bottle of blood-red Potion in her hand.
After more than ten seconds, she quickly uncapped the bottle, closed her eyes, and poured the small bottle of Potion directly into her mouth.
Her first sensation was an intense metallic taste, followed by a tingling sensation that spread from her tongue down to her throat and stomach.
It felt as if her entire body had been electrocuted, and it was coming from inside her body. The burning pain and electric shock made Penelope feel excruciating pain at this moment. Even though she had prepared herself to endure the pain, she could barely stand it now.
Moreover, this was completely different from what Ethan had described, but she no longer had time to think or explain. She squatted on the ground in extreme agony.
Ethan, who was in the room, naturally noticed Penelope's abnormality but didn't think much of it.
He had experienced all of this himself. When ingested, the Magic Blood would go through a process of body transformation, and this process was inherently quite painful.
And it was best not to use Potions to remove this pain, otherwise, no one knew what adverse consequences might occur.
So Ethan could only watch from the side at this moment, then pray that everything would be fine.
Soon, Ethan felt a vast amount of magic surging around Penelope. It was invisible, but Ethan could feel it.
This was the magic explosion that occurred after taking the Magic Blood; Ethan had also experienced such a scene.
During this process, Ethan also saw the pain on Penelope's face diminishing, and she stood up.
The pain was now within a tolerable range, and Penelope, now able to move, followed Ethan's advice, drew her wand, and began to practice magic.
Bolts of lightning shot from the tip of Penelope's wand.
The resulting spears and giant hammers constantly ravaged the entire space, and the surrounding ground was scorched black.
At this moment, Penelope felt omnipotent; this was a power she had never experienced before.
Ethan could only cast Protego on himself because, whether Penelope was doing it intentionally or unintentionally, some lightning bolts always struck his side.
The entire process lasted for seven or eight minutes before Penelope finally put away her wand.
Ethan walked over and found that she was covered in sweat, but the excitement on her face could not be concealed at all.
"How do you feel?"
Ethan asked curiously.
"My magic has improved a lot, and my physical quality should have also improved. I feel stronger, and my control and power over both Mjölnir and Gungnir have been enhanced."
"This should be influenced by the Thunderbird's ability to control lightning."
Penelope was quite satisfied with the effect of the Magic Blood; the previous pain was truly not in vain.
Before taking the Magic Blood, the casting of Gungnirwas not very successful, but now casting it was no problem at all, and the casting speed of Mjölnir was also faster and more stable.
And the improvement in magic was even greater, directly doubling.
If she were to fight her former self, Penelope was confident she could take down her former self within three moves.
"Okay, as long as you're satisfied, I'll let them in now. You can tell them about your experience later."
Ethan conjured a sofa, helped Penelope sit down, and then walked towards the door.
Penelope had taken the Magic Blood, and now she could try some more difficult moves during exercise, which was a great thing.
With a hint of a playful smile, Ethan pulled Cassandraand the others, who were waiting outside, into the room.
Then, a few people surrounded Penelope, asking for specific details, as only Ethan had taken it once before, and there was too little reference experience.
It was only after hearing Penelope's account that Ethan realized her experience of taking the Magic Blood was different from his own.
But at the same time, this further guaranteed the safety of the Magic Blood.
"Alright, it's getting late now. Who's next?"
It had already taken over three hours to brew all the Magic Blood in the Ravenclaw Chamber of Secrets. It was already past one in the morning, and they didn't want the sun to rise before they finished.
"I'll go!"
"Mine is also made from Onyxia's blood, so the feeling should be similar to Ethan's back then."
When everyone saw Cassandra step forward, they had no intention of competing with her.
They immediately left the room with Penelope and went outside to wait.
Cassandra didn't hesitate and immediately gulped down the blood-red Potion.
The pain immediately struck, and she couldn't hold the Potion bottle, which fell to the ground and shattered.
Just as Ethan had said, after the metallic taste came the burning sensation.
From her throat all the way to her stomach, it was excruciatingly hot, like drinking a mouthful of lava. Then, from her muscles to her bones, her entire body was itching and aching.
Ethan also watched Cassandra's face turn red at a visible speed; Penelope had not experienced this phenomenon.
Indeed, different Magic Bloods manifested differently after being ingested.
Afterward, just like Penelope, Cassandra also began practicing magic after the magic explosion.
However, Cassandra practiced the Fiendfyre Curse.
This was the best time to practice magic.
Only Ethan, with his system panel, could clearly perceive the learning speed during this process; otherwise, others would find it difficult to notice this simply by feeling.
After the Fiendfyre Curse, Cassandra also practiced Fire God Opens the Way.
As for complex magic, Ethan did not teach Cassandra; she had not yet met the requirements for it.
Whether it was the Fiendfyre Curse, fire escape, or Fire God Opens the Way, they were all extremely dangerous and profound spells. If one's proficiency and understanding were insufficient, rashly changing their nature could lead to accidents.
Ethan had exploded several times back then. If his control over flames wasn't high enough, he probably would have been half-dead, or even directly blown to smithereens.
Conducting magical experiments and research is inherently very dangerous. Luna's mother passed away due to an accident.
Now that Cassandra has taken the Magic Blood, her control over flames will definitely improve. Once she increases her proficiency in these three spells, Ethan can slowly teach her how to combine magic.
After Cassandra, it was Nagini's turn.
Her Magic Blood was from a Basilisk, and Ethan didn't know what physical reactions she would have to a Basilisk.
However, after Nagini drank it, Ethan noticed that there was no discomfort on her face at all, and her entire demeanor was quite normal.
If it weren't for the subsequent magic outburst, Ethan would have thought that this Magic Blood Potion had failed in its brewing and had no effect.
During this period of magic outburst, Nagini practiced mostly conventional magic and Dark Arts, unlike Cassandra and Penelope who had relentlessly practiced two or three specific spells.
Afterward, Nagini described her feelings as a chilling sensation, but it wasn't very uncomfortable.
Ethan speculated that it was related to Nagini's frequent transformation into a snake due to the blood curse, and then spending several decades as a snake. That's why her body wasn't affected by the side effects of this Magic Blood.
Of course, although Nagini didn't feel much discomfort, her magic and physical qualities still improved.
And she immediately transformed into a snake on the spot. In the past, when she transformed into a snake, she only had the ability to be highly venomous, but now her eyes had the ability to instantly petrify.
When she transformed into human form, this ability would be slightly weaker, but according to Nagini, she could unleash more magic and still achieve an instant death effect.
When it was Hermione's turn, she, like Nagini, felt no discomfort.
She even had a hint of enjoyment on her face, and Ethan looked as if he had seen a ghost.
This was a bit outrageous.
Then came the magic explosion. Seizing this opportunity, Hermione mainly practiced Protego, as well as several other protective spells.
Afterward, Hermione said that after drinking the Magic Blood, she felt warm, as if she were taking a bath, with no discomfort whatsoever.
Everyone else came to suffer, and you came to enjoy it, didn't you!
Finally, it was Cho Chang's turn, and she also felt pain.
It wasn't the pain of burning or electrocution, but simply muscle and bone soreness.
The magic explosion was also the smallest.
[Thanks to the great Xing Hai Yichen for the monthly ticket, thank you, great one! Dao].
Chapter 182: Before the Christmas Holiday
Two weeks before the Christmas holiday, heavy snow began to fall in the Scottish Highlands.
After just one night, the entire Hogwarts became a snow-covered land the next day.
During this period, Ravenclaw also finished their Quidditch match against Hufflepuff.
The captain of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team graduated last year, and this year, the new captain is Cedric, an acquaintance of Ethan.
At the same time, in the Quidditch match, he played the position of Seeker.
Unfortunately, during the match, Cedric gained no advantage against Cho Chang, who had taken Magic Blood.
There was no way; Cho Chang's agility, perception, and dynamic vision all surpassed Cedric's.
Early in the match, Hufflepuff quickly took a thirty-point lead.
But Cho Chang caught the Golden Snitch shortly after, directly gaining one hundred and fifty points, turning the tide and ending the match.
The entire match ended in less than half an hour, completely incomparable to the previous Gryffindorversus Slytherin match.
At the same time, this match also lacked much entertainment value. After Cho Chang circled in the sky, it was as if she could predict where the Golden Snitchwould go and immediately blocked it.
After the second Quidditch match ended, Christmas was fast approaching.
The Castle was also filled with a busy Christmas atmosphere.
The young Wizards were discussing where to spend the holidays or what Christmas gifts their families would prepare for them.
Professor Flitwick always decorated his classroom anew, whether it was for Christmas or Halloween.
This time was no exception; he adorned the classroom with colorful lights that were enchanted to transform into real fairies, fluttering their wings in mid-air.
This scene was well-received by many young Wizards.
At the same time, Ethan and others also completed their holiday applications.
Every Christmas, not many people stayed at Hogwarts; those who remained at Hogwarts to celebrate with the Professors were either from dysfunctional families or were orphans.
Additionally, there was another opportunity to visit Hogsmeade in the last week before the holidays.
As before, a guardian's signature was required for permission to go.
In previous years, there weren't so many frequent opportunities to visit Hogsmeade; there was only one per semester, so it was unclear what was different this year.
Naturally, these young Wizards were extremely excited about this.
They weren't like Ethan, Fred, and George, who could run off to Hogsmeade at any time.
This wasn't like sneaking out at night, where you just needed to avoid Filch to move freely within Hogwarts.
Without knowing the secret passage directly to Hogsmeade, it was quite difficult to reach Hogsmeadewithout being discovered by the Professors.
This time, before Christmas, Hogsmeade was opened, making it perfectly fine to buy things and take them directly home.
Whether it was for a pleasant Christmas for themselves or to choose Christmas gifts for friends and family in Hogsmeade, this was an excellent choice.
Ethan, of course, also went to Hogsmeade that day, even braving the heavy snow, as this weather had continued for several days.
The main purpose of this trip was to buy some Christmasgifts; getting these done today meant he wouldn't need to make a special trip to Diagon Alley just for Christmasgifts later.
Hogsmeade had also received the news in advance, and by the time the young Wizards arrived, it had already been decorated, giving it a distinct Christmas feel.
Outside, there were also many part-time staff dressed as Santa Claus to greet visitors.
The senior student Edwina, whom he had met last time, was no longer doing these part-time jobs; she had successfully started a stable job in the Wizarding Worldlast month.
Today, Ethan wasn't in the mood to wander around. He had originally wanted to go to the location Terrymentioned to enjoy a Veela striptease; after all, the one Galleon ticket was very cheap.
He might even find some hidden Veela services there. As for Centaurs and Merpeople, Ethan couldn't handle that, so he skipped it.
However, he always had at least one girl following him, which made it impossible for Ethan to find a suitable opportunity, so he could only abandon this tempting idea.
Next, he went to Honeydukes to buy some sweets and snacks. This was the largest quantity, as Ethan had received over two hundred Christmas gifts last year, meaning he would have to send out that many this year.
Sweets accounted for a significant portion here. Ethan practically bought out all the best-selling items on the counter, making the proprietress smile as she brought out more stock from the warehouse.
He bought some small Alchemy trinkets at Dervish and Banges, mainly because Ethan didn't want to make common Alchemy products himself; it was better to buy ready-made ones.
He then went to Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop, which sold all kinds of quills, from those made of ordinary animal feathers to those made of magical Animals feathers, and even some quills specifically for collection.
Ethan also selected some here; the prices weren't expensive, and these were more suitable gifts for Ravenclaw young Wizards than sweets.
Finally, before leaving, he picked out a few new items and ten Dungbombs from Zonko's Joke Shop. The Twin just loved those; what could he do?
Only today, Ethan saw George there, while Fred was still nowhere to be seen, clearly off on another date.
As for the rocket he intended to give Cho Chang, Ethan had already asked Tom to order one from Quidditch Supplies in Diagon Alley, with guaranteed delivery before Christmas.
It was estimated that once Cho Chang received the rocket, the Quidditch games for the other Houses might as well be called off, and everyone could just watch Cho Chang perform alone.
Upon returning to Hogwarts in the evening, a rumor circulated throughout the school.
Fudge and Professor McGonagall had appeared at The Three Broomsticks and discussed Sirius Black with Madam Rosmerta, the proprietress.
They also spoke about the relationship between Sirius Black and Harry's parents, and how Sirius had betrayed the Potters.
Now, many people were discussing this.
When the rumor reached Professor McGonagall, although she came out to deny it, saying it was untrue.
But everyone clearly didn't believe her, as Professor McGonagall and Fudge had not hidden their presence when they appeared at The Three Broomsticks, and many people had witnessed it.
The Three Broomsticks was already popular with many young Wizards, who gathered there specifically to see Madam Rosmerta.
Even though the arrival of the Minister for Magic that day meant The Three Broomsticks did not admit underage young Wizards, there were still many people gathered outside.
Some sixth-year and seventh-year students were already adults and could openly sit inside...
Who could blame this charming widow for being so attractive to these teenage boys bursting with hormones? Some even made The Three Broomsticks a mandatory stop every time they visited Hogsmeade.
During this process, some people were naturally curious about why the Minister for Magic was there and why he entered a private room with Professor McGonagall, and Madam Rosmerta, too.
Many people were very gossipy about this and had many guesses, mainly divided into two factions.
One faction believed that Professor McGonagall was on a blind date with Fudge at The Three Broomsticks. Although Professor McGonagall was a bit older, she wasn't married yet!
And while Fudge was fat and ugly, he was still the Minister for Magic, so his status was quite high.
It wasn't impossible for two such people to go on a blind date, and this theory gained a lot of support.
The second faction believed that Fudge wanted to bring Dementors back to Hogwarts, and his visit was to gain Professor McGonagall's support.
Many people also agreed with this view. When Fudgecame that day, it was clear to anyone with eyes that he hadn't given up. His actions that night were merely a compromise, and it was entirely possible he would make a comeback now.
The two sides argued endlessly, neither able to convince the other, each having their own reasons.
This led many people to consider eavesdropping, all wanting to prove their point was correct.
However, they heard a piece of news that was completely different from what both sides had guessed, but it was explosive enough.
And these rumors were spread by those who had eavesdropped, so the possibility of them being lies was low.
Seeing that the young Wizards below simply didn't believe her, Professor McGonagall had no choice.
She had originally denied this statement because she didn't want Harry to know about it.
Otherwise, the hatred for his parents' murder could very well cause Harry to lose his composure and seek revenge on Sirius Black.
Dumbledore's plan had not been shared with Professor McGonagall. Although Professor McGonagall was heartbroken by her former student's wrongdoing, she did not believe he was being framed, nor did she believe that Sirius Black, who had betrayed James and Lily, would spare Harry.
And now, Sirius Black had escaped from prison, and his target was Harry. All signs indicated that Sirius Blackwas nearby and could even enter and exit Hogwarts Castle.
If Harry didn't hide from Sirius Black, but actively sought him out, there was a chance they could meet.
Given Harry's current skill level, he was far inferior to Sirius Black during his school days. If they truly met, Harry would likely be in great danger.
This greatly worried Professor McGonagall.
Professor McGonagall even applied to Dumbledore to prevent Harry from going to Hogsmeade and from returning home for the Christmas holidays, as Hogwartswas the safest place.
Outside, if Harry encountered Sirius Black, he would have virtually no chance of escaping.
And Sirius Black could search for Harry without restraint, unlike at Hogwarts where he had to be cautious.
However, Dumbledore rejected all these requests.
Professor McGonagall was somewhat dissatisfied with Dumbledore's decision but could do nothing about it.
After dinner in the Great Hall and listening to the gossip, Ethan returned to Ravenclaw Tower; he still had to accompany Cassandra and the others to practice the Patronus Charm later.
[Thank you, great lord Tian Luo Haohan, for the monthly ticket! Thank you, great lord!]
Chapter 183: Christmas Holiday
"Expecto Patronum!" x 4
Several voices rang out almost simultaneously, but aside from a wisp of white mist drifting from Hermione's wandtip, nothing happened for the others.
Upon seeing this, Ethan could only banish the Dementorto the side. With the oppressive atmosphere brought by the Dementor gone, Cassandra and the others breathed a sigh of relief.
Looking at the few people whose eyes clearly showed fear, Ethan handed each of them a piece of chocolate.
It was bought at Honeydukes earlier in the day.
Eating sweet foods like chocolate can release serotonin in the brain, which has a positive effect on one's mood, helping to drive away feelings of depression and making one feel more upbeat.
In the original story, after Harry fainted from being scared by a Dementor, he was calmed down by eating chocolate instead of drinking a Euphoria Potion. So, for these mild cases, there was even less pressure.
Anyway, as long as there was chocolate, it saved the trouble of preparing a Potion. Why not?
"How do you feel?"
Ethan asked this after the few had calmed down.
"When facing the Dementor, the whole world became silent, and I felt very desperate and sad. I couldn't help but recall past memories."
Cho Chang said after carefully recalling her recent feelings.
She hadn't expected facing a Dementor directly to feel like this.
No wonder Cassandra said this method was sinister, with a high failure rate, either dying or going mad. So that's what it was!
Then, when Ethan learned the Patronus Charm, what kind of pressure did he face when confronted with dozens of Dementors?
Just imagining himself in that situation made Cho Changfeel a chill down her spine.
"Now, you all rest well for a bit, and we'll start the next round later. Now it's Penelope's turn to try."
Cassandra and the four of them had never learned the Patronus Charm before, which was why he had them try together.
If Penelope were added, it wouldn't make much sense.
Penelope was already quite proficient in the first stage; for her, a single Dementor was no pressure at all.
However, Hermione's ability to successfully cast it on her very first try, even if it was just a wisp, surprised Ethan a little.
He wondered if this was a hidden effect of her having consumed the Unicorn version of the Magic Blood Potion.
After all, everyone else who took the Magic Blood Potionhad various changes.
Even Cho Chang's Cat-Kneazle Magic Blood Potion was like that.
But Hermione, aside from an increase in magical power and physical fitness, had no other special characteristics.
Now it seemed there was an amplification in positive, uplifting, and optimistic magic.
In the original story, Hermione had said this spell was quite difficult. If Hermione had made progress from the start, she certainly wouldn't have said that.
And the reason for this change could only be the Magic Blood Potion she had taken some time ago.
Oh, and Luna also didn't get to learn Expecto Patronumthis time.
It was only after taking the Magic Blood Potion that one was in the most suitable state for learning.
"Penelope, how many Dementors do you want to try?"
The more Dementors, the greater the pressure. If they gathered in a group, even a Professor would find them tricky.
Penelope had already faced a Dementor on the Hogwarts Express, so just one now probably wouldn't have much effect.
"Two, I think!"
"If that's not enough, we'll add more!"
Penelope had initially wanted to say five, but after seeing Cassandra and the others' reactions, she decided to reduce the number.
After all, without Ethan's talent, one shouldn't try to emulate him.
"Alright, let's start with two then!"
The initial forty-plus Dementors were still with Ethan, and he still had over thirty from later captures. For practice, that was more than enough.
After such a long rest, even without absorbing emotions like happiness, they had all recovered by now.
Under Ethan's control, two Dementors approached Penelope. As the distance grew shorter, Penelope's brow furrowed, and her face became quite grim.
"Expecto Patronum!"
A large cloud of silvery-white mist drifted from the tip of Penelope's wand, directly hitting the two Dementors.
Under Ethan's control, the two Dementors retreated sharply, narrowly escaping harm, otherwise they would have been injured again.
Once injured, it would take a considerable amount of time to recover.
"Add one more, I still don't feel enough pressure!"
Penelope knew that success only came at the most desperate moment.
"You rest for a bit, have some chocolate, and then we'll try again."
Ethan shook his head and refused. They weren't like him, with his super high magic resistance and recovery speed. Pressuring them too much wasn't appropriate.
"Understood!"
Penelope didn't refuse and sat directly with Cassandraand the others, picking up a piece of chocolate from the table and eating it.
… …
Today was the day Hogwarts was on holiday, and for several nights before, Ethan had been accompanying Cassandra and the others in practicing the Patronus Charm.
It wasn't until last night that Penelope completed the second stage of the Patronus Charm.
This was accomplished under the pressure of seven Dementors, and its form was that of a giant eagle with three pairs of wings.
Undoubtedly, this was the image of a Thunderbird.
Moreover, upon its appearance, it severely injured the seven Dementors Ethan had used for Penelope's practice, allowing them to retire early for recovery.
This also proved that after taking Magic Blood and gaining the bloodline of Animals, the form of the Patronus Charm would change, and Ethan's situation was not an isolated case.
This made Cassandra and the others work even harder.
Under the heavy pressure of the Dementors, they all made some progress, for example, Cassandra could even release a wisp of silver-white mist.
If it weren't for the high-pressure environment of the Dementors, people like Ethan and Cassandra would never have learned even a bit in their entire lives.
Hermione's progress was much better than Cassandra's; although she hadn't reached the second stage, she was close.
She was now also being trained separately by Ethan, not with Cassandra and the others.
"Subsequent training for the Patronus Charm will wait until after the holiday; for now, let's just enjoy Christmas."
"Hmm, I also don't want to touch this thing during the holiday."
Inside the Hogwarts Express carriage, Cho Changnodded, agreeing with Ethan's view.
Dementors look very unlucky; encountering them during a holiday might mean bad luck for the whole year.
Cassandra and the others also had no objections to this.
During this period, practicing the Patronus Charm with Dementors all day led to poor rest; they felt dazed every day and were often startled awake in the middle of the night.
Now, a break would be good too.
"By the way, Ethan, didn't you say you could give us a Portkey to your house?"
"Is it ready now?"
Hermione suddenly thought of something and asked urgently.
According to her family's rules, it would be quite difficult to spend this Christmas at Ethan's place.
She either had to spend it at home or apply to stay at Hogwarts, but if she went home and then wanted to go out, her father would definitely not agree.
The best way to meet Ethan would be to use a Portkey, but she would still need Ethan to send her back.
There was no other way; she was too young to learn Apparition, and Ethan didn't teach that magic either.
"Here are the Portkeys; they were ready over a month ago, so if you want to come over now, you can do so anytime."
Ethan directly took out five strings of bracelets, with the largest polished red agate in the middle being the Portkey.
These were not made by Ethan; instead, Ethan had given the method for making Portkeys to Hatch and had him make them at home.
House-elves inherently have strong spellcasting abilities and can learn many Wizard methods, so Ethan entrusted him with the Portkey making method.
Anyway, for such a long time, Ethan had been studying at Hogwarts, and at home, Hatch had nothing to do except clean.
This time could be fully utilized, and making Portkeys was indeed very time-consuming.
A few days after Halloween, Hatch completed all of them and sent them over.
So, after having House-elves, one must make good use of them.
"Then we'll take them."
Saying that, Hermione directly took one string and put it on her wrist.
Penelope, Cho Chang, and Luna did the same.
The last string was placed on Nagini's hand by Ethan; even though she always followed him, she should have what others had.
As for Cassandra, the first Portkey Ethan made was taken by Cassandra's mother and then given to Cassandra.
Then the few of them started chatting, mainly about how to spend the Christmas holiday and all the interesting things that had happened to themselves and their families during past Christmases.
Time also passed quite quickly.
As dusk fell, the train arrived at King's Cross Station.
After everyone got off the train, Ethan said goodbye to Hermione, Luna, and Cho Chang, then activated the Portkey with Cassandra and the others, returning directly to their home in Gordric's Hollow.
Hermione and the others were all picked up by their families; Ethan had seen them several times before, so there was no need to try and get acquainted again now.
Upon returning home, Hatch was already waiting there, and dinner was already prepared.