Hagrid's friends in the Forbidden Forest?
"Hmm," Ethan thought, "I did see him walk away with a pile of books about spiders."
"Spiders?" Ron frowned, immediately leaning back with a disgusted expression. "I hate spiders the most! I hope Hagrid is just looking for ways to get rid of these bugs, not secretly raising spiders in the Forbidden Forest!"
Just then, Hermione stared at the windowsill and called out quietly, "Look!" Several people turned to look. They saw a line of tiny spiders crawling across the windowsill, escaping through the cracks like they were fleeing.
"I've never seen spiders behave like this..." Hermione murmured in amazement.
Ron looked like he was about to ascend to heaven. Seeing his good friend like this, Harry couldn't help laughing: "Didn't expect you to be so afraid of spiders, Ron."
Ron protested: "If your toy bear suddenly turned into an eight-legged spider when you were little, you'd have psychological trauma too!"
"That's easy to fix." Ethan said cheerfully. "This Christmas, I'll give you a doll that crawls around the floor at midnight, and you'll think spiders are quite cute."
Ron: "..." I want to eliminate fear, not eliminate myself.
But Ethan frowned thoughtfully. Spiders... Something seemed about to surface in his mind. But it didn't quite emerge.
The young wizards soon switched to homework topics. Since Hagrid himself could be classified as a legendary creature, his love-hate entanglements with "friends" weren't for these pure-bred humans to gossip about.
Ethan also temporarily put this thought aside. Helping the "Please! Just two more inches!" Ron revises his History essay. Looking with satisfaction at the long paragraph he'd added about [Mediaeval Plague and Its Manifestations].
"I even drew simple diagrams on the side." Ethan patted the speechless Ron: "Trust me, you'll definitely get an 'O (Outstanding)'."
Looking at Ron's horrified, bitter face, Hermione laughed loudly. Guess why Ethan seems so agreeable, but no one asks him to help with their homework? Clever Hermione had seen through everything long ago.
Luna had already finished her homework and was sprinkling little stars on the paper. "Stars imitate night, so the words will all fall asleep and won't move around." Luna said seriously.
"Words don't move to begin with." Hermione raised her eyebrows high.
Luna didn't respond, as if Hermione had a big pumpkin for a head. "Legend tells of the half-human, half-spider maiden Arachne... so beautiful. I wonder what controlling eight legs feels like."
Luna said while leaning toward Ethan. Shoulder touching shoulder, looking at the insect book together with Ethan. Across from them, Hermione's eyebrows rose even higher.
8:30 PM, Round Table Council...
Two-way mirror: "So you're saying... Ethan crushed the Slytherin societies, won the whole school's respect in one stroke, and a real terror incident actually occurred at Hogwarts?"
Just going away as an exchange student for a while, and the world became this exciting?? Really might have no school to return to!
A member said through gritted teeth: "Yes, Mr. Arthur! You didn't see that Ethan fellow's passionate speech... just a few words, and he stirred up the whole school's emotions! It was like Ethan suddenly became Hogwarts' saviour!"
Though the generous hundred Galleons also played a big role.
Hearing this, the man behind the two-way mirror couldn't help frowning. How could it be such a coincidence? Ethan just established his club, and immediately there's a terror attack. Ethan immediately becomes like a stabilising force, calming everyone and becoming the students' backbone! As if fate itself was paving the way for Ethan.
The members began complaining in chorus. Until a low voice came from the mirror: "Enough, all of you shut up! A bunch of idiots! You only see that Ethan used this crisis... why don't you think that we could use it too? If we catch the attacker before the Morning Star Club does, wouldn't that naturally make us famous?"
The members were stunned, all nodding in agreement. "Actually, we have a suspect. And that is... Harry Potter!"
The members said carefully, excitement flashing in their eyes. "Harry is a member personally chosen by Ethan. If we could find evidence that Harry opened the Chamber, that would be a devastating blow to Ethan as president. A club member being the terror attack perpetrator? He'd have to tuck his tail between his legs and resign in disgrace!"
This viewpoint gained most people's agreement. A small portion, like Penelope, remained silent throughout. Members gathered for profit. Now that their interests were threatened, they would naturally grasp at any possibility to fight back frantically.
Penelope knew she couldn't stop this. All she could do was not participate in this action. And find a chance to warn Ethan.
Sigh. Ethan had already suffered terrible attacks, and now he was being dragged into the Chamber incident... what a poor child! Penelope felt her heart aching.
On the other side... The plan had been decided.
Two-way mirror: "Then send someone to get close to them and closely monitor their actions! Find evidence that could strike at Ethan's club. Miss Cho Chang, are you willing to take on this glorious mission?"
Hearing this, Cho Chang shuddered violently, her small face turning deathly pale. Then she lowered her head, a red flush creeping up her neck.
Closely monitor Ethan and their actions... how closely?
From the two-way mirror came the man's confident voice: "Our historically established Round Table Council will never be defeated by some suddenly appeared little club. That Ethan Vincent is ultimately just a child... playing around, unable to accomplish anything significant. We have wisdom, we have talent. We will silently eliminate opponents. We absolutely will not repeat Slytherin's mistakes!"
Two weeks passed in a flash. In the Chamber...
Ethan looked up at the second snake body painting. This one was [Snake Tail]. Connected with the snake body, like clouds parting to glimpse a corner of the black mountain range. However, this "mountain range" not only moved but was covered in scales. Emanating a sinister, evil aura.
To extract blood, Tom Riddle's diary had been nearly shredded by Ethan. The handwriting was no longer elegant but thread-like, giving the impression of excessive bleeding and weakness.
"About time to plan the second attack... ahem, no. The second big surprise." Ethan murmured, brilliant light flashing in his eyes. "Wonder who will be fortunate enough to bask in the supreme radiance..."
Ethan took a deep breath of the cold, mouldy air in the Chamber, closing his eyes in enjoyment. The feeling of solitude is so nice.
Recently, for some reason. Third-year Cho Chang had been hovering around him. Whether eating, going to classrooms, or during extracurricular activities. Always staring at him unblinkingly with those dark eyes from nearby. Sometimes her face would be covered with a strange blush. Making Ethan feel chills down his spine for the first time.
Definitely the Round Table Council's conspiracy! Ethan thought so. When he shared this conclusion with Michael, the latter shouted things like "Damn it," "Are you really not showing off?!" and "I'm going to kill you" while angrily pouncing on him. Then was easily beaten into submission by Ethan.
Today was Sunday. It was still early after finishing painting. Ethan quietly left the Chamber through a portal, preparing to go to the Great Hall to fill his hungry stomach. But before he'd walked far, that clammy gaze stuck to him again.
Ethan: "..." Cho Chang, how did you become like this?
Ethan pulled out his [Door in the Pupil] card, about to retaliate.
"Ethan! So you're here; we've been looking for you forever!" Turning around, he saw Harry's trio waving as they ran toward him.
Suddenly, Harry stopped abruptly, pointing at Ethan with uncertainty: "You... you just had what looked like an eyeball growing from the back of your head..."
Ethan: "Haha, you saw correctly."
Harry: "..." Harry wisely decided not to investigate further.
"We got a letter from Hagrid asking if we could visit him after dinner tonight! Don't know what it's about... but it seems urgent. So we came to ask if you'd like to come with us, Ethan."