Outside Hogwarts
"Clang!" The tall, robust Hagrid brought his massive axe down on the egg-like pitch-black barrier that completely encased all of Hogwarts.
Like chopping into resilient rubber, the sharp blade slid off without leaving even the faintest trace or scratch.
"Blimey!" Hagrid panted heavily, clutching his axe handle with white knuckles as he stared anxiously at the impenetrable barrier before him.
"Can't you see you're wasting your effort? Could you stay still for even one second?" A drawling, aristocratic voice drifted from behind him.
Hagrid turned to face Lucius Malfoy's insufferably smug visage. Also present were Minister Fudge, several stern-faced Aurors, a Daily Prophet reporter named MacArthur who was frantically scribbling notes, and Lucius's house-elf Dobby cowering behind his master.
They had originally come to arrest Hagrid because he was the "culprit" identified when the Chamber had been opened fifty years ago. Despite having absolutely no evidence connecting Hagrid to the current attacks, the Ministry of Magic had worked with their characteristic swift efficiency.
But clearly, Minister Fudge now thoroughly regretted this entire operation.
They had all witnessed a massive shadow coil around and around Hogwarts like some monstrous vine. Then, from top to bottom, the entire ancient castle had been completely swallowed by this pitch-black barrier that defied all explanation.
Could this be a coordinated Death Eater attack? Everyone present harboured the same terrifying thought, but no one dared voice it aloud.
After all, peaceful times had finally arrived, hadn't they?
"Headmaster Dumbledore is in there..." Fudge stammered, wringing his hands nervously. "How could anything terrible happen? Nothing will go wrong!"
"Right! Perhaps this is all within Headmaster Dumbledore's master plan! He's doing this to draw out the serpent and catch all the conspirators in one fell swoop!"
"Hmph." Lucius released a noncommittal snort through his aristocratic nose.
He gazed at this eerie barrier with calculating eyes, a very specific name surfacing in his mind like a dark star rising. [Mr Lamp]. Or rather, Ethan Vincent.
That boy disguised as an innocent new student is actually the leader of some mysterious evil organisation, possessing both Satan's and Merlin's bloodlines, according to Lucius's private theories. The Chosen of Terror!
Lucius's pale eyes flashed with dark anticipation as he gripped his snake-headed cane more tightly. He felt absolutely certain that this Chamber opener, the true mastermind orchestrating everything from the shadows, was none other than Ethan Vincent!
"Declaring war on Dumbledore himself? How remarkably bold, or perhaps somewhat recklessly premature..." Lucius muttered almost inaudibly to himself.
"Though I despise admitting it, that ancient codger does possess considerable skill. Suppressing this attack should be well within his considerable abilities."
"Right now, he's probably engaged in a fierce battle with young Ethan. Fascinating to consider which will prove victorious..."
"Though I must question Ethan's strategic wisdom in revealing his hand so early in the game..."
Also, hadn't the very ground been trembling periodically since they'd arrived? Lucius frowned slightly with growing concern.
He failed to notice the absolutely terrified expression on house-elf Dobby's large, bulging eyes beside him.
"Look at the barrier!" The reporter suddenly shouted with professional excitement, his camera flashing rapidly as he captured every moment.
Starting from the very top, like elaborate stage curtains being slowly drawn back, the pitch-black barrier began disappearing in smooth waves.
Everyone present felt their breath catch! Hagrid, Minister Fudge, Lucius, and all the Aurors held perfectly still, nervously watching as their beloved school was gradually revealed once again.
From the outside perspective, everything appeared completely normal. No visible damage, no smoking ruins.
"Whew." Fudge released a massive sigh of relief, smiling broadly at the assembled group with renewed confidence:
"I told you all! How could the great Albus Dumbledore possibly allow evil forces to succeed on his watch!"
Lucius said nothing in response, merely shaking his head with private knowledge.
"Hooray!" Hagrid cheered even more enthusiastically, joyfully waving his enormous axe through the air and nearly decapitating Minister Fudge in his exuberance.
Only house-elf Dobby possessed the supernatural sensitivity to detect what was truly approaching. Those enormous round eyes widened even further with primal terror.
It's coming. The real show is about to begin.
The next second, brilliant golden light blazed forth like a newborn sun!
"Whoosh!" A magnificent field of golden, fully bloomed sunflowers erupted from beneath their feet like bamboo shoots after spring rain!
The flowers clustered directly before Hogwarts' ancient gates, swaying gently in the evening breeze and radiating absolutely dazzling golden light against the pitch-black night sky!
"What in Merlin's name is this?!" Minister Fudge cried out in genuine terror, not daring to move a single muscle for fear of triggering some unknown magical response.
These sunflowers appeared perfectly sunny and wholesome at first glance. Yet somehow, swaying in this deathly evening breeze, they seemed impossibly eerie and unnatural.
Those dark flower centres resembled demonic eyes, constantly swaying as they seemed to watch the terrified humans with malevolent intelligence.
"This... this is also part of Dumbledore's master plan... isn't it?" Fudge's voice had risen to an almost hysterical pitch.
Before anyone could formulate a response, a voice rumbling like distant thunder rang out from deep within the ancient castle!
"I am [Mr Lamp]." The words carried across the grounds with supernatural clarity.
"I hereby express my sincere respect to Saviour Harry Potter and his affiliated Morning Star Club organisation."
"You have successfully convinced me to change my original plan to completely destroy Hogwarts."
"The Morning Star Club has proven itself truly formidable and not to be underestimated."
"Next time we meet, I promise I won't be quite so gentle with my methods."
"Well then, I bid you all a most pleasant evening."
As the mysterious words faded into silence, those golden sunflowers began burning spontaneously under the thick night sky. Like participants in some ancient ritual, some ceremony lost to time.
Orange-red flames swept gracefully over the delicate petals, burning the blooming flowers until they turned black and curled. But strangely, no smoke rose from the magical fire, and no person present was harmed by the mystical flames.
They simply burnt in perfect silence under this star-filled night, beautiful and terrible.
Everyone stood frozen in absolute shock, unable to believe what they had just witnessed and heard.
It was [Mr Lamp]. Not Headmaster Dumbledore emerging victorious?
But why was this mysterious [Mr Lamp] addressing them directly? And what exactly was this Morning Star Club that apparently played such a crucial role in tonight's events?
"Impossible, absolutely impossible..." Minister Fudge began trembling uncontrollably, bone-deep terror appearing on his increasingly pale face.
"The greatest white wizard of this entire century, the legendary Headmaster Dumbledore, actually... How could this possibly be real?!"
Somehow, a specific name leaped unbidden into Minister Fudge's panicked mind: Ethan Vincent.
That supernatural young painter who had repeatedly made newspaper headlines for his extraordinary artistic talents. But he was supposedly [Mr Lamp]? No, no, that was ridiculous! He's merely a second-year student!
Minister Fudge's mind descended into complete chaos as he instinctively looked toward Lucius for some kind of guidance or explanation.
Only to discover the Malfoy patriarch already frozen solid with shock! As if struck by some tremendously violent magical impact.
Lucius, usually arrogant and condescending beyond all measure, now stared wide-eyed with his mouth hanging open, completely petrified in place.
This undignified appearance looked rather comical on such a normally composed man.
A full two or three seconds passed in stunned silence before Lucius suddenly gasped audibly! Looking toward Hogwarts with profound awe and wariness filling his pale eyes.
Wait, was that actually awe? Fudge blinked in confusion, studying the man's expression more carefully.
Lucius's aristocratic face showed no readable expression, yet somehow managed to look distinctly smug. Like someone who had just learnt they'd won a hundred million Galleons in some impossible lottery.
At this precise moment, Lucius was thinking with growing excitement: I was far too foolish and short-sighted. How dare I question [Mr Lamp], the omniscient Ethan Vincent's brilliant strategic plans!
Perhaps there's some kind of inside arrangement? Some agreement with Dumbledore himself? Even better! Even more powerful backing for our cause!
We're righteous allies fighting for the same goals!
I simply don't understand why Ethan chose to make such a dramatically public display. All this pursuing art business must be nothing more than an elaborate cover! Behind it lies some far grander plan that my limited mind cannot yet comprehend.
Lucius felt absolutely certain of this conclusion. He couldn't help murmuring in genuine admiration:
"Indeed, mortals like myself are far too stupid, too pathetically short-sighted, to understand Lord Ethan's incredible foresight and wisdom..."
If Minister Fudge hadn't been present as a witness, Lucius would have rushed directly into Hogwarts to kneel and embrace Ethan's feet in supplication.
"I've heard that Ethan doesn't have an heir yet. I wonder if I might have the tremendous honour of becoming his adopted son..."
Dobby stared at his master in horror: "???" Even more terrified than before.
Only reporter MacArthur felt so professionally excited that he could practically fly with joy at this incredible scoop.
Just then, Hagrid suddenly burst out like a whirlwind, charging directly into Hogwarts grounds. Moments later, he released a heartbroken roar that echoed across the night:
"NO!"
Everyone else was startled by his anguished cry. Minister Fudge and Lucius exchanged worried glances before gritting their teeth and entering through the gates under careful Auror protection.
The first sight that greeted them was the extensively cracked flooring! As if someone had systematically bombed the ancient foundations with military precision.
Finger-thick fractures ran across every corridor like spiderwebs. One could barely imagine the catastrophic state of the underground classrooms and chambers.
Then they encountered the students lying motionless everywhere throughout the castle. As if they had desperately attempted to escape through the main gates but been swallowed by overwhelming darkness at the very last moment.
The student closest to the entrance had even managed to stretch out their hand toward freedom before succumbing.
This overwhelming atmosphere of despair instantly constricted everyone's ability to breathe normally.
The scene was somehow worse than any Death Eater attack in living memory.
Fortunately, careful investigation revealed that everyone had merely fainted from magical exhaustion. Moreover, some invisible protective force seemed to have shielded them from physical injury.
Not dead! Minister Fudge nearly wept with overwhelming joy and relief. They had been just one Killing Curse away from his political resignation!
In the deathly silence that followed, only their echoing footsteps could be heard throughout the empty corridors. Like entering some version of the underworld itself.
Those unconscious bodies scattered everywhere were genuinely shocking to witness firsthand. They even discovered the famous wizard Gilderoy Lockhart lying unconscious in a corridor.
Currently, he resembled a boneless sea creature, lying limply against the stone floor with a strangely peaceful smile gracing his handsome features.
"Did you all witness this humiliation?" Minister Fudge demanded with rising hysteria. "This villain is stepping directly on our faces! Why aren't you immediately organising to arrest him!"
The Aurors exchanged uncomfortable glances. None of them met his eyes directly.
"Never heard of this [Mr Lamp] before tonight, Minister," one Auror said carefully.
"He's been planning this, sir. Waiting for the right moment," another added grimly.
"Sir, we'd need special authorisation for that level of threat," a third said formally.
"With respect, Minister," the senior Auror spoke slowly, "after what he apparently did to... to Dumbledore... we'd need significant backup. And intelligence."
"Are you telling me our entire Auror force is too cowardly to apprehend one criminal?" Fudge's voice cracked.
An uncomfortable silence fell over the group. The Aurors shifted nervously, but no one volunteered to charge into Hogwarts after someone who had just bested the most powerful wizard alive.
Lucius couldn't suppress a satisfied smirk at these observations. The Malfoy family's future is completely secure. I wonder if ten thousand Galleons might purchase the position of Ethan's adopted son?
Just then, a familiar figure flashed into view. The panting saviour himself, Harry Potter! A magnificent crimson phoenix still soared protectively overhead.
Seeing Hagrid and the other adults, Harry's emerald eyes lit up with relief as he spoke urgently:
"I encountered [Mr Lamp] directly! He completely destroyed all of Hogwarts' underground sections!"
Fudge felt his heart stop: "What?! You actually saw [Mr Lamp] in person? Quickly, tell me everything! What kind of person is he exactly?"
Harry pondered the question seriously for a long moment, allowing all the recent terrifying memories to flood back through his mind.
Then he spoke with an absolute certainty that chilled everyone present:
"He's not human."