An official leaned toward Minister Scrimgeour and chuckled, "No wonder students these days are getting bolder. They even dare to present a half-finished potion."
Minister Scrimgeour didn't respond, but his attitude showed clear agreement. He looked down at the handsome young man with black hair and cobalt-blue eyes.
He thought: Indeed, he's still too young. He thinks drawing attention will win him support. Little does he know, it's just a publicity stunt.
"Hmph, nothing to fear," Scrimgeour muttered, raising the corner of his mouth proudly.
On the other side, Professor Snape eyed the still-bubbling cauldron and chuckled. "Just as I expected, Ethan failed. What a pity. If he had come to me for help earlier, he might have achieved a better result—instead of this half-baked effort."
But no matter what, without the moonpetal flower, curing a werewolf is absolutely impossible. "It's a complete and utter farce!" Professor Snape snorted, making that assessment.
Under countless gazes and heated discussions, except for Ethan and Luna, who were leading the way, the other members of the Enlightenment Society who had come with them were almost suffocating under the pressure.
Even the Weasley twins, who were always mischievous and defied authority, couldn't help but tighten their expressions. They exchanged a glance and whispered, "If it fails later—"
"We'll blast them all to the sky with bombs."
"It won't be in vain, not in vain at all."
Hearing their conversation, Neville looked like he was about to faint. If Ethan hadn't asked him, with a smile, if he wanted to play 'Water Monster Rock-a-bye' again, Neville would have already shrunk into the ground.
And Hermione, with dark circles under her eyes, looked utterly mad, rapidly chanting about "reactions with werewolf blood" and "the final spell to be cast."
The mental state of this team was truly worrying.
An Auror said, "If they hadn't come from Hogwarts, I would have thought I was in Azkaban… This vibe is very familiar!"
On the other side, Ethan walked to the center of the venue. He waved his wand, and immediately, a thick wooden table appeared out of thin air on the ground. The cauldron floated over gracefully and settled on the wooden table, not a single drop of the potion inside spilling out.
"Exquisite Transfiguration, Professor McGonagall," someone congratulated her.
She proudly curved her lips slightly.
Ethan spread his arms, and his clear voice filled the entire venue: "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Hogwarts, to jointly witness a miracle of a new era!"
Infected by his words, everyone's hearts couldn't help but stir slightly.
Ethan continued: "First, if anyone wishes to leave, you may do so now."
Professor McGonagall chuckled.
Reporters and officials exchanged puzzled glances. They didn't understand what he meant.
Only the Hogwarts students, upon hearing this, showed an understanding expression. They were all too familiar with this "disclaimer."
Since they were already here, no one moved.
Ethan raised the corner of his mouth and smiled. "Very good. Then, next, please welcome my experimental subject—ahem, the assistant for this potion!"
With that, Ethan clapped his hands twice with an air of importance.
A pitch-black door opened beside him.
The figure that emerged from it made all the students' eyes widen in shock—it was their best Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Professor Lupin!
The venue immediately erupted.
"What's going on?! Why is Professor Lupin there?!"
"Doesn't this mean—Professor Lupin is a werewolf? How is this possible?!"
"Ethan turned Professor Lupin into a werewolf?!"
Amidst the uproar, Professor Snape raised his eyebrows high.
To actually willingly expose his identity and go along with Ethan's nonsense—he's truly been corrupted.
Professor Snape scoffed. He only outwardly submitted to Ethan; deep down, he would absolutely never truly submit!
In the clearing, facing a multitude of familiar shocked, fearful, and disgusted gazes, Professor Lupin smiled helplessly.
The next second, moonlight shone on him, causing his features to immediately twist in pain!
"Guh! Mmm… Roar Ahhhh—!!!"
In an instant, Professor Lupin painfully arched his back, letting out a beast's roar from his mouth! Bones deformed, fangs and sharp claws extended. Gray-black fur sprouted from his skin.
In just a few seconds, standing before everyone was an incredibly terrifying werewolf!
As if a pause button had been pressed, the venue instantly fell silent.
And then, deafening screams erupted!
"It's a werewolf! It's really a werewolf!!"
"No, I don't want to see it! I don't want to be scratched by a werewolf!"
They scattered in terror.
But at that moment, a blood-red barrier suddenly rose from the ground! Forming a semi-circular dome, it trapped them firmly inside!
"What, what's going on?!"
Everyone turned their heads in shock to look. They saw that in the center of the venue, the tip of Ethan's wand was glowing with the same magical light as the barrier.
Ethan raised the corner of his mouth, revealing a pure and harmless smile: "To prevent other factors from interfering, I raised a barrier. I hope you don't mind? After all, no one left just now~"
Everyone: You didn't say you were going to release a real werewolf just now!!!
An Auror protected the new Minister for Magic—don't let him die right after taking office. He murmured in astonishment, "Is this what 'nothing to fear' means…? This is too human-like?!"
Minister Scrimgeour: How was he supposed to know that Ethan would be so audacious as to cause trouble in front of all the wizarding world's dignitaries!
Suddenly, Minister Scrimgeour understood a little. Why the former Minister, Fudge, had such a broken expression when Ethan was mentioned... and the schadenfreude on his face when he learned of Scrimgeour's election.
It turned out there was a landmine buried here.
Fortunately, Ethan wasn't trying to create a werewolf army on the spot.
He raised his wand, his lips slightly parted: "Immobulus."
The spell shot out. Immediately, the werewolf that Professor Lupin had become was firmly bound to the ground, leaving him only able to let out impotent roars.
"Shh."
Everyone shivered. They saw Ethan draw a dagger. He leaned down and cut the werewolf's arm, letting the fresh blood drip into the bubbling cauldron.
Then, he took out the already prepared ingredients?!!
Professor Snape's eyes widened suddenly. He looked in disbelief at the ingredients Ethan sprinkled into the cauldron!
That, that was the moonpetal flower?!!
Pure white petals, unparalleled powerful protective magic…
Professor Snape prided himself on having seen almost all potion ingredients. And none could compare to this!
It really is the moonpetal flower, it really is the extinct moonpetal flower!!!
Ethan, by some means—or perhaps he performed another one of his incredible miracles—had actually re-cultivated the extinct moonpetal flower!!!
Professor Snape felt his knees go weak again. At this moment, his desire for this supreme and extraordinary ingredient reached its peak... Give him just one small moonpetal flower, and he would do anything!
He surrendered, surrendered from the bottom of his heart!!!
Professor Snape's gaze shifted to Neville. Only then did he understand why Ethan would rather choose this "good-for-nothing" than ask him for help.
Beyond ability, there was also Neville, and those who surrounded Ethan. They all believed, deep down, that Ethan could create a potion to cure werewolves... Ha, he truly was defeated by Ethan.
Ethan slowly waved his wand at the cauldron, infusing his unique light magic into it. Precisely controlling the potion's fusion, reaction, and formation.
No one spoke. Even the panic from earlier had vanished. Everyone was infected by the serious aura emanating from Ethan.
They held their breath, staring intently at Ethan. Even though they knew it was impossible, they still couldn't help but feel a flicker of anticipation... Could a miracle really happen?
Finally, when fine beads of sweat appeared on Ethan's forehead, the liquid in the cauldron gradually condensed into a colorful silver.
His intuition told Ethan: It was done!
Ethan's pupils contracted. Without hesitation, he turned off the heat and poured out the potion!
He turned, opened his hand, and unceremoniously forced open the werewolf Lupin's mouth with magic. And poured the shimmering silver potion into him all at once!
It wasn't until the werewolf coughed violently that everyone came back to their senses.
They looked in astonishment at Ethan, whose actions were smooth and fluid! As if there was not a trace of hesitation or confusion in his heart!
Including the members of the Enlightenment Society, everyone present craned their necks, clenched their fists, and peered forward with extreme tension!
Even Rita the reporter, who had been "writing furiously," stopped her pen in a daze!
Thump! Thump!
Ethan looked down at the werewolf, feeling his heart pound against his chest.
His potion level, the Goblin wars, the moonpetal flower, the increased brightness of the [Lamp in the Skull], and the refined light magic…
And his Enlightenment Society's countless experiments and research!
All the gains, all the results from this semester were melted into this one mouthful of potion!
Worth a miracle that would break destiny!!!
"Guh ahh—howl!"
Before everyone's eyes, the werewolf began to change!