Chapter 122: Duelling Club Begins
Saturday morning.
Ethan, arriving at the Hogwarts Great Hall, had never seen so many Wizards dining together on a holiday.
And each of them was exceptionally excited, even fiercely waving their arms when they talked about something.
Ethan didn't abandon his roommates today to find Penelope and the others, because many Ravenclaweaglets had gathered around them too, intensely discussing something.
"Tell me, only seven people will ultimately win. Are they so excited, each of them so confident in their own strength?"
Sitting at the Ravenclaw long table, Terry looked at the cheerful Wizards with a grin.
He hadn't signed up for this Duelling Club, but that didn't stop him from watching the excitement.
On the contrary, because he hadn't signed up, he felt absolutely no pressure at all, only wanting to watch the fun.
Especially those who went up smiling and came down crying.
"You can't say that. Besides our second-year Ethan who is sure to win the championship, it's uncertain who will win in other grades. Moreover, just being able to defeat an opponent is already worth celebrating."
Michael was different. Although he knew he wouldn't win the championship, he still wanted to test his level among his peers, so he signed up.
Roughly more than half of the Wizards in the entire Hogwarts had signed up for the Duelling Tournamentorganized by the Duelling Club.
For him, as long as he wasn't so unlucky as to encounter Ethan, Cassandra, or Hermione in the first one or two matches, he could accept it. Based on the level of these three in Charms Class, he wouldn't last long at all.
"What if you're matched with Ethan in the afternoon?"
"I…"
"Tsk tsk, I just want to see your expression then."
Terry looked at Michael with a full smile. It was such a contrast that made it interesting.
Michael was depressed. He knew he couldn't out-talk Terry and didn't want to say more.
Although he knew Terry didn't mean any harm, he just wanted to punch him.
After breakfast, Ethan and the others walked out of the Great Hall together. It was now the first-year arena.
Unlike the previous practice, now that the Duelling Clubofficially began, it wasn't in the Great Hall, but on the outdoor grounds.
During this holiday, several Professors and Dumbledoreused magic to construct a standard dueling stage, enchanted with some magic to ensure its stability while also preventing accidental injury to the audience below.
By the time Ethan and the others arrived, a lot of people had already gathered around. It seemed everyone was quite interested in the first-year Wizards' matches.
According to what was seen on the notice board on the day of return, the first Saturday was the knockout round for first and second years.
After that, each week would be two grades, until the seventh year, which had a separate day.
The knockout rounds would be completed this month.
The schedule for subsequent matches would be determined after the knockout rounds ended.
Don't think the schedule was too tight and a bit overwhelming. The number of participants spread across each grade was actually not many, only about thirty to forty.
Wizard duels, if you don't consider fleeing and chasing, are completely different from pirate-style battles that last for days and nights. Even Wizards of comparable skill usually get a result in a few minutes under normal circumstances, and lasting more than ten minutes is already considered super endurance.
For Wizards, it would only be faster; dozens of matches a day were completely fine.
Arriving at the Ravenclaw spectator seats and sitting down, it was almost nine o'clock in a short while.
Dumbledore also arrived at the scene with the four Deans and Madam Pomfrey, and sat down in the Professor's seats.
Lockhart also walked onto the dueling stage, accompanied by a middle-aged man with blond hair and a somewhat robust build.
"Today is truly a happy day!" Lockhart said loudly, "I am honored to host this Duelling Club Tournament."
"Now, I introduce to you a special guest, Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports, and the greatest Beater the Wimbourne Wasps have ever had."
Ludo Bagman waved to everyone in greeting.
A round of enthusiastic applause immediately erupted below.
"It's Bagman! Lockhart actually managed to invite him."
Gene seemed quite excited. He was already very interested in Quidditch, and now that he had joined the Ravenclaw Quidditch team, he greatly admired this former star player.
Many others were in a similar situation to Gene.
Ethan, however, knew his background: a complete and utter gambler. What was Lockhart doing bringing him here?
At the Merlin Order knighting ceremony, Ethan had even greeted him under Amos's guidance, but he wasn't the Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports at the time, but a director. He hadn't expected him to be promoted in just a few days.
Speaking of which, Ludo Bagman's experience was also legendary. He originally played as a Quidditch player for the Wimbourne Wasps and the England Quidditch Team, the latter being a Quidditch World Cup team.
But during Lord Voldemort's rampage, he provided information to Death Eaters. After Lord Voldemort's downfall, he was brought before the Wizengamot. Barty Crouch, the then Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, originally wanted to send him to Azkaban.
However, this move was met with opposition from many Wizards, and even a Witch on the Wizengamot publicly congratulated him on his performance on the Quidditch Pitch, leading to the matter being left unresolved in the end.
One could only say that once he gained enough support, even committing a crime was no big deal.
And after the trial, he smoothly joined the Ministry of Magic, eventually rising to his current position as Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports.
"Now the Duelling Tournament officially begins! It will determine who will face whom in each match. LudoBagman and I will experience all the matches together, jointly witnessing the birth of the champion!"
With that, Lockhart lifted a metal box, showed it to everyone, and then placed it by the side of the arena.
Then Lockhart went to the referee's stand, and LudoBagman came to the Professors' seats.
"Servius Clarence versus Gordon Jamie!"
A stiff, mechanical, emotionless voice came from the small box.
This prop was specially prepared by Lockhart. As long as names were put in, it could randomly arrange and broadcast them by voice. Of course, combinations could also be freely set.
"Servius!"
"Gordon!"
"Servius!"
"Gordon!"
…
The cheers and applause from Gryffindor and Hufflepufferupted almost simultaneously. Some Wizards even pulled out banners they had prepared in advance, just to cheer for their own houses.
At the referee's stand, Lockhart looked at the intense reactions below with great satisfaction.
The Wizards were very enthusiastic about this Duelling Tournament, and with Ludo Bagman, whom he had specially invited, the plan was already a success.
As the initiator and organizer of the Duelling Club and a Professor at Hogwarts, it was completely inappropriate for Lockhart to run a betting pool. At this time, an outsider was needed, and an outsider with a certain status. Ludo Bagman was his chosen target.
Being able to obtain a Third-Class Merlin Order badge, although not truly connected to the upper echelons, he still had some connections, and he and Ludo met at a banquet.
He also knew that Ludo was a gambler, and a poor one who usually lost nine out of ten bets, always looking for loopholes and playing small tricks. He knew Ludo would definitely agree to his plan.
Sure enough, as soon as he mentioned it, Ludo didn't even want to manage the affairs of the Department of Magical Games and Sports, which he had just taken over, and wanted to join in and manipulate this betting pool together.
In the spectator stands below, Terry burst out laughing watching the performance between the'Sleeping Dragon' and 'Young Phoenix'.
"I told you, dueling up there is not as interesting as watching from down here."
The two who had just performed their dueling etiquette on stage tightly gripped their wands, staring at each other with serious expressions. Accompanied by the cold wind, a sense of master-level combat was conveyed.
The Wizards below also stared at the two with nervous expressions, afraid of missing any details.
But as Lockhart's countdown ended,
The result when the two started fighting was…
One cast "Slug-Vomiting Charm," and the other cast "Densaugeo."
This resulted in Gordon clutching his stomach and violently vomiting slugs, while Servius's mouth was wide open, his front teeth directly reaching his chin.
At this point, both of them had lost their combat ability. One would occasionally retch, then clutch his stomach as slugs fell from his mouth, sometimes even getting stuck in his throat. How could he cast a spell?
The other had teeth so big his mouth couldn't close, let alone cast a spell.
Hufflepuff and Gryffindor themselves burst into laughter, and Ravenclaw and Slytherin were even more unrestrained.
However, considering that these two were newcomers who had just enrolled for one semester, it was understandable.
Ultimately, the two still decided the winner through hand-to-hand combat. Gordon lost due to his poor condition from vomiting slugs.
The subsequent matches were also uninteresting. Dropping wands and directly throwing punches was common, and the audience lost their novelty.
One or two matches felt interesting, but seven or eight matches like that became tedious.
Ethan could see Professor Flitwick's grim expression, and even the smile that Dumbledore usually wore on his face was gone.
The former, as the Charms Class Professor, naturally felt ashamed that students were using fists instead of spells. Lockhart was originally in the same boat as Flitwick.
But Lockhart didn't care about any of that. Standing at the referee's stand, he still wore his signature smile.
Dumbledore, on the other hand, lamented the rapid decline in the level of young Wizards. Just over a decade ago, even Wizards who had just enrolled for two months wouldn't use their fists in a fight.
Then he glanced at Harry, who was also not very skilled, not even as good as James back then.
The reason he agreed to Lockhart's Duelling Club was certainly not because of Lockhart's ridiculous reason.
As the Savior, Harry needed to grow, to train, and to endure enough trials to become a qualified Savior.
But now, he had completely failed to meet expectations. Last year, in the trap he set, although Harry faced Lord Voldemort and showed courage,
The process was a bit unsatisfactory. He was thrown around like a sandbag the whole time, learned nothing, and only knew that Lord Voldemort was his enemy and that he had magic to defeat Lord Voldemort within him.
This school year, he was a bit stronger, spending much less time messing around with Ron, and studying more diligently, but it was still far from enough. Not to mention Ethan, there were many other second-year Wizards who could easily defeat Harry.
He only hoped that Harry could learn something from the Wizard duels, and even if he failed, he could strive harder to catch up.
[Thanks to big shot Mesopotamian Wandering Cat for the monthly vote, thanks to the big shot!].
Chapter 123: Preliminary Rounds Conclude
The morning matches ended around twelve o'clock, mainly because the dueling etiquette and close-quarters combat took some time, otherwise it could have ended at least an hour earlier.
After lunch, students once again came in twos and threes to the outdoor grounds.
"Ethan, don't go easy on your little girlfriend later. The second year is counting on you. Before graduation, your senior wants to win another House Cup!"
Rebecca Gracie, a seventh-year senior, said while patting Ethan's shoulder.
Among the seven grades, Ethan was the most reliable. Of course, this was on the premise that he didn't go easy on the Slytherin and Gryffindor Witches.
"Going easy is impossible, senior, you can rest assured on that. Also, where do I have a girlfriend? Senior, don't talk nonsense!"
"Yes, yes, you don't have a girlfriend. Then can this senior pursue you?"
Rebecca covered her mouth and smiled at Ethan. Of course, this was just a joke. She was graduating this year and going to find a job, so they wouldn't even see each other. What was there to pursue?
"I don't want to be targeted by your admirers, senior!"
This senior had a rather fiery figure, but her lips were a bit thick, and her face had some freckles, not Ethan's type, but she was quite popular in the seventh year.
"You're afraid of that? Perform well later, and I'll cheer you on."
With that, Rebecca wiggled her hips and walked away.
Ethan, that was Senior Rebecca! Why didn't you agree?"
After Rebecca left, his three roommates immediately crowded around him.
They were incredibly envious of Ethan's popularity with the opposite sex. Why didn't any girls actively approach them?
"Heh heh, she was just joking. If you take it seriously, you lose."
"How was it just a joke?"
"Yeah, tell us!"
"First, she and I aren't very familiar. Just now, she wasn't nervous or expectant; there was only a little excitement. You guys..."
"Gregory Goyle versus Ron Weasley!"
While Ethan was still analyzing with his three roommates, the afternoon's second-year matches had already begun.
And the opening match was Gryffindor versus Slytherin. Lockhart certainly knew how to grab attention.
As expected, the two houses were already in an uproar, with cheering, clapping, banner-waving, and booing at the opposing side—everything imaginable.
They all wanted to outdo the other; they could lose to anyone but Slytherin/Gryffindor.
Goyle stepped onto the stage with a triumphant look. He had been flustered when he first heard his name, not expecting to be in the first match.
But the moment he heard Ron's name, he no longer panicked. There was absolutely no pressure!
They had fought in last year's final exam, and if Professor Flitwick hadn't intervened to stop them, he, who had already gained the absolute upper hand, would have beaten him so badly he'd end up in the school hospital.
Last semester, on the Quidditch pitch, Ron's spell backfired, causing him to hit himself. He hadn't made any progress at all.
As a result, Goyle, who had learned a few tricks from his father during the holiday, didn't take Ron seriously at all.
His spells were stronger than Ron's, and in a brawl, he was guaranteed to win. How could he possibly lose?
Seeing the two enter, Lockhart immediately had them perform a dueling bow.
As the countdown ended, both immediately became eager!
"Diffindo!"
"All..."
Goyle froze, sensing something was wrong!
He hadn't even finished his incantation, and Ron had already cast a spell. This guy must be cheating.
Knowing he couldn't take it head-on, Goyle directly performed a somersault to dodge the incoming spell.
"Haha!"
"Goyle, if you can't do it, just surrender!"
"Slytherin, is this your standard?"
The little lions of Gryffindor burst into laughter upon seeing Goyle's appearance.
They hadn't expected Ron, whom they had little hope for, to perform so well.
On the stage, Goyle's face was turning red from the mockery below, and he glared at Ron with resentment.
However, he was met with one spell after another from Ron.
"Incendio!"
"Leg-Locker Curse!"
"Densaugeo!"
In response, Goyle could only keep moving to dodge these attacks, unable to find any opportunity to retaliate.
Ron, too, grew more confident with each hit, a triumphant smile gradually spreading across his face.
"Ethan, Ron's strength is much greater than last year."
Michael frowned as he watched the two on the stage. Before today, he hadn't taken Ron seriously.
His previous impression of him was just Harry Potter, the Savior's, sidekick, often embarrassing himself and providing amusement for everyone.
He hadn't expected such great progress. At this level, he was quite strong for a second-year. Michael wasn't even sure he could win against him.
"He earned it with his life, are you envious?"
Ethan said with a smile.
Using the diary would drain magical power and life force; otherwise, how would Lord Voldemort's soul fragment communicate with Ron and control him with magic?
It's just that the speed and efficiency of this absorption were far less than the main soul's absorption from Quirrell!
Michael looked at Ethan in confusion. "Earned with his life"—did he mean Ron trained desperately or something else?
"Ron Weasley, victory!"
Lockhart quickly announced the match results.
He then stepped forward and used Finite Incantatem to relieve Goyle's petrified state. Fortunately, he had purchased this Alchemy tool from Ethan; otherwise, he truly would have been helpless at that moment.
"Ron!"
"Ron!"
The Gryffindor side was already loudly shouting Ron's name, and several young Wizards had surrounded him the moment he stepped off the stage.
Conversely, the Slytherins were all crestfallen, looking at Goyle, who was covering his face as he walked off the stage, with much dissatisfaction and disdain in their eyes.
To lose the opening match to Ron Weasley of Gryffindor, this pureblood idiot second only to Neville, was simply pathetic.
"Theodore Nott versus Neville Longbottom!"
Regardless of the discussion among the young Wizards below, the matches continued.
Neville, with a bitter expression, walked up with a boy who was so thin he looked sickly.
Neville originally didn't want to participate, but after communicating with his grandmother, he reluctantly signed up at her insistence.
In their duel, Neville's movements were always a step too slow, and he was ultimately tripped by a Full Body-Bind Curse, falling to the ground and losing his ability to resist.
After Theodore won a round, Slytherin could finally speak loudly again.
The second-year duels proceeded in an orderly fashion, and Professor Flitwick's expression improved somewhat. At least so far, no second-year had lost their wand and rolled up their Wizard robes to fight.
"Ethan Adrien versus Blaise Zabini!"
Hearing his name, Ethan quickly walked towards the stage. The Ravenclaw cheers behind him were deafening, while the Slytherin side was eerily silent.
Putting aside last year's record, even Grover Gerald, a seventh-year from Slytherin this year, who was quite capable, was instantly defeated with one move.
Blaise Zabini going up was just a waste; there was no hope at all, so why cheer?
Arriving at the stage, Ethan faced a rather tall young man.
Ethan wasn't very familiar with him.
But anyone who read entertainment magazines or major newspapers would be familiar with Blaise Zabini's mother.
She was a remarkably beautiful and famous Witch who had just 'killed' her sixth husband last year.
And these six widowhoods had brought her immense wealth, as each husband's death left her a substantial inheritance.
Ethan had also seen a photo of Blaise Zabini's mother; her appearance was indeed alluring, and her figure was the type where her hips were wider than her shoulders.
After performing a Wizard dueling bow, and as Lockhart's countdown ended,
Ethan casually cast a Banishing Charm!
Bang!
A blue magical barrier appeared, successfully intercepting it.
Another pay-to-win player?
Ethan didn't believe that Blaise Zabini could learn the Shield Charm at this point. It was a spell learned in the sixth year, and while it could be learned early, it was quite difficult.
Many young Wizards never learned it even by graduation. Blaise Zabini simply didn't have that talent.
If not for his mother frequently appearing in major newspapers and magazines, who would know this little transparent from Slytherin?
Seeing Ethan's spell fail, Blaise Zabini breathed a sigh of relief while looking at Ethan with a provocative gaze.
At the previous Duelling Club event, he knew that Ethan could cast silently and wandlessly, so he had prepared his defenses at the very beginning.
Now it had indeed worked; he couldn't break my defense. It's my turn to counterattack. He's just a Muggle-born Wizard, after all. He's had his moment of glory for long enough.
The Slytherin side also perked up. If Ethan couldn't break the Shield Charm, they could also go back and ask for such an Alchemy tool!
At that time, they could completely step on him.
However, the facts proved they thought too much. Before Blaise Zabini could launch a counterattack,
a large ball of lightning descended from the sky, striking the smug Blaise Zabini directly.
The Shield Charm shattered instantly, and Blaise Zabiniflailed in the blue electric light, his hair standing on end.
As the electric light dissipated, Blaise Zabini fell, spitting black smoke. He was completely electrocuted into an "African chicken," his skin covered in burn marks, and a puddle of liquid beneath him.
The Slytherin little snakes, who had been quite happy, immediately looked crestfallen.
This was merely a Mjölnir that had been controlled and re-controlled, without even forming a hammer.
At the referee's table, Lockhart rushed to the scene immediately. After checking and finding him unharmed, he quickly announced the match results.
"Ethan Adrien, victorious!"
Lockhart couldn't tell if Ethan had brought an Alchemytool or if he truly could cast silently and wandlessly, but he leaned more towards the former.
He was also more convinced that he shouldn't provoke Ethan. Who knew how many more items he had yet to reveal?
"Could two students please carry him away? Madam Pomfrey is already prepared."
Lockhart looked at the unmoving Slytherins and could only prompt them.
Finite Incantatem could only remove the effects of some spells, but for someone already electrocuted unconscious and incontinent like this, it was completely useless. Healing spells were not chosen for these Alchemy tools back then.
The later matches also proceeded without much excitement. Hermione faced Pansy and, undoubtedly, the enhanced Hermione achieved victory.
Cassandra also easily defeated Lavender Brown.
[Thanks to Big Boss 15304 for the month, thanks Big Boss!].
Chapter 124: Valentine's Day Surprise
As February arrived, the snow began to melt, and the sun once again weakly shone upon Hogwarts.
In Herbology Class, Professor Sprout happily announced that the Mandrakes were becoming temperamental and secretive, which meant they were rapidly leaving their childhood.
However, no one was paying much attention to these things anymore. The Chamber of Secrets attack had only occurred once, and perhaps it had already been resolved. Who still cared about the petrified Filch?
Some young Wizards even hoped it wouldn't mature so quickly. The time without Filch had been incredibly enjoyable; spells in the corridors went unnoticed, and night strolls had no patrols. Once he returned, this happy time would be gone.
Meanwhile, the preliminary rounds of the Duelling Clubtournament had concluded.
After this, there would be two weeks of rest and preparation, followed by the elimination rounds.
Since the Duelling Club began, Lockhart's popularity had been recovering, and he now had quite a few new fans.
This made him exceptionally high-spirited and increasingly eager to show off. Of course, he didn't forget to award points to Ethan, and instead, he started butting heads with Snape.
The two of them were awarding points more fiercely than ever, already surpassing third-place Gryffindor by over three hundred points. Many young Wizards were discussing whether this year's House Cup points would break Hogwarts' thousand-year record for the highest House points.
...
February 14th.
When the young Wizards arrived at the Great Hall, ready for their meal, they all widened their eyes in surprise, wondering if they had entered the wrong door.
The four walls were covered with large, dazzling pink flowers. Not only that, but a large amount of heart-shaped confetti continuously floated down from the pale blue ceiling.
"Ethan, today is Valentine's Day!"
Terry, sitting at the Ravenclaw long table, looked at Ethan with ill intent.
He wanted to see how Ethan would spend the day. Usually, he made his buddies incredibly envious and jealous. Today, he probably wouldn't be chopped into pieces.
"So what?"
Ethan calmly brushed the confetti off his bacon, sausages, and bread, and began to eat his breakfast. As for the oatmeal, he skipped it.
You're not panicking?"
Terry stared at Ethan, as if trying to see if Ethan was feigning calmness.
"Panicking about what?"
Ethan had already passed this hurdle; he had used Alchemy to make roses that would never wilt.
He gave nine to each person. Last night, in the RavenclawChamber of Secrets, as soon as midnight passed, Ethan sent out the flowers, along with a greeting card.
The main reason was that if he gave flowers and cards to several young Witches in the Great Hall at once, the impact wouldn't be very good.
Ethan still had some self-respect; he didn't want his antics to spread throughout Hogwarts, or even be recorded in Hogwarts' school history.
Even for Fleur De la Cour, who was far away in Beauxbatons, Ethan had sent an owl to a post office that handled international business, instructing them to ensure delivery today.
As for Gabrielle, he decided against it. If the De la Courfamily saw it, they would probably come fighting all the way to Hogwarts.
Child abuse was unacceptable; it was a serious crime.
"Alright, you're amazing!"
Unable to discern anything, Terry decided to give up. If he couldn't see Ethan's fun, couldn't he see others'?
"Who do you think arranged this today?"
Gene pondered while eating breakfast. He hadn't heard of any feasts or activities at Hogwarts on Valentine's Day!
"Who else could it be? Didn't a certain Professor say yesterday that he had a surprise for us?"
Terry swallowed his smoked bacon and reminded him!
Every young Wizard who had attended Defense Against the Dark Arts Class yesterday had been told by Lockhartat the end of class that there would be a surprise today, including Ethan and the other second-years.
"That's right. Besides him, no one else would do this!"
Gene nodded knowingly. Other Professors certainly wouldn't do it, but Lockhart always did whatever was flashy.
Ethan just couldn't understand how Lockhart had convinced Dumbledore to agree to his plan. As a Professor, he didn't have the authority to extensively decorate the Great Hall without the Principal's permission.
Just as Ethan and the others were finishing their meal, Lockhart, wearing a pink robe that matched the decorations, arrived at the teachers' table and waved his hand for everyone to quiet down.
The Professors who had arrived before Lockhart were now stone-faced. A muscle on Professor McGonagall's cheek was bulging, clearly indicating she was suppressing anger.
Professor Snape also had a dark expression, as if he wanted to kill someone.
It wasn't surprising. Several Deans at Hogwarts had been bachelors for many years; what kind of Valentine's Day would they celebrate?
Dumbledore could still run to Nurmengard, but they didn't even know where to go or who to meet.
They probably least wanted anyone to mention today, let alone be provoked by Lockhart like this.
Lockhart was still able to stand there thanks to the generosity of these Deans.
"Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!" Lockhart said loudly to the young Wizards below, with his signature smile. "So far, fifty-five people have sent me cards, and I extend my thanks to them!"
"Yes, I took the liberty of arranging this little surprise for everyone—and there's more."
Lockhart clapped his hands, and from the doors leading to the entrance hall, twelve gloomy-faced Leprechaunsstrode in.
And each of them, arranged by Lockhart, had golden wings attached to their backs and carried harps.
"My friendly, card-carrying cupids!" Lockhart said gleefully. "They will be roaming the school today, delivering Valentine's Day cards to you!"
"And the fun doesn't stop there!"
"Why don't you ask Professor Snape to teach you how to brew love Potions?"
"If you're interested, Professor Flitwick is more skilled in illusion magic than any Wizard I've ever seen, that sly old dog!"
Ethan looked at Lockhart's cupids, unsure how to complain. How did these short, fat, and ugly creatures resemble cupids?
Hearing Lockhart's words, Professor Flitwick buried his face in his hands. How did he ever teach such a thing?
A Ravenclaw graduate, why would he be like this?
Professor Flitwick had begun to doubt his life.
Professor Snape, on the other hand, watched Lockhartwith cold eyes, then scanned the young Wizards below.
It was likely that anyone who went to Professor Snapefor advice on brewing love Potions would be used as a test subject for new Potions!
Professor Sprout and Professor McGonagall breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, they weren't mentioned, otherwise, it would have been truly embarrassing.
After breakfast, Ethan and the others prepared to head to class. The first class that morning was Transfiguration.
Just as he stepped onto the stairs, Ethan heard a rapid patter of footsteps behind him. He turned around to see three Leprechauns running quickly, their wings flapping.
But Ethan suddenly had an ominous premonition. Their target wouldn't be him, would it?
"Hey, you! Ethan Adrien!"
The cupid running at the front shouted loudly, constantly pushing through the crowd towards Ethan.
Cassandra and Hermione also stopped, watching Ethan with an expectant look. Ethan's evasive actions yesterday had displeased them, but they couldn't erupt. After all, if they erupted, others would gladly accept and then offer comfort, wasn't that just providing an assist?
The others around them also watched Ethan with schadenfreude, showing no sense of urgency about the impending class.
"I have a musical message to deliver personally to Ethan Adrien!"
One of the Leprechauns stepped into the corridor and began playing his harp in an aggressive manner.
Ethan closed his eyes. Damn it!
Instantly, all three Leprechauns were hung upside down from the ceiling, their wings and harps scattered on the floor.
The sudden turn of events caused the Leprechauns to struggle violently, making muffled sounds, unclear what they were saying, but certainly nothing good.
The combination of the Hanging Bat hex and the Tongue-Tying Curse easily resolved the predicament.
Seeing that there was no more excitement, the surrounding young Wizards also dispersed.
No one dared to speak up, otherwise, there might be one more person hanging from the ceiling.
As for casting spells in the corridor, Filch was still tough right now, so no one was really in charge of that area.
Today, Professor McGonagall was teaching how to turn a mouse into a teacup.
However, just as Professor McGonagall was demonstrating, the classroom door was suddenly pushed open, and five Leprechauns walked in expressionlessly.
These were not the three that Ethan had just hung up. He didn't know if they had been taken down yet.
Professor McGonagall's teaching was interrupted, and she frowned at these uninvited guests.
Ethan immediately felt a bad premonition. This wouldn't be for him again, would it?
But young Wizards his age were all in class, and they didn't have time to write cards and then give them to Leprechauns!
His premonition came true; it was still for him.
"I have a…"
Before the words were finished, the window on the left suddenly opened, and the Leprechauns floated in mid-air, thrown out by Ethan like a string of gourds.
Falling from the second floor wouldn't kill these thick-skinned creatures.
"Very good Levitation Charm!"
"Maintained order in the classroom, five points to Ravenclaw."
Professor McGonagall said with a wave of her hand, the door closed, and she added a quick spell.
She was ready to go to the eighth floor after class and ask Dumbledore if he was senile, agreeing to all of Lockhart's absurd requests. What benefits did he give you, after all?
By noon, Ethan couldn't take it anymore.
After Transfiguration Class, Ethan encountered the Leprechauns delivering cards again. How many Galleons had Lockhart given them to work so hard?
"Fred, George, think of a way, these things are too annoying."
"It's simple, just send a lot of cards to other people. Anyway, as long as you give them cards, they'll take them. As long as they have enough cards in their hands, they won't have time to look for you."
"It's not just you; Cedric was also chased quite badly today."
As they spoke, Fred and George were almost in tears.
Ethan and Cedric were annoyed beyond measure, but their two brothers hadn't even received a single card and didn't even have the chance to experience it.
"That's it. Since Lockhart made this, then write to him."
Ethan also agreed with this idea. It was like delivering packages; when there were too many to deliver, they could only be left for the next day. But tomorrow wouldn't be Valentine's Day, so it would naturally be void.
"Also Professor Snape, and the Slytherin Quidditch team needs them too."
The Twin were very curious about what expression Professor Snape would have when he received these letters. They had Potion Class in the afternoon, so they would be able to see it.
As for the Quidditch team, they were old rivals, so how could they not think of them when there was something good happening?
Soon, the three of them took out their Quick-Quotes Quills, which could turn simple sentences into flowery ones, perfect for such a scene.
In the afternoon, the Leprechauns continued to burst into classrooms, but this time their target shifted from Ethan to Draco Malfoy.
He didn't have Ethan's abilities and could only be disgusted by the Leprechauns again and again.
As for Professor Snape, according to the fourth-years, when the Leprechauns came before him, he gave them a Petrificus Totalus, and it wasn't undone until class was over.
[Thanks to big shot yeka for the monthly pass, thank you big shot!].
Chapter 125: The Blood Curse Lifted
As time came to early April, the Duelling Clubtournament had determined the top eight for each year.
Among the top eight for the second year were:
Two from Ravenclaw: Ethan Adrien, Michael Corner.
Three from Gryffindor: Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger.
Two from Slytherin: Cassandra Vaurie, Draco Malfoy.
One from Hufflepuff: Ernie Macmillan.
Tonight, Ethan, for once, went to the Room of Requirement.
Sitting on the sofa in the training room, Ethan held two Potions in his hands: one a deep ocean blue, the other a vibrant blood red.
The blue one was a Purification Potion, which had been brewed about half a month ago, but Ethan hadn't used it.
The red one was a Blood Magic Potion, which had just been completed this afternoon.
He had obtained the last Potion ingredient, runespoor eggs, from Dennis and the others a few days before Christmas, but Ethan only started brewing it after returning to Hogwarts.
Within three months, he had to draw one pint of blood, which is 568.26 milliliters, from Onyxia every week. For a behemoth that had grown to twelve or thirteen meters, this was nothing; it was just that the energy cubes cost a tiny bit more.
After putting away the Magic Blood, he released Naginifrom the box.
The moment she emerged, her huge snake body coiled around Ethan, her head resting on Ethan's shoulder, and her tail wagging continuously.
"Hiss! (Get down, lie on the ground!)"
Ethan stroked Nagini's head and gave her a command in Parseltongue.
Nagini nodded her snake head and quickly slid down from Ethan's body, her eyes looking at Ethan expectantly.
Ethan knew what she was expecting. He took out a handful of energy cubes and fed them to her.
This was probably the last time; once she transformed into human form, she definitely wouldn't need Ethan to feed her anymore.
"Ethan, do you think she'll turn into an eighty-year-old old woman in a moment?"
Cho Chang asked curiously as she watched Ethan feed Nagini.
This question had suddenly occurred to her. Ethan said that when Nagini turned into a snake, she was around eighteen to twenty, and she had been a snake for about sixty years.
That meant her true age was eighty, and it was possible she might turn into an old granny immediately upon recovery, or her body might suddenly weaken and she would die.
A few days ago, when they heard that Nagini was a Blood Curse Beast, they were quite surprised.
After researching and learning that no one had ever been able to lift a blood curse, they insisted on coming to witness it.
They said they wanted to witness history.
"The possibility is still very high!"
Penelope also strongly agreed with this statement. You couldn't just say that the time she lived as a snake didn't count, could you?
"Don't scare me!"
Ethan's hand trembled. Nagini was undoubtedly a beautiful woman, but if this beauty was eighty years old, it would be impossible for her to be attractive.
Thinking about it again, if this eighty-year-old beauty occasionally coiled around you, then all that would be left was horror.
"Hehe, why impossible? How could I not know what you're thinking?"
Cassandra sneered, looking at Ethan.
After receiving this news, they had discussed it.
If this snake were male, would Ethan have gone to such lengths to brew this incredibly troublesome Potion, which even required Phoenix tail feathers and Phoenix tears?
Ethan didn't lack this snake's combat power; in a fight, this snake wasn't even as strong as a Basilisk, and just look at how the Basilisk was treated to know that.
As long as this snake transformed into human form and was even slightly attractive, the competition would become even more intense.
"What could I be thinking? I just pity her. Imagine a living person turning into a snake, losing her hands and feet, only able to crawl on the ground, and having to hunt Animals like mice, birds, and lizards. Isn't that pitiful?"
"You know what you're thinking. Hurry and feed her the Potion!"
Cassandra didn't want to say anything more. Who in Hogwarts didn't know that Ethan, as a Hat Stall, had no good intentions when he joined Ravenclaw? He was completely a standard SP.
He monopolized the resources of several people. If it weren't for the fact that they couldn't beat him, he would probably have been ambushed on the road more than once. At least in Slytherin, there were quite a few who wanted to punch Ethan.
Using Parseltongue to make Nagini raise her head and open her mouth wide, Ethan slowly poured the azure Potion into her mouth.
As soon as she drank the Potion, the effect began. Naginiwrithed on the ground, dizzy, as if she had drunk fake alcohol.
Moreover, red flames ignited on her body, and within the flames, there was a layer of white aura.
"Ah..."
A pained female voice came from the snake's mouth. It wasn't a snake's hiss, but the standard pained groan of a human female.
As she twisted and turned, Ethan felt something was wrong. Within the flames and white light, the snake's tail turned into a dazzling white.
These legs were really damn white, no, they were really damn long.
However, this scene was still horrifying. Below were pure white, slender legs, while the upper part was simply indescribable. From the thighs up, it was all snake, and the snake's head was still thrashing around, occasionally flinging venom.
"Ethan, are you still looking?"
Hermione stepped forward and glared at Ethan. He was shameless! This snake had no clothes when she transformed into human form. Weren't you taking advantage of her by standing there?
"I brewed this Potion. I need to see the effect. If anything unexpected happens, it's good to be able to remedy it, right?"
Ethan found an excuse for himself.
In the original work, Ethan remembered that when Naginitransformed from snake to human form, she had clothes on, just like an Animagus.
But looking at those pale white legs, everything was self-evident.
And it was absolutely impossible for her to be the eighty-year-old woman Cho Chang mentioned. With this skin condition, she was definitely a young lady in the prime of her youth and beauty.
He didn't know if it was because of the Blood Curse, which caused her physical state to stop, or the effect of the Unicorn and Phoenix Potion ingredients, which were materials with immense vitality and healing effects.
"I'm not dealing with you!"
Hermione turned her head away, huffing. Her own father was completely under her mother's thumb, and Cassandra's family was the same, but she just couldn't control Ethan.
Under the effects of the flames and white light, Nagini's serpentine features were slowly and completely disappearing.
Finally, all the serpentine features were shed, and she transformed into a beautiful human woman curled up on the ground.
Before long, Nagini stood up. She was only slightly shorter than Ethan, standing over 1.7 meters tall, with a pair of remarkably long and strong legs.
The moment she turned, her peaks and valleys were directly exposed to Ethan's eyes, and combined with an Asian's delicate face, her destructive power was extraordinary.
In terms of the size of her peaks, they appeared to be slightly larger than Penelope's, but Penelope still had room for development; she was only seventeen.
At this moment, Nagini's eyes were a little dazed. Was it because she had been a snake for too long and hadn't reacted yet?
She tentatively took two steps forward, stumbled, and fell directly onto Ethan.
Was this because she hadn't walked in too long?
Or was it intentional?
"Mas... Master!"
Nagini looked up at Ethan with a hint of confusion. This was how she addressed him in her snake form.
Just as Nagini was about to act on her snake habits and coil around Ethan, Hermione and Cassandra pulled her away, one on each side.
They had figured it out: even though this snake had returned to human form, her habits hadn't changed, and she had no sense of human shame.
One Penelope was already difficult enough to deal with, and now there was another snake woman.
"Ethan, take out one of your Wizard robes. Don't tell me you didn't bring any."
Cho Chang looked at Ethan with a smile. They had all come empty-handed; only Ethan was carrying a box.
Ethan's box couldn't possibly contain women's clothes, but Wizard robes would definitely not be lacking.
And one Wizard robe would be enough to cover her body.
Ethan didn't refuse. After all, he had already seen what needed to be seen.
He immediately took out one of his own Wizard robes from the box. It might be a bit big for Nagini, but she could make do. Once back in Ravenclaw, she could wear Penelope's clothes.
Taking Ethan's Wizard robe, Cho Chang ran directly to Hermione and Cassandra's side, and together they helped Nagini put on the clothes.
When Nagini was in her snake form, she was relatively docile without commands, and now she would not resist even more.
"If you want to look, you can look at me, Senior Sister!"
While the three were helping Nagini get dressed, Penelope directly leaned on Ethan's back. She felt pressure from Nagini.
"Cough, cough, next time I'll look at yours."
Ethan felt the softness on his back and nodded affirmingly.
"Whenever you want to look, just tell me, Senior Sister!"
As expected of a seventeen-year-old girl, she was simply incomparable to those twelve or thirteen-year-olds.
Seeing Cassandra and the others approach, Penelopealso got up from Ethan's back, a smiling expression on her face, completely unconcerned by their gazes.
"Nagini, do you still remember what happened before?"
Ethan looked at Nagini curiously. This lack of reaction wasn't right!
Normally, after recovering human form and escaping the torment of the Blood Curse, her mental state couldn't possibly be this stable.
"Eating mice in the Albanian Forest."
Nagini answered tentatively. She also didn't know what "before" Ethan was referring to.
"Before that! Memories from when you were human, that is, memories from when you looked like you do now."
Hearing this, Nagini looked down at herself, then lifted her Wizard robe, but was quickly forced down by Hermione beside her.
After a moment of silence, Nagini shook her head.
She only remembered that a long time ago, she had been eating mice, birds, and lizards in Albania.
When Ethan first met Nagini, he had asked her, and she had no memories of her time as a human.
At that time, Ethan thought this was normal, after all, if Nagini had memories, she wouldn't have been with Lord Voldemort; she knew Dumbledore.
Who knew that even after the Blood Curse was lifted, these memories still couldn't be recovered.
He took out an old trophy wand and handed it to Nagini.
"Can you use it!"
Nagini took it in confusion. Finally, the wand gently waved, and a dazzling white light shot out from the wandtip.
If Ethan wasn't mistaken, this was the Blasting Curse.
"Do you remember how to use spells?"
"Mm, when I got the wand, something appeared in my mind, telling me how to use it."
Nagini nodded affirmingly.
[Thanks to big shot 13949 for the monthly ticket, thanks big shot!].
Chapter 126: Bloodline Ascension
"You all stand back!"
Cassandra and the others looked at the blood-red Potionin Ethan's hand and immediately pulled Nagini back.
Before coming, Ethan had already explained that anything could happen when taking the Blood Magic Potion, as it involved integrating the bloodline of Animals.
Once they had retreated far enough, Ethan didn't hesitate and drank it down in one gulp.
The first sensation was an intense smell of blood, followed by extreme heat.
From his throat all the way to his stomach, he felt scorching pain, as if he had drunk a mouthful of magma. Then it spread throughout his body, from his muscles to his bones, every part itching and aching. The empty bottle in his hand involuntarily dropped to the ground.
In Cassandra and the others' eyes, Ethan's face was flushed, and he looked somewhat distorted from the intense pain.
"Ethan, what's wrong with you?"
The girls quickly ran over and felt Ethan's forehead with their hands, but recoiled the moment they touched him. It definitely exceeded the upper limit of human body temperature.
"Aguamenti!"
A stream of water emerged from Cho Chang's wand tip, spraying towards Ethan.
"You... you, go out first!"
Ethan pointed at the door, speaking to them with difficulty.
He could already feel his Magic Power becoming somewhat uncontrollable. Once it erupted, the power would be absolutely terrifying.
Don't underestimate Ethan just because he was not yet thirteen. With the superposition of his talents, the system's Magic Power rewards, and the boost from the Potion of Increased Magic Power, he was definitely far beyond the level of a normal adult Wizard.
"But..."
"Go out first!"
Penelope grabbed Hermione, who was still trying to say something, picked up Ethan's box, and led everyone towards the door.
They knew nothing about the Potion Ethan had just taken. Staying would be of no help and might even distract Ethan. At this moment, listening to him was the best choice.
After Penelope led everyone out, Ethan no longer suppressed it. A powerful Magic Power erupted from Ethan, like a hurricane sweeping through. The surrounding practice targets, the sofas in the resting area, and everything else were lifted and torn to shreds.
After releasing it, Ethan felt a little better.
Moreover, he felt his Magic Power increasing at an astonishing rate, giving Ethan a feeling that he was already omnipotent.
"Is this a different kind of Magic Power awakening state?"
The pain lessened, allowing Ethan to observe himself.
Suddenly, a surge of white scorching flames erupted from Ethan, engulfing the entire practice room and turning it into a sea of pure white flames.
The Room of Requirement also continuously expanded and grew under this burst of Magic Power, striving to contain it so as not to be destroyed by the expanding flames.
Ethan also noticed this. The flames began to churn and contract. In an instant, a Giant with magma flowing over his body, holding a great sword like flames, and with blazing flames in his eyes, slowly stepped out of the sea of fire, his head touching the ceiling.
Beside him, a luxurious, predominantly golden ship, over three hundred meters long, radiating endless light and heat, slowly sailed out.
Ethan, having just completed this step, gasped for breath. The sea of fire also receded like a tide, until it completely dissipated.
Indeed, omnipotence was just an illusion, but a Wizard in a Magic Power eruption state was indeed at the peak of their current period.
Just like the commotion caused by a young Wizard's Magic Power eruption, if you ask him to do it in a normal state, even with several years of growth and learning to control Magic Power, he still wouldn't reach that level.
The pain had passed, but there was still a lingering soreness throughout his body. At this moment, Ethan just wanted to find a place to lie down and not move.
After restoring the Room of Requirement to its original state, Ethan went to the resting area and lay down on the sofa.
He looked at his panel. The bloodline section had changed from Wizard to Dragon Blood Wizard. With his recent actions, Transfiguration had also increased by one level, reaching level eight.
At the same time, an unexpected achievement was triggered.
Name: Ethan Adrien
Age: 12
Bloodline: Dragon Blood Wizard
Talents: Super Soul, Strong Physique, Dark Heart, Focus, Animal Affinity, Fire Affinity, Parseltongue, Lightning Affinity, Steadfastness.
Curses: Killing Curse (10), Crucio (10), Imperio (10), Fiendfyre Curse (10), fire escape (10), Ancient Goblet Fire (10), Fiendfyre Protection (10), Fire God Opens the Way (10), Occlumency (9), Legilimency (7), Mjölnir (10), Gungnir (10), Armor Charm (9), Undetectable Extension Charm (7), Siphon Energy (9), Shadow Stealth (6), Wolf Pack (8), Crow Storm (6), Apparition (6), Transfiguration(8), Potions (6), Alchemy (7), Final Flash (5)... In addition to the panel upgrades, the magnitude of the increase in magic power and physical fitness was considerable. At the same time, I felt that my control over fire had improved further, and the efficiency of converting magicpower into fire had also increased.
This is probably related to the unique organ inside the Dragon, which allows it to convert magic power into fire breath.
"I Reject My Humanity"
A person's abilities are limited. I learned one thing from my short life: the more you dabble in schemes, the more you realize the limits of human ability, unless you transcend humanity.
Achievement Goal: Obtain fundamental change (1/1)
Achievement Reward: Bloodline Sublimation
Immediately, Ethan claimed the reward, instantly feeling as if he had been thrown into a hot spring—it was warm but very comfortable, and the soreness in his body was receding.
The entire process lasted about ten minutes before Ethan opened his eyes.
The moment he stood up again, he felt incredibly refreshed.
As for the improvement, a new skill called Dragon Transformation appeared on the panel.
Based on Ethan's own feelings, his magic power and physical fitness had jumped up another large notch from the previous baseline.
Without using magic, Ethan felt he could tear apart large creatures like Giants and Trolls. Coupled with the talent "Steadfast," his magic resistance was probably even higher than that of a proper Dragon.
He was absolutely qualified to compete for the title of World's Strongest Animal.
He couldn't detect changes elsewhere yet; his bloodline was still Dragon Vein Wizard, which hadn't changed.
As the Dragon Transformation ability unfolded, his body felt a tingling sensation, and his magic power and physical fitness climbed once more.
A layer of fine black scales began to cover his arms. With a "hiss," his Wizarding robe tore apart, and two dark Dragon Wings stretched out from his back.
The tingling stopped when Ethan's hands turned into sharp Dragon Claws, though he remained standing on two feet. Every visible part of Ethan's body was covered in fine Dragon Scales.
0 Requesting flowers
Dragon Transformation represented a Dragon-Human Form, not turning into a full Dragon.
Flapping his wings, Ethan shot across like a black meteor, smashing a practice target with a single punch, causing it to explode.
The improvement was indeed significant, and combined with the dark Dragon Scales, the defensive bonus was likely even greater.
The only drawback was that his hands had become Dragon Claws, making it difficult to grip his wand, but this wasn't a major issue since Ethan could perform Wandless Casting.
After ending the Dragon Transformation state, Ethan walked toward the door. Cassandra and the others were still waiting outside.
"Ethan, are you okay?"
The moment the door opened, the girls immediately started feeling around Ethan's body.
After all, his Wizarding robe was tattered, suggesting he might have suffered some physical injury.
What if he was missing something, or had gained something extra? What then?
"I'm fine, really!"
Ethan stopped the girls' hands from reaching lower and pulled them inside.
"I think you've grown taller!"
After her hand was caught mid-reach, Penelope stood next to Ethan and measured him.
She had felt this way the moment they met.
"Really?"
That's great news!
"Yeah, about this much taller!"
Penelope gestured with her fingers in front of Ethan, indicating about two centimeters.
Ethan really wanted to remind her that if this got out, he might lose the market of a certain country.
But he decided against it. What market did that country have in the Wizarding World anyway?
Returning to the lounge area, the group sat on the sofa. Nagini tried to snuggle up to Ethan but was stopped by Hermione, who forcibly kept her seated next to her.
"Ethan, what happened just now?"
Waiting outside for half an hour was truly nerve-wracking. If they hadn't been worried about disturbing Ethan, they would have definitely rushed in to check.
"It was similar to a magical burst, a kind of Secondary Development. The discomfort was caused by a rapid increase in physical fitness and magic power in a short period."
"I see!"
Cassandra nodded understandingly. They understood when he called it a magical burst, as they had all experienced it personally.
"Ethan, what ability did you gain?"
Ethan had told them before that taking the Magic BloodPotion might grant one or more abilities of that specific Animal.
"Just magic power, magic resistance, physical fitness, and slightly enhanced control over fire. That's about it, since Dragons don't really have any other abilities."
A Dragon's power relies on its physical strength, its advantage in flight, and its ability to breathe fire.
Using its blood only enhances hard power. The stronger you are, the greater the increase will be.
If we talk about functionality, other Animals are naturally the first choice for those lacking strength, such as the Basilisk's petrification or the Manticore's poison gas.
"Right, you guys can also choose what kind of Magic Blood Potion you want. I can make them for you."
Ethan had tested it; the effect was good and caused no physical changes, so he could certainly make some for his own people.
Materials weren't a big problem, but collecting the Animals would probably have to wait until summer vacation.
Hearing Ethan's words, the girls immediately started discussing.
[Thanks to big shot Xiyou Xuanzang for the monthly ticket, thank you big shot! Yu].
Chapter 127: Fleece the Sheep
Saturday noon.
After lunch, Ethan and his group walked toward the location of the Dueling Stage.
Today was the Elite Eight stage for the first and second years.
The first-year matches were already over in the morning, taking less than an hour from start to finish.
However, placing bets beforehand took up a lot of time.
These weren't available in previous matches; they only started this morning.
The person running all this was Ludo Bagman, who had set up a Betting Booth outside the arena. Each House had an upper-year student assisting him, responsible for recording, collecting money, and maintaining order.
When Ludo Bagman first arrived, Ethan guessed this day would come.
After all, in the original work, Ludo Bagman appeared twice, both times related to gambling, and both times he lost miserably—the type of person who is terrible at something but addicted to it.
"I bet 500 Galleons on Ethan Adrien to win."
Just as they approached the arena, they saw a Slytherinsqueeze into the nearby Betting Booth and slap the Galleons onto the table.
"Why don't you consider someone else? Ethan Adrien's odds are the lowest. How about Ernie Macmillan? He's five-to-one."
Ludo Bagman wiped the sweat from his brow. It was only April, and the temperature in the Scottish Highlandswasn't high, so why was he sweating so profusely?
"Just bet on Ethan Adrien. Can you even run this or not? If not, just close up shop!"
Holt Avery looked arrogant. He was one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, so why should he show anyone respect?
Although Ernie Macmillan was also a pure-blood and one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, anyone with eyes knew he had virtually no hope of advancing to the next round; he performed worse than that idiot Weasley.
Betting on him? Wasn't that insane?
Conversely, betting on Ethan Adrien was a guaranteed win. Even if the odds were low, it was still money.
"Alright, Paul, help him register the bet."
Ludo could only manage a forced smile. If he didn't accept the bet now, he wouldn't be able to continue operating later.
This gambling game was straight from the Elite Eight to the Semi-Finals, with no bracket; everything relied purely on insight and luck. The odds for the eight participants were all different.
He was puzzled. He had already lowered Ethan's odds so much, and the odds for everyone else were so high, so why didn't these Betting Addicts try to take a chance?
Ludo set the odds based on the performance during the matches. Given Ethan's reputation as a genius and his demonstrated performance in recent days, Ludo felt he had been generous enough.
The odds were 1:1.05.
This was specifically to prevent everyone from betting on Ethan Adrien, ideally excluding him and making the Little Wizards act like Betting Addicts.
Betting on Ethan meant betting 100 Galleons and only receiving 105 upon winning, with 100 of that being the principal—a scenario virtually impossible in gambling.
When he first announced this, Ludo was prepared to be challenged and have his booth overturned. After all, even he, who had dominated the Gambling World for decades, had never seen such ridiculous odds, and he figured the Hogwarts Little Wizards would struggle to accept them.
But who knew? Not only did no one overturn the booth, but everyone was betting on Ethan Adrien to win. This was absurd!
The first-year games in the morning were fine, but the afternoon turned out like this. That son of a Lockhartdidn't explain things clearly. If he had known, he would have lowered the odds even more. Apparently, no matter how low, these Little Wizards would accept it.
"Ethan Adrien, 1,000 Galleons!"
Daphne Greengrass, the Little Rich Girl, walked over right after, and her opening statement made Ludo's legs weak—that was another fifty Galleons gone.
Daphne was eliminated in the previous round. Cassandraeliminated her in what was a rare House internal battle.
"Ethan, aren't you going to place a bet?"
Fred, George, and Cedric saw Ethan from afar and walked over, bright smiles on their faces.
"Why are you smiling so happily? Did you find money?"
"We certainly did find money!"
Fred gestured with his mouth toward Ludo's Betting Booth. Daring to open a betting pool for the second-year competition was no different from giving away money.
Unless they could convince Ethan to Throw the Match.
Otherwise, no matter how low the odds, they would lose money.
As for the Little Wizards, except for the very few who wanted to gamble big, the vast majority preferred stability.
"How much did you bet?"
Ethan looked at the three curiously. Seeing their delighted smiles, he guessed it wasn't a small amount.
Fred and George were no longer the Paupers they were at the start of the school year. Although Baffling Brain Elixir was also being sold outside, sales hadn't stopped within Hogwarts, and the price remained the same.
For the Little Wizards, it was naturally more convenient to buy it within the school, which meant the Twin earned a good profit.
There were also Pygmy Puffskeins. These were quite popular among the Little Witches; they were cute enough to fit in a pocket, and you could squeeze them a few times to vent your anger without the little things getting upset. They were trendy for a while, earning the Twin a fortune.
Originally, Hermione and Cho Chang wanted one too, but Ethan told them that the creatures liked to use their tongues to crawl into your nostrils while you slept to eat your Boogers, which made them abandon the idea.
"We each bet 200 Galleons, and Cedric bet a little more—300."
A profit of ten Galleons each—that was quite a bit.
Before meeting Ethan, they had been studying at Hogwarts for two years and doing some proxy shopping in Hogsmeade, but they hadn't managed to save ten Galleons.
"You're playing this too?"
Ethan looked at Cedric with surprise. This was the Good Student in Ethan's mind!
He didn't expect him to gamble too.
"Why wouldn't we? We just saw Professor McGonagalland Professor Flitwick going to place bets."
Fred nodded, confirming Cedric's statement.
"Actually, it's normal. I also saw Professor McGonagallbetting on Quidditch during the last Quidditch World Cup."
Fine, it seems the Wizarding World is full of Gambling Addicts; even the Professors at school are involved.
No wonder the Betting Booth was set up so openly.
"Then I'll go place a bet too. Wait, can contestants bet?"
Ethan, who was about to walk over, stopped. It definitely wouldn't be allowed in the Muggle world—doing it secretly was fine, but you couldn't show it. Ethan hadn't participated in the Wizarding World's gambling and didn't know the rules.
"For you, absolutely not. But you can have someone else place the bet for you."
Fred looked at Ethan as if he were an idiot.
"Then I'll go find Penelope."
Wait, Ethan, how much are you going to bet?"
George grabbed Ethan, who was about to leave, and asked curiously.
They knew Ethan was a true magnate. Not only did he make a fortune from the Baffling Brain Elixir within the school, but he also earned Galleons hand over fist from his cooperation with the Worre Family outside of school, which they had witnessed firsthand.
"One hundred thousand!"
Ethan casually uttered a sum that stunned the three of them.
Easily earning five thousand Galleons—why not take advantage of such an opportunity?
"You've already earned one hundred thousand? How much does the wizard mailbox actually make?"
Cedric was so surprised he was incoherent.
Even though he was pure-blood, his family was a minor one, and his pocket money wasn't much. His father was just a small clerk in the Ministry of Magic, and even if his family sold everything, they couldn't scrape together ten thousand Galleons.
Fred and George also thought of this point; their family was even worse off than Cedric's. All three of them became depressed.
Decades of effort by their families couldn't compare to Ethan's struggle of just over a year.
"It does make quite a bit of money, indeed."
Ethan nodded affirmatively. Currently, his dividends alone were over sixty thousand Galleons, and the overseas ones hadn't even been calculated yet. If they were, even after splitting with foreign powers, Ethan would likely receive more than two hundred thousand.
However, there wouldn't be as much later on. This wasn't a consumable; one item could last for many years, unless he continuously released updated versions like squeezing toothpaste, similar to the Nimbus 2000 and 2001.
"Penelope, over here!"
Ethan saw Penelope walking from inside Hogwarts from afar and immediately waved towards her.
"Your little boyfriend is looking for you, hurry up and go!"
Iolanthe Peverell patted Penelope on the backside, teasing her.
"Single dog!"
Penelope said, then quickly walked towards Ethan.
Looking at Penelope's receding back, Iolanthe Peverellgritted her teeth in frustration. She wasn't unwanted; someone had even confessed to her with a dwarf on Valentine's Day, but she just wasn't interested.
Why were all the people who sought her out so unappealing? When would love finally be her turn?
She fiercely tugged at her hair, venting her frustration.
"Watching me make a fool of myself? Get lost!"
She turned her head to see several young Wizards watching her, and Iolanthe Peverell didn't give them any good face, immediately scolding them.
The moment he saw Penelope, Ethan directly handed her a money bag.
Inside was one hundred thousand Galleons that Ethan had specifically set aside, intending to use it to trick the Goblins. Now, it was being used first.
"Are you sure you want to bet this much?"
"Aren't you afraid he'll run away?"
Penelope took the money bag Ethan handed her, somewhat incredulous.
"Where could he run to?"
"You just go place the bet."
Ludo was invited by Lockhart. If there was no connection between these two, Ethan would make them eat dirt.
In the original story, the reason Ludo ran away was because he had cheated the Goblins out of a large sum of money and was unable to repay it, so he had no choice but to flee; otherwise, he would have been torn apart by the Goblins.
Otherwise, why would he abandon a respectable job like Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports to become a wanted criminal?
Moreover, this was just the beginning. There were still five more grades, as well as the semi-finals and the finals. How could he let go of such an opportunity?
"Then I'm going!"
At the betting table, Ludo's eyes bulged out, his face full of disbelief:
"You mean one hundred thousand bronze Knuts, right!"
Actually, one hundred thousand bronze Knuts was not a small amount.
"Galleons, one hundred thousand!"
Penelope smiled and pushed the money bag over.
Ludo's face became uglier than if his mother had died.
Which young Wizard would carry their entire family fortune with them to school!
This was simply illogical.
After having someone count the amount inside, Ludoimmediately ran to find Lockhart; he couldn't handle this!
[Thanks to Boss 1yh for the monthly ticket, thank you Boss!]
Chapter 128: Women Fighting
"Don't panic. I'll cover this money for now, but you'll have to repay me first before we calculate the profits later."
After hearing Ludo's words, Lockhart's expression also became quite ugly, but the plan had started and it was hard to stop.
Lockhart knew Ethan was very strong and had a very high reputation at Hogwarts. Even the incredibly arrogant Slytherin students were obedient in front of Ethan.
But he didn't expect it to reach this point. Under such odds, over seventy percent of the people bet on him to advance.
This seventy percent referred to the number of people. If converted to Galleons, excluding the one hundred thousand provided by Penelope, over ninety percent of the funds were placed on Ethan.
The bets opened in the morning only earned a small profit. After the matches this afternoon, all bets would be settled, but the money earned was less than a fraction of what would be paid out this afternoon.
"Lockhart, do you think we can bring Ethan into our betting scheme?"
To be honest, Ludo was coveting this profit.
By the time of the finals, even more would be bet. If Ethan unexpectedly lost, the profit would be enough for him to live comfortably for the rest of his life.
"Don't even think about it. That one hundred thousand Galleons was placed by him."
Besides Ethan, which young Wizard at Hogwarts could come up with that much money?
And of that one hundred thousand Galleons, a good portion was probably provided by himself.
Ludo only came to Hogwarts during the matches. He had been a Professor for almost a year; what did he not know?
Moreover, the matter between Penelope, Ethan, and the other girls wasn't hidden.
"He placed the bet? No, I'm going to refund him. This isn't how things are done."
Ludo immediately turned to leave. Although Lockhart had fronted the money, it would be deducted from the profits first, so he was still losing his own money.
"It's no use looking for him. When you were a Beater for the Wimbourne Wasps, you did things like this all the time. If he doesn't admit it, what can you do?"
Hearing Lockhart's words, Ludo stopped in his tracks and turned his head: "So we just watch? This is five thousand Galleons!"
"For the sake of the later plan, we can only endure it. If you can win him over, go ahead, but if you're looking for trouble, don't mention me."
Lockhart spread his hands. Although he often acted boastfully and got slapped in the face, and was impulsive.
But that didn't mean he was a fool; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to trick so many stories out of others and erase their memories without being discovered to this day, even earning a Merlin Order badge through it.
After suffering a loss, don't think about revenge. Don't provoke those you can't afford to provoke. This was his survival rule, which allowed him to remain safe despite having no real power.
"Alright, I understand. I'll find an opportunity to talk to him."
In reality, after calming down a bit, Ludo didn't dare to cause trouble either.
Furthermore, Lockhart was right; the later matches were the key. Now was just a warm-up, and the stakes would only get higher.
To maximize profits, they had already planned for all seven grades to have their finals on the same day.
During the elimination rounds, Lockhart had already selected one young Wizard from each grade, using money to win them over.
He provided them with Alchemy tools to help them advance. Each grade was separate, and Lockhart could easily lend out a few of these tools for them to use in rotation during this period.
Except for the second-year student who hadn't had time to use the Alchemy tool and was defeated by a young Witch from Gryffindor in the last match, all the others were still in contention.
As long as they could make it to the finals.
At that time, with their own people who could cheat, no matter how much was bet on the other side, they would surely win.
Even if they lost the second-year pot, the remaining profits would be enough, but Ludo still wanted to fight for it.
...
"Cassandra Vaurie versus Hermione Granger!"
At 2:30 PM, the match finally began.
Upon hearing her name, Hermione's body visibly stiffened. From their first meeting on the Hogwarts Express, she had always been the one to suffer setbacks.
Conversely, Cassandra's lips were already curled into a grin, a smile she couldn't, and didn't want to, suppress.
She was only afraid of meeting Ethan first, or Hermionemeeting Ethan first.
Since she wouldn't win the championship anyway, why not tease Granger again?
Amidst the cheers of Slytherin and Gryffindor, the young Witches, with completely opposite feelings, stepped onto the stage and began their duel as Lockhart counted down.
"Mobiliarbus!"
"Finite Incantatem!"
"Diffindo!"
Hermione, who had just managed to dispel the blue flames, could only narrowly dodge with a clumsy side-step.
She did want to use the necklace enchanted with the Shield Charm, but it had been agreed beforehand that no one should use such underhanded tactics.
And if she could use it, Cassandra could too, and the outcome wouldn't be any better.
In just twenty or thirty seconds, the two exchanged blows multiple times, and various colored lights from the spells filled the entire arena.
But the result was still the same: one attacking, one defending, and the match fell into a stalemate.
Hermione knew she couldn't let it continue like this.
"Incendio!"
Seizing an opening, Hermione dodged an attack, then retaliated by flinging a fireball.
Hermione didn't expect to hit Cassandra directly; she just wanted the shockwave and high temperature of this Fire Charm to buy her some time.
"fire escape!"
Cassandra sneered, lightly drawing her wand across the ground. A wall of black fire instantly appeared, completely shielding Cassandra.
The scorching orange flames were swallowed and assimilated upon contact.
Hermione felt a surge of despair. She knew Cassandrapracticed Dark Arts and had learned a lot from Ethan, fire escape being one of them. However, Hermione truly hadn't expected Cassandra to use it.
She couldn't win anyway, and now you're using Dark Arts? Isn't that bullying?
If Cassandra knew Hermione's thoughts, she would surely burst out laughing, saying, "That's what you get for not learning Dark Arts, always sticking to a few spells from books."
The Professors who witnessed this scene were also momentarily stunned, and Professor McGonagall even shot up from her seat.
Hermione was one of the few good students from Gryffindor whom she didn't have to worry about; nothing could happen to her.
"Minerva, they know their limits."
Dumbledore reassured her, his life experience allowing him to clearly see the relationships between Ethan and the others, especially after the Mirror of Erised incident.
Just with Ethan sitting nearby, Cassandra wouldn't go for a kill. It could only be said that Ethan had them completely under his thumb.
"Albus, I wonder if we should prohibit the use of Dark Arts in duels?"
McGonagall still trusted Dumbledore's words and immediately sat down, but she was still somewhat worried.
They both knew their limits, but if someone else faced them, would they be burned to ashes?
If one were burned by this fire, even a moment's delay would mean being reduced to ash.
"They'll have to face it sooner or later, won't they?"
"At least, we are still here."
Hogwarts didn't teach Dark Arts because all the Wizards in this place graduated from Hogwarts. If Dark Arts were taught and Dark Arts classes were offered, the number of Dark Wizards would likely increase exponentially.
However, Dark Arts were not explicitly forbidden, just discouraged.
Dark Arts are too broadly defined, and there are too many channels to access them, making them impossible to ban, especially for pure-bloods, many of whom take pride in learning and using Dark Arts.
That's why Hogwarts offers Defense Against the Dark Arts Class, to teach them how to protect themselves.
To effectively use Defense Against the Dark Arts, one must confront Dark Arts, and it's better to face them within the school than outside the campus. Therefore, Professors generally don't interfere much with minor scuffles, as long as no major problems arise.
Of course, the premise is that the Three Unforgivable Curses cannot be used.
Our attention returns to the dueling stage.
"Densaugeo!"
Upon hearing this familiar spell, Hermione felt a wave of despair; anything would be better than being hit by this.
But her body was completely paralyzed, unable to move, and she could only watch as her most detested spell flew towards her.
Cassandra withdrew the dark flames, her eyes gleaming with excitement as she looked at Hermione.
At this moment, Hermione's hair stood on end, and her face had a slight scorch mark, the result of being struck by the Weather Charm just now.
Cassandra had now mastered the Weather Charm quite well; she could aim where she wanted to strike, and control the power.
Just like now, Hermione was paralyzed by the lightning, but her injuries were not severe.
"Cassandra Vaurie wins!"
Lockhart looked at Hermione, who had closed her eyes and was covering her mouth, and immediately announced the result.
Although Hermione was still on the stage and hadn't fallen, it was clear that she couldn't continue the fight.
Ethan Adrien, from the Ravenclaw stands, stood up and remotely cast two spells.
The moment the two spells, one white and one red, hit Hermione, all the dirt and scorch marks on her body vanished, and her paralysis and enlarged teeth were undone; only her hair, standing on end from the lightning strike, remained, which Ethan was powerless to fix.
"Draco Malfoy versus Ethan Adrien!"
"I forfeit!"
Amidst the cheers of Ravenclaw, the two walked onto the stage, and before they could even perform the dueling etiquette, Draco raised his hand.
Although the two had reconciled and could now exchange a few words, Draco still didn't dare to make a move; he had nightmares for several months about Ethan beating him up.
And there was that fool Blaise Zabini a few months ago, who made a move on Ethan and even showed contempt in his eyes—all witnessed by the young Wizards below.
The result was that he was electrocuted on the spot, soiling himself, and now he had become the laughingstock of the entire Hogwarts.
So much so that whenever Slytherin and Gryffindorargued during this period, this incident would be brought up by the other side. It would probably continue until Blaise Zabini graduated; if it were him, he would have transferred schools long ago.
Draco certainly didn't want to experience such high-level treatment.
If someone called him a coward, it was simple: if you're so great, go fight Ethan!
"Harry Potter versus Ron Weasley!"
Harry and Ron exchanged glances, both with long faces; it was a Gryffindor internal struggle.
"Harry!"
"Harry!"
...
Amidst the cheers of Gryffindor, Harry and Ronsimultaneously ascended the dueling stage.
However, Ron's face was extremely grim at this moment; the entire Gryffindor house didn't even have one person supporting him, and even his own brothers and sister supported Harry.
He was already so excellent, reaching the quarterfinals just like Harry, so why was this happening?