Biting frost climbed onto the Dementors' tattered black cloaks, freezing their incorporeal, weightless forms like corpses preserved in ice. As if heavy iron balls had been shackled and dragged behind them, their movements became increasingly sluggish.
Never before had Dementors known that cold could reversely corrode them! They who had always been the creators of cold and fear!
What kind of evil magic is this?!
Not only that, but there were also those spider-like dripping wax corpses lunging at them from every direction.
"Hiss—" A shrill, fearful, and furious roar rang out as an unlucky Dementor was struck squarely by a corpse pouncing from the ceiling.
The instant it hit the ground, like hyenas smelling blood, countless pale arms immediately reached out from all directions! Gripping it tightly! Madly absorbing the dark energy from its body—the very substance composing the Dementor itself.
"Hiss... hiss...!" The captured Dementor lay on the ground, struggling desperately and helplessly. However, its ability that made countless Azkaban prisoners scream in terror had no effect whatsoever on these merciless, unfeeling corpses!
Just as humans were merely delicious meals in their eyes, to these terrifying corpses, Dementors were nothing more than tasty sustenance!
"Hiss—hiss—!" The creature reached desperately toward its colleagues. However, Dementors naturally had no intention of rescuing comrades—only frantically fleeing forward in self-preservation.
Escape this evil monster-eating train and return to gentle Azkaban! City folk are just too terrifying!
Without colleague assistance, the captured Dementor was quickly drained completely, leaving only a pile of black robes limply heaped on the ground.
Pat. A boot stepped on the discarded fabric.
Ethan dragged the silver-white hammer behind him, ploughing a long furrow through the snow. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes in ecstasy, immersed in this atmosphere of pure terror.
Murmuring softly, "What a wonderful scent... As dark creatures, Dementors must love it too."
In the past, they recklessly fed on happy emotions, bringing nothing but pain. Now times had changed. Time for them to experience this most ancient, primordial fear themselves.
Ethan suddenly turned, looking through the white veil, through the compartment's foggy window at the trembling students huddled inside. Smiling, he raised his hand and drew two dots and a curve on the fogged glass, forming a cute smiley face.
Don't be afraid. With me here, Dementors are nothing to fear.
That was what Ethan wanted to convey. It's just that after drawing it, water droplets continuously streamed down the smiley face's eyes and mouth like tears, creating an unintentionally unsettling effect.
But no harm done. The students inside looked so moved they were about to faint.
Ethan displayed a pure, harmless smile, turned around, and began humming a little tune while leisurely pursuing the fleeing Dementors. The hammer dragged behind with rhythmic scraping sounds.
Ethan wasn't in a hurry—he wasn't some impatient person who revealed all surprises at once. The best part was still to come.
"Ten little soldiers went out to dine; one choked himself, and then there were nine..."
"Nine little soldiers stayed up very late; one overslept, and then there were eight..."
"One little soldier left all alone, went and hanged himself, and then there were none."
His clear, melodious voice echoed through the deathly silent carriage like a children's nursery rhyme sung in a graveyard.
Ron huddled in a corner, crying pitifully, "And then there were none? Is Ethan going to kill everyone on the train?!"
On the snow-covered train, the remaining Dementors fled with every ounce of strength they possessed!
Of the original hundred-plus creatures that had boarded so confidently, only a dozen remained. They'd only known they were on a business trip to catch a fugitive, not realising they'd come to their own execution!
The Dementors were terrified beyond all reason. After all, survival is the most primal instinct—even non-beings desperately cling to existence when faced with oblivion.
However, the train seemed endless, constantly circling in this long corridor! Like moths trapped hopelessly in a glass jar.
Creak creak. The sound of hammer scraping ground followed like a shadow. Occasionally—CLANG!—a tremendous crash. The carriage shook, lightning blazing! Interweaving electricity like a giant mouth tearing isolated companions to shreds!
Just then, a point of light appeared ahead. The Dementors collectively jolted with desperate hope, then flew frantically toward the light! An exit!
But approaching closer, they discovered it was merely an oil painting hanging on the wall—painted in golden colours showing countless swaying sunflower fields bathed in warm light.
"Hiss?" The Dementors made confused sounds.
The next second, their vision blurred as golden light swallowed their bodies whole, actually dragging them into the painted world!
Blue sky, white clouds. On the ground, a golden sunflower ocean full of vibrant life. But looking closely, one would find they were all clearly painted with pigments, flat and artificial.
In the flower field's centre stood a graceful figure in a flowing white dress. The scene looked very warm, radiating an incomparable atmosphere of happiness and peace.
"Roar—" The Dementors immediately grew ravenously hungry, disregarding this strange environment and floating toward the white-dressed figure.
Base instinct dictated: Food—delicious food to feed on and replenish strength!
"Hiss—" Air flowed into the Dementors' countless black hole-like mouths. Once strength is replenished, we'll kill that damned human brat—
Just as they thought this, the girl who'd been facing away slowly turned her head, revealing that hollow, featureless face with skin dripping like melted wax—a corpse face!
The Dementors' inhaling changed pitch dramatically, nearly choking on air! Their very essence shook violently!
What—what's happening? Are we still in that human brat's trap?!
The moment this thought emerged—swoosh—sky and earth changed colour. Like a paintbrush sweeping across canvas, the azure sky instantly became blood-red!
The Dementors stared up in dawning horror, seeing an enormous eyeball slowly opening from the blood-red sky. Incredibly bright golden light shot forth like storm clouds parting to reveal the sun! Pinning them in place!
"Hiss—hiss?!" They trembled as that golden eye suddenly opened a pitch-black doorway. From within slowly emerged the figure they feared most—the human with the silver-white hammer. Ethan Vincent!
Looking at that figure backed by the golden eye, radiating dark power despite his holy appearance, the Dementors lost all remaining strength and will to resist.
"Surprise, surprise! 'Girl in the Flower Field!'" Ethan spread his arms joyfully like a ringmaster revealing his greatest trick. "Isn't it very warm? Very interesting?"
The Dementors stared in defeated silence.
The corpse-faced "girl" in a white dress made incomprehensible sounds in agreement, her wax features dripping steadily.
"Unfortunately, our thrilling 'cat and mouse' game has reached its end," Ethan said, his cobalt-blue eyes looking down at the deathly silent Dementors below with genuine satisfaction.
Smiling warmly, he raised his hammer high overhead. "Farewell, my friends. See you in the afterlife."
That last sentence pushed the Dementors' fear to its absolute peak. They'd still be tortured by this demon even after death!
"Take my righteous judgement!" With a battle cry, Ethan soared down from the heights like an avenging angel!
The silver-white hammer flashed brilliantly, the golden eye watching from behind like a divine witness! Leaving the deepest impression in the Dementors' final memories before oblivion.
BOOM! The explosion echoed through the painted world like thunder.
[Congratulations!]
[You successfully released the dark wandering souls "Dementors"!]
[Sending them peacefully to their final rest.]
[Due to your righteous deed, you obtained extraordinary material—]
[Dementor Essence!]
Oh ho! Bonus reward dropped!
Ethan's eyes lit up hearing rustling sounds from the flowers. Turning, he saw the white-dressed girl—her face now covered with chaotic lines instead of corpse features—holding a dark spherical substance in pale, slender hands, slowly walking toward him.
Wind blew gently. Under the blood-red sky, golden sunflowers swayed peacefully. Evil cleared by justice. The world returned to peace and tranquillity once more.
Today's Hogwarts Express experienced intense, unexplained shaking that left passengers thoroughly rattled.
Train broom closet:
Animagus black dog Sirius Black had his brains nearly scrambled by the violent "earthquake".
What happened? There was no prophecy saying the magical world would end today!
Recalling the scene of that mysterious masked figure chasing Dementors through the corridors, Sirius fell into stunned silence.
What a gathering of powerful beings! How did Hogwarts become like this during my imprisonment?!
Earlier, afraid of being caught, he hadn't dared venture out. Now the outside seemed quiet. Sirius jumped up urgently, peering through the closet's barred window—my most cherished godson Harry Potter, wouldn't be hurt, right?
No—can't hide anymore! Must find Harry!
Just as Sirius resolved to open the door with his front paw, cobalt-blue eyes suddenly appeared in the barred window, staring directly at him.
"Hi there!" Ethan said cheerfully.
Sirius froze: "..."
Click. A crisp sound. Sirius slammed the door shut again with all his strength!
Don't you dare come any closer! Stay away from me!