Absolute annihilation!
Harry's words struck like an arrow, piercing straight through Professor Snape's heart!
His sallow face drained of color in an instant, turning ashen gray.
He seemed to lose his balance, collapsing back onto his knees and slumping awkwardly against the table.
He gasped for breath like a fish flopping on dry land.
His wide eyes brimmed with terror and agony!
It was as if he'd seen a ghost coming to claim his soul—no, that might have been preferable!
"What's wrong, Professor Snape?"
Harry asked, genuinely confused.
He had no idea about the history between his mother and Professor Snape.
Snape stared blankly at those emerald-green eyes, so identical to Lily's.
In a trance, he seemed to drift back to that sunny day, their first meeting under the massive ancient tree with the red-haired girl who would shape his entire life...
Until that cursed voice shattered Snape's reverie without mercy:
"So—that's how it is."
Ethan smiled as he looked at Snape, who had suddenly recoiled, and said,
"To protect the Savior of the wizarding world, I was forced to attack the Dementor."
"Do you think I did the right thing, Professor Snape?"
Snape trembled.
In his eyes, Ethan's polite smile had warped into something twisted and utterly horrifying.
A demon that had clawed its way up from the depths of hell!
The pain—it was unbearable!
He was the very incarnation of torment and suffering!
Minister Fudge was still clinging to his stubborn stance: "This, this could just be a side effect of the Dementor! It wasn't actively trying to attack Harry—"
"Enough."
The word landed like a heavy hammer, instantly demolishing Minister Fudge's babbling excuses.
?!
Minister Fudge stared at Snape in disbelief, utterly stunned: "You—you actually dared to interrupt me—"
"I did interrupt you."
Snape fixed Minister Fudge with a cold glare.
His lips twitched a few times before he slowly continued,
"I think the outcome is perfectly clear."
"This was obviously a failure on the Ministry of Magic's part. How could they allow a Dementor to attack a student—and the great Savior, no less!"
"If something had truly gone wrong, could you shoulder the blame?"
Minister Fudge: ???
Harry: ???
What the...???
That Snape was actually speaking up for him?!
Harry whipped his head around to look at Ethan, who wore a perfectly calm expression.
His gaze gradually filled with awe.
Sure enough, Ethan was like Snape's father!
He'd secretly turned Snape into a puppet who followed his every whim.
As expected of Ethan.
The man who vowed to become the big daddy of everyone at Hogwarts!
Only Professor Lupin, who knew the real story, felt his mouth twitch.
...A dull knife sawing through flesh—what a ruthless tactic.
Whether Ethan meant to or not,
He'd dealt massive psychological damage to Snape.
It was decided.
This damage... why did it feel like it had an area-of-effect splash?
Recalling that lively figure from the past, Lupin grew somber.
In the end,
Under Professor Snape's dual threat of "I recall my improved Wolfsbane Potion is supplied exclusively to the Ministry of Magic,"
And Dumbledore's firm declaration of "I won't allow Dementors to guard Hogwarts any longer,"
Minister Fudge conceded defeat.
A bunch of fools! Completely unreasonable!
Minister Fudge shook with rage.
His face turned purple and bloated, as if he'd smooched a venomous toad.
He'd been so sure he could take down Ethan today.
But somehow, that kid had woven some spell.
And turned Snape against him in an instant?!
...It's terrifying—what can't that boy do?!
"Alright, alright..."
Fudge forced a smile, though it came out looking rather grotesque:
"Then, for now, we won't pursue Mr. Vincent's responsibility."
Minister Fudge shot Ethan a hateful glare, grinding his teeth:
"But I hope I don't hear any more reports of Dementors stationed at Hogwarts being attacked..."
"After all, they're only there to catch criminals."
Fudge stressed the word "criminals."
Hmph.
I'll let you off easy for now.
Once we capture Sirius, the escaped convict,
I'll restore the Ministry of Magic's reputation—and then I'll come for you!
Ethan blinked.
Oh, right—he'd almost forgotten about that.
He hoped Sirius was snoozing peacefully in the cosmic wardrobe.
Watching Minister Fudge fling his cloak dramatically and stomp off with his chest puffed out,
Ethan suddenly piped up:
"That's it?"
As his words hung in the air,
Everyone froze.
They stared at Ethan in horror,
As if the harbinger of doom was about to unleash his decree.
Ethan: "I think the Ministry of Magic should compensate me—us—for emotional damages."
In the ensuing dead silence,
Ethan elaborated smoothly: "We're just innocent students who got attacked by Dementors out of nowhere. Shouldn't we get some compensation for the emotional trauma?"
Minister Fudge stiffened, then exploded in fury: "What nonsense is this?! The Dementors were on official duty—"
Ethan: "Oh. And whose fault is it that Sirius escaped? So hard to figure out ~"
Minister Fudge: "Guh!"
He doubled over abruptly, clutching at the fabric over his chest in agony!
Heart—angina!
Dumbledore observed the scene with keen interest.
He chimed in, as if to fan the flames:
"I agree with Mr. Vincent, Minister Fudge. The Ministry of Magic should make amends."
Fudge: "!!!"
Professor Lupin: How miserable... Is life at Hogwarts always this thrilling?
Then, it hit him:
He was Ethan's Defense Against the Dark Arts professor!
Speaking of which,
How exactly did the last two professors end up leaving?
Professor Lupin sank into deep contemplation.
[Ding!]
[The kind and righteous Ethan received 500 Galleons in emotional damages!]
Ethan narrated to himself in his mind.
Clutching the "IOU" scribbled by Minister Fudge—the compensation would be deposited straight into his vault.
He was so thrilled he couldn't stop grinning.
He'd helped the Ministry of Magic handle their unruly subordinates.
They ought to thank him!
Hehe ~
Minister Fudge beat a hasty retreat.
Before he left, he shot Ethan one last venomous glare.
As soon as they caught Sirius—just you wait!
"Bang!"
The door slammed shut.
Headmaster Dumbledore turned his attention back, smiling at Ethan and Harry:
"You two must be exhausted. Head to the Great Hall and rest up."
"I'll join you shortly."
Harry nodded dazedly.
It all felt like a surreal dream.
He had no clue what had just transpired.
But suddenly,
He'd scored 500 Galleons in compensation.
Hehe.
As Ethan casually made to leave,
Dumbledore suddenly spoke up:
"Ethan, you haven't seen Sirius... have you?"
Ethan turned his head.
Meeting Dumbledore's sharp, probing gaze from behind his spectacles,
He replied with absolute certainty:
"Everything is under my control."
Literally.
Dumbledore relaxed.
Alright, Harry should be safe for now.
The rest
Was just preparing Hogwarts' repair budget and contingency plans.
A devil's bargain, plain and simple.
Exiting the Headmaster's office.
Arriving at the Great Hall.
The moment the doors swung open, the Great Hall fell into abrupt silence!
Every student's eyes locked onto Ethan!
Hailing the return of the God of War!
"Bang!"
At the Slytherin long table,
Several students bolted upright!
They'd all realized what an astonishing achievement it was for Ethan to handle Dementors like that!
They absolutely had to secure Ethan's (friendship)!
"Petrificus Totalus!"
Malfoy flicked his wand.
Without hesitation, he petrified the students trying to steal his spot!
Then he ducked, evading a curse hurled his way!
Ping-pong.
Just a friendly duel among classmates.
Students from the other houses gawked at this no-holds-barred skirmish.
In the end,
Malfoy stepped on Zabini's head as he advanced, breathing heavily.
Only to be shot down by a glare from Slytherin Prefect Gemma Farley.
He slunk back to the rear, looking aggrieved.
"Tap."
Ethan regarded the cool, detached girl standing before him.
Before, he'd had to look up at her.
But now, their heights were even.
Gemma Farley stared at Ethan.
Fixing her gaze on his face, which was starting to sharpen with defined features.
She suddenly said, "I'm in my seventh year this year."
Gemma tilted her head slightly, drawing attention to the gleaming Head Girl badge.
Ethan: "—Good luck with your N.E.W.T.s?"
Gemma hesitated, then broke into a sudden smile.
The grin blossomed on her icy, frost-kissed face.
It was as radiant as a rose blooming across a frozen tundra,
Leaving the surrounding boys staring in stunned fascination.
So the Slytherin Prefect could smile.
Though, that smile wasn't meant for them.
Gemma said nothing.
She simply drew another gilded business card from her robes.
Handing it to Ethan, her eyes crinkled with amusement as she chuckled:
"You won't turn down my invitation this Christmas, will you?"
--
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