HP: From Failed Art Student to Dark Artist of Hogwarts - 315

Chapter 315: Luna: “Mad Girl” Is My Greatest Praise! Will Ethan Make Cards On the Spot?

Hermione froze.

Before she could react, a deep, commanding voice rang out. “Prefects, please assist your Heads of House in leading students back to the Great Hall to await further instructions.”

“There have been some unexpected developments in the tournament.”

Headmaster Dumbledore raised his wand to his throat, and his voice boomed across the grounds.

The noise slowly died down. Students looked at one another, finally realising that the terrifying blood-red flesh mountain was not just some “Ethan special” Easter egg.

At once, the younger children began to cry, sobbing as they stared at the monster, which seemed to have grown even larger. It felt like death itself was creeping closer.

A few seconds later, the prefects snapped out of their shock and began directing the students to evacuate.

“Bloody hell!” Ron groaned, sounding near tears. “Why does something like this happen every year?”

His roommate Dean Thomas nodded furiously, ranting, “Wasn’t Hogwarts supposed to be the safest place in Britain?”

“Are we all just playing a giant game of last-man-standing, and only the survivors get to say it’s safe?!”

The crowd surged. Ravenclaw evacuated the fastest, which made sense—they had Ethan, after all. No matter the danger, Ethan was always the greatest danger of all.

Among the Slytherins, Goyle, once Draco Malfoy’s follower, looked pale, sweat pouring down his broad forehead. Students whose families had Death Eaters were all in the same state of panic.

“Damn it, it was fine before. How could this happen so suddenly?” a student muttered, biting his trembling fingers.

They had assumed that as long as they kept their heads down and slipped a few coins under the table, they could get away with it. But now, disaster had struck out of nowhere.

Draco Malfoy sneered at them. “If you’re too scared to cut ties with the Dark Lord, and too cowardly to truly stand with Ethan…”

“Then all you’ll get is destruction.”

After all, Ethan wasn’t like the old Ministry, willing to turn a blind eye. He would actually throw people into the deepest pits.

Draco turned and looked at the blood-red flesh mountain slowly advancing towards them. He silently prayed, “Lord Ethan, please defeat the Dark Lord… and become the new Dark Lord!”

At the same time, a figure slipped through the crowd, moving against the flow, and quietly made her way to the edge of the thorny maze.

Rustle, rustle.

The hedge seemed to have a mind of its own, parting to let her pass.

Just as she was about to step through, a hand suddenly grabbed her arm.

“Luna!”

Hermione gasped, glaring at the dreamy-eyed girl. “Are you mad? Headmaster Dumbledore just told us to return to the castle! What are you doing going into the maze?”

Luna turned, her expression calm even in this crisis.

But her words were pure madness. "Ethan is still inside," Luna said. "I have to find him."

Hermione’s eyes widened. She bit her lip, trying to suppress her anger.

“We should follow the professors’ orders!” she said, each word sharp.

Then she lowered her head, biting her lip harder.

Yes. Facing a monster that had never appeared in their textbooks, what could they do?

They should just listen to the professors!

“I know Ethan is strong. He’ll be fine.”

As she spoke, Hermione looked up at Luna.

And she froze.

There was no fear, no confusion. Only a deep, burning excitement.

It was as if she had been given a new toy. In those clear blue eyes, the light of a child shone bright.

“This is my first time seeing a real Dark wizard,” Luna said, her voice light and melodic. “What a wonderful opportunity! I think this is our practical session for Defence Against the Dark Arts this year.”

“We can’t let Ethan have all the fun.”

Hermione stared, speechless.

Finally, she managed, “You’re… you’re mad…”

Shouldn’t a normal person want to run away from such a monster?

Why would anyone see this as a “practical Defence Against the Dark Arts session”?

“Don’t worry,” Luna said, turning and gently touching the spiked hedge. The thorns curled around her fingers as if in affection.

“I can feel it. This maze is alive. Under the Queen of Hearts’ control, it will protect us.”

“What are you talking about?” Hermione asked. “You said ‘us’?”

Luna smiled, her gaze shifting past Hermione.

When Hermione turned, she was stunned again.

Fred and George Weasley, Neville, Ginny, Cho Chang, Lee Jordan, and even several Hufflepuffs stood behind her.

Justin Finch-Fletchley, who had once mistaken Harry for the Heir of Slytherin, flushed red and declared, “We’re only doing this for Cedric!”

“Don’t think all Hufflepuffs are cowards!”

Hannah Abbott nodded nervously. “For… for Ethan!”

Cho Chang blushed. “For Ethan!”

Hermione was completely dumbfounded, staring at these students burning with courage.

Most of them were members of Ethan’s Morning Star Club, veterans of the Goblin War, faces set with determination.

Luna glanced at Hermione and smiled. She waved her wand in the air.

Whoosh.

A majestic, four to five metre tall blue reindeer leapt out beside her, antlers like deadly bayonets.

“We’ll set out now,” Luna said. “Ethan, wait for me. I’m coming to find you.”

“Charge!” the Weasley twins shouted, waving their bombs, their faces screaming “outlaws.”

Under Luna’s lead, the students entered the maze in small groups, moving cautiously into the thick, dark thorns.

“Mad. They’re all mad,” Hermione muttered, stumbling back.

She gritted her teeth, stepped forward, and hurried after them. “Wait for me! I’m coming too!”

After all, she had been sorted into Gryffindor.

Not far away, Professor Snape watched the “troublemakers” stroll into the maze.

He clenched his jaw, feeling a strong urge to deduct points.

Do they really think the professors are blind?

“Should we stop them, Headmaster Dumbledore?” Snape asked.

Dumbledore chuckled. “No, for them, this is a valuable experience.”

Snape raised an eyebrow. “With all due respect, they’re just children.”

“I know, Severus,” Dumbledore interrupted, his gaze fixed on the approaching flesh mountain. His hand tightened around his gnarled wand, his eyes deep.

“There isn’t time for them to grow slowly… though, as their protectors, that is our failure.”

“But this time, under Mr Vincent’s leadership, I believe we’ll all reach a better ending.”

Snape fell silent, a memory of a red-haired, green-eyed girl flashing in his mind. He took a deep breath, gripped his wand, and stood beside Dumbledore, facing the crushing blood-red flesh mountain.

If Ethan was not here, then they would be Hogwarts’ strongest wall.

Boom!

A crimson thunder spear shot across the sky like a falling star, piercing Voldemort’s bloated body and pinning him to the ground.

“Roar!”

Voldemort roared in fury. Flesh surged like living water, creeping up the crackling lightning spear.

“Break,” Ethan said simply, slashing two fingers through the air.

Boom!

Orange flames surged up, warping the air, twisting into a roaring fire dragon that carried the weight of ancient times. In one bite, it swallowed Voldemort whole.

“Argh!” Voldemort roared, pain finally breaking through. The sound made the battling Aurors instinctively cover their ears.

Panting, Ethan felt the magic potion’s effect again. If he hadn’t activated the power within him, these two moves would have drained him as if he’d gulped down three bottles of Felix Felicis.

But still.

“It’s not enough.”

When the dragon flames faded, fresh flesh instantly surged from Voldemort’s scorched body, like an endless mountain of meat. No matter how many times he was cut down, he would not die.

“You’re not bad,” Voldemort rasped, impressed despite himself. He had not expected Ethan Vincent to be this powerful, far beyond any normal wizard.

For his future reign, he had to eliminate Ethan as soon as possible.

“But I have been given infinite power!” Voldemort roared. “How can a weak insect like you defeat me, the embodiment of fate?!”

“Die!”

Ethan slashed through the incoming tentacles, thinking to himself:
Yes, with my current magic, I can only hold Voldemort back.
But I still can’t kill him.

“I have no choice. I’ll have to use that move…”

Ethan’s eyes darkened, excitement rising.
“That is, 【On-the-Spot Card Creation】!”