chsdbacks Chapter 50 Sean: Hehe, I'm going to win!
Chapter 50 Sean: Hehe, I'm going to win!
Ethan: (´･ω･`)?
Ethan blinked his big eyes.
Bathed in moonlight, the cobalt blue eyes resembled the black lake that constantly lapped against the cliff edge.
The water shimmered, looking utterly innocent.
This infuriated Sean so much that he was panting heavily, like an old ox that could only plow for thirty seconds.
He stared at Ethan with a gloomy expression, about to say something, when he was interrupted by Professor McGonagall, who had come running at the sound.
Professor McGonagall gave Sean and Ethan a stern look.
He paused on the latter, then nodded slightly, a gesture of encouragement.
Then, she clapped her hands to attract everyone's attention and said:
"Alright, all participants who have signed up for the Secret Realm Search Challenge, the school preliminary rounds are about to begin."
The students, who had been talking in hushed tones, immediately fell silent and turned to look at Professor McGonagall, listening intently.
Ethan also spotted Cedric Diggory in the crowd, wearing the yellow and black Hufflepuff jersey.
The other party was quite obvious, since Hufflepuff only sent him.
Cedric now is not as mature as he will be when he participates in the Triwizard Tournament a few years later.
He was still a spirited young man.
His face was filled with anticipation and confidence for the future.
Ethan calmly withdrew his gaze.
The focus now is on the current selection process.
He couldn't wait to give them a little shock.
On the other side, Sean glared angrily at Ethan, thinking:
...Forget it, why should I get angry with this brat?
That's really beneath their dignity.
He's destined not to pass the primaries, without a doubt.
And I have been preparing for this challenge for three whole years.
Three years!
Sean pursed his lips, a determined glint in his eyes.
That brat and I are not even on the same level.
He can only talk big for now. Once I win first place and return victorious, I can laugh at him to my heart's content!
I'm number one in the whole school!
Thinking this, Sean slowly exhaled, feeling much better.
This time, I will win!
On the protruding rock platform, Professor McGonagall continued:
"A total of 25 students participated in the selection, divided into groups of 5."
"Everyone must enter the giant purple toad's nest and retrieve one item that you consider most valuable."
Professor McGonagall raised her hand and pointed to the other side of the cliff.
On the rocks exposed in the lake, several shadows could be vaguely seen crouching.
"During the test, there are challenges such as how to get past the toads' warning lines outside the cave, and how to find the right path to the treasure location in the intricate cave system."
"That is, the place where the Toad King resides."
Professor McGonagall's tone turned serious as she said:
"I would like to remind everyone that although the selection process was personally implemented by our professors, and professors also oversaw the entire selection process."
"But the Toad King is still an extremely dangerous being."
"If the toad king is threatened, the entire swarm will go berserk, attacking everything in its path indiscriminately until they calm down on their own."
"Therefore, I urge everyone to be cautious and not to provoke the Toad King for your own safety."
The words fell.
Everyone unconsciously tensed up, gripping their wands tightly, their faces tense.
Seeing the students' serious attitude, Professor McGonagall nodded in satisfaction.
At that moment, a name popped into her mind, she froze, and quickly turned her head to look—
Ethan Vincent!
Did this little wizard, whose thought process is always different from others, actually listen to what he was saying?
Professor McGonagall quickly spotted the small, thin figure in the crowd.
Even though the food at Hogwarts was very good, the child did not become strong or plump.
It was as if he had poured all the nourishment he absorbed into those magnificent and beautiful paintings.
At that moment, I heard her warning from earlier.
Ethan nodded thoughtfully, holding a square card in his hand, standing alone to the side, looking extremely well-behaved.
"Don't worry, Minerva," Professor Flitwick whispered, "Ethan just wants to give it a try. In a real-world combat scenario that tests comprehensive abilities, even if Ethan wanted to do something, he wouldn't be able to."
"Those standing here are the best students at Hogwarts."
"Moreover, Professors like Snape are there to watch over us the whole time in the cave, so nothing will happen."
Professor Flitwick looked very confident.
"All right......"
Professor McGonagall was somewhat skeptical.
Perhaps it was her cat-like intuition, but she instinctively felt that Ethan was brewing something, and a sense of unease crept into her heart.
If a child is quiet, they're definitely up to no good.
However, rationally speaking, I feel that Frivi is right.
So many professors were there to take care of her throughout the process.
Although she and Professor Snape were at odds, it was undeniable that he was very powerful.
Yeah, nothing will happen.
Thinking of this.
Professor McGonagall felt a little more at ease.
She took out the lottery tube that she had prepared beforehand.
Have each student come forward and draw a ball, then form teams according to the letter on the ball.
Then, Professor McGonagall waved her wand.
The small balls in each person's hand suddenly transformed into butterflies, fluttering away in the moonlight.
"I hereby announce the commencement of the 1991-1992 Secret Realm Search Challenge school preliminary rounds—"
"Let's begin!"
"Bang!"
With a sound like a firecracker, the atmosphere at the scene changed instantly.
Coincidentally.
Ethan, Sean, and Penelope were assigned to the same team.
"Tsk, looks like we're a four-person team."
Sean curled his lips in disdain.
Turning his head to look at his two teammates, he said directly:
"I was first in my grade for six consecutive years, and I got 'O' (Excellent) in all 12 subjects of the OWL Common Wizard Level Examination."
"I think we should use the Disillusionment Charm, along with a hypnotic spell and herbs to mask our scent, to get past the cave's perimeter cordon, trying not to disturb the toads as much as possible, what do you think?"
The other two teammates were both from Slytherin.
They exchanged a glance, nodded, and glanced at Ethan with cold indifference and malice.
This is normal.
Apart from the Malfoys who slid to their knees at lightning speed, the vast majority of Slytherins harbored resentment towards Ethan because of his last speech.
After all, those words were too sharp.
It was as if a sharp knife had ripped open their facade of peace, revealing the bloody truth beneath.
Penelope frowned, gently put her arm around Ethan's shoulder, and said in a deep voice:
"Sean, Ethan is on our team too."
"Oh, really?"
Sean raised an eyebrow, a hint of disdain in his expression.
He raised his hand and skillfully uttered a spell.
A faint white light, like a thin veil, enveloped everyone except Ethan and Penelope.
It made their figures instantly transparent.
Sean: "Since Ethan is so gifted, he can naturally cast the Disillusionment Charm himself, right? Our Ravenclaw's genius first-year, Mr. Vincent?"
Even if you can only vaguely see a semi-transparent figure.
You could also hear the mockery in his tone of voice.
Penelope sighed and said, "Don't be so childish, Sean. You're a grown man."
Sean blushed at what he was being told.
But taking advantage of the fact that no one can see them, they become even more shameless.
He crossed his arms and said, "Anyway, if Ethan wants to keep up with us, he'll have to cast the Disillusionment Charm himself."
"..."
Ethan watched silently as Sean smugly gloated.
Admittedly, his illusion spell is rather weak, and he hasn't yet mastered this advanced spell.
But Ethan's paintings make up for this.