As the dance ended, Ethan caught the sound of hurried footsteps ascending to the third floor. He released Luna's hand and bowed elegantly.

Luna also lifted her skirt and curtsied playfully. Her golden hair cascaded like tassels, complementing her white gauze dress beautifully.

Then the two looked at each other. Both drew their wands and pointed them at each other.

Ethan raised the corners of his mouth, gazing into Luna's lake-clear eyes, and smiled: "May we be endless in our pursuit of knowledge."

The next second... "Stupefy/Stupefy."

Two spells flashed. Two figures collapsed to the ground.

Immediately after, three figures rushed in hastily. Seeing the scene inside, Headmaster Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Snape all paused, eyes widening.

"Oh!" Professor McGonagall exclaimed, rushing forward in a few quick steps. She knelt beside them, gently brushing their hair aside. "It's Ethan and Luna... how could this happen..."

Seeing the students unconscious and unresponsive, Professor McGonagall felt her heart ache.

Dumbledore said gravely: "I remember Miss Lovegood was unconscious here earlier... She must have awakened and then come looking for Ethan in fear, only to be attacked again."

Thinking of those extremely shrill screams, all three present looked grim.

"Ah, poor children." Dumbledore sighed, waving his wand as gentle magic enveloped Ethan and Luna.

This semester, he hadn't planned for Voldemort's attacks. What was going on here? Surely there couldn't be another Dark Lord appearing in the school? Could Dark Lords reproduce by mitosis?

Dumbledore suppressed his chaotic, heavy thoughts and spoke: "Minerva, please take these two children to the hospital wing first. Severus and I will check on those Slytherins."

"Alright." Professor McGonagall nodded, carefully levitating Ethan and Luna beside her. Then she felt this scene looked more like carrying corpses to the mortuary.

Professor McGonagall: "..." It must be because both children's faces are too pale. Who knows what terrible sight they witnessed before losing consciousness?

"For their brave fearlessness, thirty points to Ravenclaw." Professor McGonagall said softly.

Hearing this, Professor Snape's mouth twitched. But at this critical moment, there wasn't much he could say. Whatever, with Ethan around, Ravenclaw would definitely be in first place anyway.

Snape glanced sideways at the two floating horizontally in midair like corpses as they moved out. Just as they passed by, Snape's pupils suddenly contracted! He whipped around, staring at Ethan.

In the moonlight's illumination, for just that instant, he seemed to see Ethan smiling!

In that moment, Snape's hair stood on end, a bone-chilling sensation shooting straight to his skull! But looking again, Ethan still had that pale, weak appearance. Lips white as paper, brow slightly furrowed in pain. Eyes gently closed, long lashes trembling slightly with movement, as if tears might fall at any moment.

His usually well-groomed black curls, often mocked by Snape for "spending half his day on his hair", now hung dishevelled over his forehead, having lost their lustre.

Merlin's beard, how could he look more fragile than Luna beside him? Like a beautiful porcelain doll, automatically triggering maternal instincts. Didn't you see the usually stern Professor McGonagall had turned into a mother hen?

In just a few seconds, Snape's mood had shifted from suspicion to gloom to gritted teeth.

"Severus? What's wrong?" Dumbledore asked puzzledly.

"Nothing. Let's hurry to those reckless Slytherins." Snape said, mockingly curving his lips. "Whoever dares attack within Hogwarts... I can only call them admirably brave."

Easily accomplishing what Voldemort hadn't managed in years.

However, neither of them would have imagined what spine-chilling scene they would witness at the corridor's end. Nor would they expect a completely unexpected person to appear there.

Let's rewind time slightly, to before the Slytherin students voluntarily sacrificed themselves. At that time, Harry, Hermione, and Ron were in the underground classroom, attending Nearly Headless Nick's five-hundredth deathday party.

"Terrible." Ron commented, frowning at the mouldy, rotting cake. When he saw a maggot crawl out of it, he let out a pained groan. "I'd rather attend Ethan's courage test than stay here another second."

"Shh!" Hermione poked Ron, signalling him to keep his voice down.

Though Harry said nothing, his ashen face showed he shared the same sentiment. If only Ethan were here... Harry's mind wandered, trying his best to ignore the sawing musical sounds.

Looking at those blackened candles and the milk-white ghosts floating in midair in their grotesque death poses, this would definitely suit Ethan's aesthetic.

Actually, Harry had been asked by Nearly Headless Nick to try inviting Ethan. Unfortunately, Ethan had regretfully said he had important business to complete.

"However," Ethan had confidently said then, "I'll give you a big surprise. I guarantee you'll have fun too."

Recalling last Halloween's "big surprise" Ethan had given them, Harry: No thanks.

"I can't take it! It's too cold here!" Ron shivered, then showily raised his wand, unnecessarily flourishing as he cast a Warming Charm on himself.

Hermione beside him rolled her eyes dramatically. Harry felt Ron was trending toward becoming Professor Lockhart.

Just then, suddenly, a hoarse, deep, extremely terrifying voice entered his mind!

[Lamb... lamb... hungry...]

"Ugh!" Harry staggered against the wall, feeling both fear and excitement. He held his breath, listening intently...

[Steamed lamb, steamed bear paw, steamed deer tail, roasted duck, roasted chicken...]

Harry: "..." What starving ghost reincarnation is this?

"Quick! This way!" Harry shouted, sprinting from the underground classroom. Following the voice, he ran up to the third floor.

Ron and Hermione followed him, confused. Until Harry reached the end of the third-floor corridor. And saw those Slytherins kneeling before the wall like statues in devout worship.

"..." As if doused with a bucket of ice water, Harry's heart suddenly went cold. He stood frozen, mind blank.

Then came an extremely shrill scream, definitely not human. Chaotic footsteps soon sounded behind him.

"Harry? What are you doing here?!" A hoarse, shocked voice came from behind.

Harry turned to see Headmaster Dumbledore and the detestable Professor Snape looking at him with surprise and scrutiny. Professor Snape's snake-like gloomy gaze swept over him and landed on the wall.

His lips moved, slowly reading: "'The Chamber has been opened. Gentlemen, please prepare.'"

By moonlight, Harry finally saw the bloody writing on the wall. And it was in cursive script. Shakespearean phrasing filled with an eerily familiar feeling.

Chamber? What was the Chamber? Was Hogwarts doomed?

"Well, well... Mr. Harry Potter." Snape's oily, annoying voice came from behind. "I'm afraid I must question you... Why are you and your two companions here?"

Harry: "..." I was following the voice! I followed that voice reciting dishes and came here! Who could have known the main course in that menu was actual 'two-legged lamb'?

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by lotustale.com