Hogwarts: Starting as a Card Maker from a Failed Art Student

Chapter 463 Blood Curse Potion Completed! Ethan: Little Tom, the biggest difference between you and me is that I have someone who loves me!

The man in the portrait has no facial features.

Instead, there was a terrifying, inhuman vortex, like a nose being pinched and twisted out.

A flash of inspiration struck Slughorn.

He had seen the painting before; it appeared to be a realistic self-portrait of Ethan.

Upon meeting his gaze, the man with the vortex made a move.

He raised his hands, which were wrapped in the cuffs of his suit, like a scale, and held two things in his white-gloved hands.

It was a red fruit with sharp spiky edges, just like the one Slughorn recognized as the Rosehip used in potions. It grew only in high-altitude areas and was rare and expensive.

The other item was a bottle of blood that shimmered with golden light.

Although it wasn't easily recognizable, Slughorn believed it was the blood of the Rising Sun Golden Rooster... a material that might attract the Aurors' attention to check the water clock.

When you recognize these two materials.

Like a ray of light piercing through thick fog, the old professor suddenly remembered that he had come to seek the final step in making the Blood Curse Potion!

And the moment this idea popped into my head...

He noticed that his previously stiff fingers suddenly bent!

You can move around now.

[.. .]

..professor?】

Tom Riddle spoke with a puzzled look, a hint of wariness appearing in his eyes as he gazed at the professor who remained silent.

For the first time, she acted differently from what she remembered.

Slughorn flinched, instinctively stammering, "I-I'm sorry! What did you just say?"

"...I asked, Professor Slughorn, how can I create Horcruxes?"

Uh—well—

"6

He stammered, speaking for the first time through his own will.

While trying to dodge the question, he frantically searched his surroundings, hoping to find clues about the Blood Curse Potion in these terrifying memories.

Why did Ravenclaw's crown make him see this memory?

Why wasn't he directly granted supreme wisdom?

Hogwarts was clearly on the verge of collapse, so why didn't they help the younger generation?

As anxiety and panic escalated, Slughorn desperately discovered that his thoughts and body were gradually freezing again.

The tongue uttered spontaneously: "Murder. A terrible murder, enough to shatter a person's soul—"

"Snapped!"

The hourglass on the table suddenly fell, its transparent shards scattering everywhere, and the pale green liquid mixed with fine sand spilled all over the floor.

then.

Slughorn watched as a writhing mass of dark magic flowed from beneath the vortex man's portrait, climbed onto the table, and formed a cauldron.

"Smack."

The man with the vortex snapped his fingers, and flames rose from beneath the crucible.

"Merlin's beard..."

'

Slughorn gaped, pulling himself out of his earlier panic as the chill faded.

Because something even more outrageous than Voldemort's Horcrux tutorial happened right before our eyes.

He saw the self-portrait of Ethan, who was wearing a top hat and dressed very well, and raised the rosehip and golden chicken blood again.

It seemed to be hinting at something.

In the blink of an eye.

Slughorn understood.

The Ravenclaw crown will not provide a direct answer.

Instead, it created a space that conformed to the logic of reality, allowing him to experiment to his heart's content!

"Professor," the somber voice sounded again, "you seem unusually unfocused tonight."

"Focus..."

""

Slughorn muttered to himself, his eyes fixed on the crucible.

Suddenly, he turned his head and looked at the phantom of "Tom Riddle".

"Do you know, Mr. Riddle?"

【Um? 】

Professor Slughorn took a deep breath, then grinned boldly: "You will be utterly annihilated by a freshman who is ten thousand times more talented and capable than you!"

"Your seven souls will lie at his feet, wailing for release, and then watching helplessly as he fulfills the dream you never had in your life—to transcend death! Hahaha!!"

The words fell.

Tom Riddle's elegant and arrogant handsome face suddenly twisted into a demon!

【You're asking for it!!! You piece of trash—】

He roared and tried to pounce, but in the next second, his body was bound by several pitch-black tentacles!

【roar!!!】

Tom Riddle roared furiously, both shocked and enraged.

However, Ethan simply waved his hand, and a dark tentacle sealed his mouth.

"Well done, Professor Slughorn."

In the portrait, Ethan's lips curled into a smile, his swollen face twitching, and he praised, "You have conquered your fear and completely mastered your memory space."

"Now, let's quickly experiment with the potions. Time flows more slowly here than in reality, but we can't afford to waste any more time."

'

Okay, okay!

Slughorn nodded quickly and scrambled toward the crucible.

His eyes were filled with immense gratitude as he looked at Ethan.

Indeed, you can always trust the leader of the lamps, Ethan Vincent. No wonder so many people are willing to go to great lengths to meet his expectations.

Slughorn grabbed the two materials and began to experiment with complete concentration.

Smoke billowed, and the room was silent except for the sound of boiling liquid.

Even Tom Riddle's phantom had fallen silent, staring intently at the potion being concocted.

Time passed second by second.

Just as the illusion began to crumble at its edge.

"Bang!"

Slughorn looked up from the bursting cloud, his cheeks covered in sweat and grime.

However, a calm light shone in his eyes: "I know what kind of material it is."

next second.

His figure vanished suddenly!

This room, constructed from memories, collapsed and vanished like smoke being wiped away by a giant hand!

At last.

All that remained was a deep darkness.

Like the depths of the universe, there is only one solitary painting hanging there.

And, that imprisoned phantom.

"...You're the 'newcomer' that old man was talking about, the one who beat me."

Tom Riddle stared at Ethan with a dark expression, his eyes filled with hatred and malice.

And—a deep sense of jealousy.

Jealousy of Ethan's immense power, jealousy of Ethan's ability to easily control people's hearts.

More importantly, there is envy and longing for Ethan's ability to "transcend death".

"As expected of the relics of the four giants, the effect is amazing," Ethan mused. "Even the details are replicated so realistically."

Ethan waved his hand dismissively and said, "I'm going to check on the results now. Farewell."

...

..

Tom choked, his facial features contorting for a moment.

Then, his eyes darted around, and his attitude immediately softened; he spoke respectfully and earnestly:

"Sir, you haven't completely eliminated me yet, have you? Otherwise, that old bastard—"

Ethan: "It's Professor Slughorn."

"...I'm sorry, otherwise Professor Slughorn wouldn't be so afraid of me. If you encounter me, please give me a chance."

Tom looked up and gazed sincerely at Ethan.

I will help you achieve your great goal; I am confident I can be your greatest asset!

In conversation.

He was brimming with confidence in his future abilities, and his voice was incredibly seductive.

"Oh."

Ethan chuckled, his eyes indifferent, which finally caused a hint of panic to appear on the face of the confident "Tom".

He raised his hand.

The phantom vanished like sand blown away by the wind.

In the last second before being erased, "Tom" gritted his teeth and roared stubbornly and unwillingly:

[A contract, you can make a life-or-death pact with me, sir!]

The last grain of sand drifted away from his black eyes, which gleamed with a red light.

Darkness returned, and silence followed.

then.

"Splash!"

Suddenly, the darkness began to writhe wildly!

It was made of countless interwoven tentacles, and suddenly fell down like a curtain covering a stage!

Followed by.

The blood-red hue, reminiscent of an oil painting, is immediately striking.

Ethan stood in the swirling crimson earth, the ground beneath his feet feeling slightly soft, and if he listened closely, he could faintly hear the beating of a heart from deep underground.

Like a burning candle, the golden sun, dripping with candle wax, hangs high in the sky, bursting forth with brilliant light, yet without a trace of heat.

"Hmm, so this is my consciousness space? It certainly has an artistic feel to it."

"I thought it would bring back some terrifying memories. Tsk tsk, what a pity."

Ethan clicked his tongue and looked around curiously.

At this moment, a burgeoning desire began to grow in his heart.

Ethan's breathing gradually became rapid.

The azure eyes gradually brightened, like a cat spotting a ball of yarn; the pupils contracted as it excitedly gazed into the distance at this crimson land.

...without direction or orientation.

But Ethan knew.

No matter which direction he goes, endless fun and excitement await him.

The crimson paint would flow over his entire body like a mother's tight, warm, and moist embrace.

Let him create an endless stream of beautiful paintings.

Never-ending... Never-ending...

Never-ending...

Just as Ethan lifted his heel, about to take a step forward...

He tripped over something.

Ethan's eyes moved as he looked down at the ground.

Upon seeing it, I noticed a carrot earring.

As for the earrings, they were far too big; it seemed only someone as eccentric as Professor Trelawney would wear them.

Followed by.

"Bang! Bang!"

As if noticing his gaze, magazines with bizarre and exaggerated covers began to appear.

66

...Singing a Different Tune? Ha, what an interesting name! It gives me a familiar feeling...

'

Ethan stopped in his tracks, his attention unconsciously drawn to the view above.

Then.

Like rabbits jumping out of a magician's hat, a series of strange and wonderful objects popped out!

A pair of flamboyant pink and blue glasses, a chain of butterbeer necklaces, a buzzing, disruptive noise, and a snorting, curved-horned beast snorting...

At last.

It's a portrait.

It depicts a terrifying, inhuman face, but upon closer inspection, you'll discover it's actually made up of individual "friends."

It's made up of letters!

"Ha! Looks like I've met a drawing genius!"

Ethan was amused, bent down to pick up the portrait, and the more he looked at it, the more familiar the person in it seemed.

Before we knew it.

A cool mist rose up, obscuring the dazzling golden light.

The silvery moonlight cascaded down, like a pair of gentle hands stroking Ethan's hair, soothing his raging thoughts.

In the blink of an eye.

Ethan's azure eyes slowly regained their clarity and rationality.

He held in his hand the portrait Luna had given him; every stroke of the brush was filled with pure and intense emotions.

Like an anchor point, it fixed him in place, preventing him from stepping towards that scarlet color.

"Little Tom, the biggest difference between you and me isn't the level of our abilities."

"But I am deeply loved."

Ethan held the portrait in his arms, a wide smile spreading across his face.

"And I responded to those who love me!"

Let's not use the Ravenclaw tiara anymore.

The words fell.

The crimson paint all around faded away as if a flood had been released!

Ethan closed his eyes, hugged Luna's painting tightly, and together they fell into reality.

In the darkness, a line of eerie blue text appeared:

Congratulations! You have successfully developed a healing potion for the Bleeding Curse Orcs!

[Soul fusion level increased by 0.2%!]

Current integration level: 98.36%

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