Wyzett furrowed his brow, mulling over the words. "To cast magic freely… so, you mean without deliberate effort? That I should keep myself relaxed?"
"Wyzett, your understanding is truly remarkable!" Voldemort replied, his voice dripping with satisfaction before he let out a theatrical sigh. "What a shame! You're so stubborn—even now, you refuse to say 'thank you for your lesson.' Truly regrettable."
"Thank you for your lesson," Wyzett replied offhandedly. "I do appreciate you sharing this knowledge."
Voldemort burst into a series of harsh, grating laughs. "How amusing. Could you say that two more times for me?"
Wyzett ignored him, picking up his pace.
Before he knew it, he'd reached the far edge of the Forbidden Forest. Cloaked in darkness, the forest's perimeter resembled a slumbering beast—its tangled, overlapping canopies forming an uneasy silhouette against the night.
"Hurry up and get inside!" Voldemort urged, impatience sharpening his tone. "I can hardly wait!"
Wyzett pressed forward. The air thickened with the scent of damp moss, as if the forest itself was swallowing him whole. It was even darker than he'd imagined; moonlight barely filtered through the dense foliage.
After just a few steps, his foot slipped on wet moss, nearly sending him tumbling.
"If I use a Lumos charm, it might attract unwanted attention," Wyzett muttered. "Is there… is there any other way to see in here?"
Voldemort sounded almost amused. "Such a polite child… Why don't you add 'Professor' to your request? Maybe then I'll be willing to help."
Suppressing a sigh, Wyzett kept his tone even: "Professor, could you tell me how to see my surroundings?"
"So this is what it feels like to be addressed properly… No wonder Quirinus enjoyed it so much." Voldemort's tone was almost pleased. "Very well, let your learned professor enlighten you! The spell is Noctis Perspicio—an ancient charm. Before the invention of the Lumos spell, wizards used this to travel at night."
"These days, you might find thieves using it instead. I'll only explain it once, so pay attention. The pronunciation is key. Repeat after me…"
It took about five minutes for Wyzett to master the night vision spell under Voldemort's terse instruction.
The principle was simple: heighten your senses, using your body as a conduit to perceive your surroundings. In this humble spell, Wyzett glimpsed the mindset of ancient wizards—solving problems by leveraging their own strengths. It reminded him of Aberforth's bread magic: living as a wizard, in a wizard's way.
He closed his eyes, savoring the technique, then pressed his wand gently to his eyelid, flicked it upward, and incanted, "Noctis Perspicio!"
As his eyelids opened with the wand's arc, the world brightened—though everything was tinged with an eerie green glow, as if he'd donned a pair of magical night-vision goggles.
"Your talent really is exceptional," Voldemort remarked. "Shouldn't you thank me properly? Just like you do with Quirinus?"
Wyzett took a steadying breath, replying coolly, "It's only because of your excellent teaching, Professor, that I learned so quickly."
"So that's what Quirinus enjoys…" Voldemort inhaled deeply, almost wistful. "If only I'd become a professor back then, maybe I could have heard this every day."
Wyzett frowned. "Back then?"
"Yes! I once wanted to return to Hogwarts as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor," Voldemort said, his tone darkening. "But Dumbledore refused me… So you see, everything that's happened since is his fault. He's the true culprit!"
"I see," Wyzett replied, unmoved, and pressed on, letting the night vision spell guide his steps.
Voldemort offered no further explanation, steering Quirrell's body forward with a low, mocking chuckle.
The Forbidden Forest teemed with magical creatures.
He glimpsed a slumbering Occamy, its body swelling and shrinking with each breath—one moment as thick as a python, the next slender as an eel.
A Bowtruckle suddenly appeared on his shoulder, clutching a wriggling earthworm in its beak, as if inviting Wyzett to share the treat.
Farther off, two Hippogriffs battled savagely, shrieking and flapping their wings, flashing their talons in a brutal contest for dominance.
As they ventured deeper, Wyzett's unease grew. "What exactly are we looking for?"
"Call me 'Professor'—it's basic courtesy."
"Professor… what are we looking for?"
Voldemort still didn't answer. "Just keep walking. Sooner or later, we'll find what I want."
"After all, you're an Obscurial. There aren't many beasts that can harm you here… you could kill to your heart's content, and no one would ever know."
If the Forbidden Forest was Eden, then Voldemort was the serpent, tempting him to take a bite from the forbidden fruit.
The air grew heavier, the stench of decay thickening. Wyzett noticed animal bones scattered in the earth—some still clinging to maggot-ridden scraps of flesh, fresh enough to suggest a nearby predator.
His senses sharpened; he gripped his wand tighter and advanced with greater caution.
"Staying alert—a very good habit…" Voldemort's voice rose, almost approving. "I find myself admiring you more and more… my student!"
Just then, a rustling came from the undergrowth ahead.
Before Wyzett could even raise his wand, a breathtaking magical creature stepped out of the bushes.
A unicorn—its coat shimmered with pure, silvery light. Even the moon seemed to pierce the dense canopy to cast a veil of radiance over it.
It moved forward with ethereal grace, and its clear, gentle eyes sparkled with a magic that soothed the soul.
Wyzett felt the unicorn's goodwill radiate toward him, a powerful urge rising to reach out and stroke its silk-soft mane.
"Aha!" Voldemort crowed, voice sharp with hunger. "Wyzett, that's our target! I want its blood! Quick—bring me its blood!"
"Absolutely not!" Wyzett shot back, his voice ringing with unwavering resolve.
The unicorn seemed to sense Voldemort's malice. It dipped its head to Wyzett, then vanished silently into the shadows.
"So, your bond with Quirinus isn't so unbreakable after all," Voldemort sneered, as if he'd expected nothing less. "Quirinus's life means less to you than a unicorn's. Tsk, tsk… perhaps I misjudged you."
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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