Dark magic.
It's not considered dark magic simply because it's powerful.
To be labeled as such, it must meet several specific criteria...
One of them being that the damage it causes must be difficult—if not impossible—to reverse.
Take the Unforgivable Curses, for instance. They're strictly forbidden in the wizarding world because the harm they inflict is often irreparable. The Killing Curse, among them, can end a wizard's life instantly.
That's why using any of the three Unforgivable Curses on someone and being caught means a lifetime sentence in Azkaban.
The Sectumsempra Draco used earlier shares a similar trait—its wounds are hard to heal. While it technically doesn't violate the laws of the wizarding world, its very nature makes it undeniably dark magic...
Beyond that, the caster must possess the deliberate intent to cause harm.
In other words, the stronger your malice, the stronger the dark magic you wield.
This is also why it's said that the more one uses dark magic, the more it begins to corrupt their mind.
The Death Eaters were prime examples—they had mastered dark magic completely.
Because of such associations and the legacy of the Death Eaters, most wizards view dark magic as synonymous with evil.
But is that really the truth?
Draco didn't think so.
Because the one in control of the power... is him, not the so-called dark magic.
...
When several young wizards were found at the scene of the troll attack, Professor McGonagall was furious. Draco and the others had never seen her look so furious before.
Especially when she noticed that two of her top students were involved—her expression of rage left Hermione speechless.
"What on earth were you thinking?!"
"You're lucky it didn't kill you! Why couldn't you just stay in the common room where you belonged?!"
Still, even as she scolded them, Professor McGonagall, concerned for her students, stepped forward to check each of them for injuries—she didn't even skip over Draco, a Slytherin.
Only after confirming they were unharmed did she finally turn her gaze to Snape, who stood nearby looking grim.
There was still one matter left to address: Draco's use of dark magic.
Even if it was justified and not directed at a fellow wizard, dark magic was still not something one could openly use—especially not when the caster was only eleven.
Under McGonagall's scrutinizing look, Snape tightened his ever-present black robes.
"Draco Malfoy is my responsibility. I'll speak to Dumbledore myself."
"Is that so? Then I'll leave him to you, Severus. As for the rest of you, come with me—now! Miss Granger, I believe you need to go to the infirmary."
Upon hearing Snape's words, and knowing who Draco was, Professor McGonagall accepted his arrangement. She turned and led the still-confused Harry and Ron away.
Hermione, who was told to visit the infirmary, seemed to notice something had changed in Draco. She followed McGonagall like a puppet, head down and clearly distracted...
With McGonagall and the others gone, the room fell completely silent—only Professor Quirrell's intermittent sobs broke the stillness.
Draco rubbed his chin, his gaze fixed on the professor sitting on the floor.
That unflinching stare seemed to make Quirrell cry even louder.
Snape, noticing Draco's impassive expression, looked increasingly displeased...
"Quirinus, once this is over, we're going to have a serious talk."
"And you, Mr. Malfoy—stop gawking like an idiot and start thinking about how you're going to explain all this. I need to know what to tell your mother!"
With that, Snape turned and left without waiting for a reply.
Draco, knowing his godfather well, wasn't bothered by the harsh tone.
After casting one last glance at the floor-bound Professor Quirrell, he followed Snape out of the room.
He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but Draco's instincts were clear—
There was definitely something off about the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor...
...
There's a reason trolls are considered one of the most dangerous magical creatures.
Despite their low intelligence and clumsy movements, their massive size and brute strength make them inherently destructive.
More importantly, that oddly colored skin isn't just for show—it grants them a natural resistance to magic.
In other words, they're not creatures that can be taken down by just a few simple spells.
Yet the outcome had completely defied Snape's expectations...
Draco, only eleven years old, had managed to defeat such a creature on his own.
Judging by the remains at the scene, it looked like Draco had used just one cast of Sectumsempra to sever the troll's head.
Snape wasn't sure whether to be proud or furious at Draco's flawless execution.
He felt proud because, if his memory served him right, he had given Draco that very spell—Sectumsempra—as a birthday gift when he turned eleven.
Had it even been a full year since then?
What was even more unsettling was that his godson seemed to have modified the spell's structure on his own...
The truth is, every spell operates under certain principles.
The most basic ones are target, intent, and composure.
Depending on the spell's complexity and the magic it requires, maintaining all three simultaneously becomes incredibly difficult.
But Draco had not only mastered the spell—he had amplified the magic power behind it.
That enhancement had pushed Sectumsempra's power to an entirely new level, which was how it managed to take down the troll in an instant...
...
[Upto 50 chapters ahead for now]
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