Knowledge!
Knowledge!
This is precious knowledge!
"No, no, there's clearly a problem here. According to what you just said, there should be a pause at the third byte to achieve the maximum effect!" Anton said, frowning as he looked at the blue flame changing patterns in mid-air.
"Interesting, you've noticed that too?" Professor Quirrell smiled faintly. "Doing so would indeed make the spell more powerful, but power also means instability. It requires the caster to maintain an extremely high level of concentration at all times, which most people cannot do."
After explaining the Scarecrow Jinx, Professor Quirrell went on to talk about the Scarecrow Imp, a product of curses, and the content of the original Runic spell.
Anton was completely captivated, entering a state of frenzy. He would frequently interrupt the lesson to ask questions, sometimes even expressing opposing views.
Professor Quirrell wasn't annoyed. He maintained his elegant demeanor, explaining all the young wizard's questions in a soft, gentle voice with just a few words.
"You seem to be researching something. Your questions are very biased!" The kind smile on Professor Quirrell's face grew even wider.
"!!!"
Anton finally snapped back to reality, forcing a smile that wasn't too awkward. "I've just enrolled. I'm a first-year, Professor."
Quirrell smiled faintly. "Alright, class is over. You should head back."
Anton quickly stood up. He thought for a moment, then looked at Quirrell sincerely. "Thank you, Professor."
"Professor?" A smile bloomed on Quirrell's face, one of genuine happiness.
Oh, comparison really makes a difference. Anton finally realized that the professor had been fake-smiling all this time.
"Yes, Professor. Good night, goodbye."
Anton quickly took his leave and walked rapidly out of the office.
"Antony Weasley..." Quirrell's voice echoed eerily from behind him.
Anton froze stiff. He already had one hand on the doorknob of the office door! He squeezed it tightly, but eventually let go.
He turned around, smiling.
A very bright smile.
"Is there anything else, Professor?"
Quirrell stood up gracefully and slowly paced closer.
One step, two steps.
The steps of a demon.
Damn it, Anton could only feel goosebumps all over his body, and countless beads of cold sweat instantly broke out on his back.
Pat.
Quirrell placed a hand on his shoulder.
Anton felt he must have been hit by a Petrification Jinx, otherwise how could he be unable to move.
"As far as I know, you're learning Potions from Snape on Saturdays?"
"Yes." He nodded lightly.
"Very good, a smart student should learn more." Quirrell's hand patted him gently. "Come to my office on Sunday."
"???"
What?
What the fuck?
After leaving Quirrell's office, Anton fled as if running a hundred-meter dash.
He felt he was down on his luck; every time he wanted to learn something, it had to be so thrilling and stimulating.
When he came out, the sky had unknowingly turned dark.
Wandering aimlessly through the corridors of Hogwarts Castle, Anton fell into deep thought.
Yes, Voldemort did indeed like being the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.
But that didn't mean he had nothing better to do than to give him private lessons!
Anton wasn't so full of himself to think, like in those fantasy novels from his past life, that the headmaster of a magic academy would be crying and begging to teach him magic.
He was definitely being targeted by Voldemort!
So...
What do I have that Voldemort would target?
Anton was completely bewildered. Besides being a bit studious and revealing his Animagus form as a viper, what had he done since the start of school?
He really wanted to slap himself right now.
You and your big mouth!
You and your love for learning!
There are so many professors to seek knowledge from, why ask Professor Quirrell?
Should I go find Dumbledore now?
Yes, find old Dumbledore.
Anton's expression hardened. I don't care what kind of demon or monster you are, I don't care about the original plot, I'm going to call in Dumbledore to suppress you today!
He walked up the stone steps. Dumbledore's office was on the top floor of the castle.
Anton gritted his teeth, his heart filled with apprehension.
He was actually a little afraid of Dumbledore, mainly because of his background as a dark wizard's apprentice, his deep mastery of the Unforgivable Cruciatus Curse, and the hundreds of dark spells he had memorized from the old wizard's diary.
The old wizard's influence wasn't just knowledge. During his time studying at Hogwarts, Anton deeply felt the difference between this place and the chaotic underbelly of the wizarding world.
Voldemort aside, the normal wizarding world was too peaceful.
He was like an old mercenary returning to a peaceful society from a war-torn battlefield, always feeling out of place.
Of course, he wasn't worried about Dumbledore's Legilimency, nor Voldemort's. The spell only looked intimidating.
It could only read thoughts, not even explore memories, unless your thoughts were currently recalling a certain scene.
And the old goblin, Pedro, was a 'collector and explorer of time and memory'. He had his own unique and clever tricks for playing with memories and thoughts.
Anton didn't even need to learn them. Having wandered in Pedro's mind for so long, he had learned what he needed to learn.
If 'Occlumency' would prevent others from finding any information, the goblin's technique was to let people browse freely in the mind, but what they saw was what you wanted them to see.
It could be said that Dumbledore's and Voldemort's Legilimency could only read the content in his mind that he wanted them to read.
Some carefully designed content, full of sincerity.
This was much more useful than Occlumency.
Hurrying around a corner, Anton almost bumped into an adult wizard.
He took a closer look.
Holy crap!
Professor Quirrell.
And it was a very elegantly smiling Professor Quirrell!
Where did this guy pop out from? How did he get here before me?
"A young wizard wandering the castle late at night instead of sleeping, that's not good."
Oh my god~
Anton swallowed hard.
"Hello, Professor."
Smile, an exceptionally bright smile.
"Professor, your lesson just now was truly excellent. As they say, once you understand one thing, you understand a hundred. I suddenly have some interesting insights into Potions too!"
This sentence was not actually a lie.
Inheriting the old wizard's Fiennes academic theory of integrating potions and spells, he really had countless ideas popping up while listening to the lecture.
Anton pointed to the office door not far away. "I was just about to come and ask Professor Snape."
"Is that so?"
Professor Quirrell smiled faintly. "But it looked to me like you were planning to continue upwards?"
"Ha!" Anton lightly patted his own forehead. "Sometimes it's like that, you get lost in thought."
Tsk.
Only then did Anton realize he was covered in a cold sweat. The moment he patted his forehead, he felt it was as cold as a dead person's.
"Are you also here to see Professor Snape, Professor?"
The young wizard looked curious.
"Snape..." Professor Quirrell's face was full of a strange expression. "No, I don't want to see him right now."
"Is that so." Anton bowed calmly. "Well then, my dear professor, good night."
"Good night."
Quirrell narrowed his eyes and licked the corner of his mouth, as if resisting some delicious food. He watched the young wizard walk quickly forward and knock on Snape's office door.
With a light flick of his wizarding robes, Quirrell walked calmly down the corridor.
Hearing Snape's roar from being woken up, and the young wizard's excited ramblings about his ideas, the corner of Quirrell's mouth lifted slightly. "Professor? Heh~"