"Hiss~"
Professor Flitwick watched Ian perform the Silent Explosion Curse once again in front of him, and the increasingly masterful skill made him take a deep breath, his expression peculiar.
As someone who had watched Ian progress from initially only producing a slight sound with the Explosion Curse, to now silently demolishing his solid wooden chair with further refinement.
Professor Flitwick understood.
He had to speak the truth.
Who knows how much further this talented student would advance the next time he came seeking him—this was the first time he felt how nerve-wracking it could be to have such a gifted student.
No wonder Dumbledore was so wary of Tom Riddle back then... Professor Flitwick understood Dumbledore, though he didn't intend to become the Dumbledore of the past.
After all, the little Ravenclaw wizard before him wasn't as bad as Tom Riddle. Uh... at least this brilliant student from his own house only liked setting fires, not killing people, right?
"No normal wizard would learn this Explosion Curse... I mean, don't cause trouble for the Aurors."
Professor Flitwick spoke with a hint of implication.
Ian instantly understood.
"This kind of magic can't rob Gringotts."
He was still somewhat puzzled.
"Yes, true, it can't rob Gringotts, but how many wizards these days would have such bold ideas? The most likely use of it is for silently blowing their enemies sky-high without disturbing their neighbors, which could be even more troublesome for the Aurors than a Killing Curse incident."
Professor Flitwick sighed heavily.
After all, he managed to dissuade Ian from wanting to publish a paper on this magic.
"Alright, indeed something like that might happen."
The young wizard thought carefully and agreed it made sense—not all wizards shared his pure nature, only using the Silent Explosion Curse to enter the library after closing to read.
Of course.
Having gone to Professor Flitwick, Ian definitely wouldn't leave easily; he wasn't discouraged by the refusal and continued working in Flitwick's office.
"Professor, since the Silent Explosion Curse might trouble Aurors, I think this Multi-target Disarming Charm could be the greatest aid for Aurors this century."
Ian still wanted to write a paper; he didn't like Grindelwald and the like's kind of hype—he wanted to create his own spotlight. A high-quality magic spell thesis was his goal.
"What Multi-target Disarming Charm?"
Originally relaxing a bit and resuming his lesson prep, Professor Flitwick's interest was piqued by Ian's words as he approached once more.
"Like this! Expelliarmus!"
Ian's wand lit with the unique red glow of the Disarming Spell, and with a flick of his wand, the magic shot out and split into arc-like rays of light.
"Crackle~"
A bunch of items around were struck by the spell, split into over a dozen, causing them to be knocked away. Amidst the red arcs of command, Ian eagerly looked at his head of house.
"..."
Professor Flitwick swallowed.
"I think this magic technique wasn't originally meant to be with the Disarming Spell, was it..." Flitwick spoke with a terrified expression, his voice sharp.
Truly worthy of being Hogwarts' Spell Class professor, a Dueling Master—one dedicated for a lifetime to magic; his sharp insight was formidable.
"Yes, Professor, this was some kind of innovation attempt on another spell, but I think for a paper, it fits best with the Disarming Spell."
Ian glanced guiltily at the large bookshelf. He certainly couldn't say this trick was intended for the Avada Lightning Chain; who would believe he simply thought such magic looked cool?
"Gulp~"
The sound of Professor Flitwick swallowing became more apparent. He swore, if Minerva hadn't told him something, he might have reported directly to the Ministry of Magic, who had left the school with Quirrell's body.
"What's the matter, Professor?"
Ian tried to appear as innocent as possible, realizing Professor Flitwick's gaze was becoming more peculiar. He hadn't expected the Ravenclaw head to truly have such sharp perception.
Even though he had secretly made some minor modifications to this technique.
"Did you see that book in the Forbidden Book Area?" Flitwick didn't harshly interrogate Ian, but spoke sharply as if something had just dawned on him.
"Uh… I read many books in the Forbidden Book Area, all approved by the Headmaster." Ian felt puzzled, as his technique hadn't referenced any book.
"The one called 'Doubtful Legend: The Mystery of the Transfer Student'." Flitwick stared intently at Ian, as if trying to discern a lie from his expressions.
"Huh? Is there such a book? I haven't seen it." Ian remained bewildered, hearing an unfamiliar title from Professor Flitwick.
"Is it some kind of novel or biography?"
Ian speculated from the title. Could it be that the book's author shared his mindset, a fellow believer in the superiority of overwhelming firepower?
"Some say it's a sealed school history, others claim it's merely a fictional tale. I used to believe the latter, but now I'm unsure..."