"The Killing Curse progresses quickly? By killing people?" Basil keenly picked up on the implication in Riddle's words.
Riddle nodded. "It is the crash course for Dark Wizards. In your terms, our world doesn't have highly efficient training methods like 'Meditation.' But in fact, we do. It's just limited to Dark Wizards. With the Killing Curse, the higher the quality of the life you kill, the more feedback you receive."
"This spell allows a Dark Wizard's power to rapidly reach the limits of what their mind, personality, and will can withstand through killing."
"As you know, colloquially, spells are divided into Dark Magic, White Magic, and Charms. Maybe Transfiguration too."
"Among them, Dark and White Magic, as well as Advanced Charms, are more prone to coming 'alive' than ordinary spells. They don't require both Intent and Form to be perfect. As long as they are used successfully or proficiently, they can form 'runes' that influence the host."
"However, due to their nature, Dark and White Magic exert positive or negative influences on the host's worldview. Unlike Advanced Charms, which tend to be neutral."
"And the Killing Curse is undoubtedly the spell easiest to bring 'alive' and the one that brings the greatest negative influence to the host. Even if a Dark Wizard is fundamentally good, the power gained from using the Killing Curse will quickly hit a cap."
"But the 'rune' itself will still influence the host. Making the host more aligned with it, thus increasing the cap."
"So, as long as a Dark Wizard is willing to use the Killing Curse to kill, and kills enough people, they won't be weak."
"But they won't be a good person either."
"This is why using the Killing Curse gets you a life sentence in Azkaban."
"By your logic, couldn't I just kill a bunch of spiders and ants to get started? Why go through all this trouble? And Snape... although not a good person, and certainly not a good teacher, he isn't that evil, right? What about his Killing Curse?" Basil raised a question.
"You could indeed get started by killing. With the [Doctor of Sorcery] Echo (Strange), you are less afraid of mental shifts. But I don't recommend it. Such a Killing Curse isn't pure enough. Same reason you don't use me or the Boggart to get started."
"As for Snape." Riddle made a face like he wanted to vomit.
But it wasn't directed at Snape personally.
"Because of so-called Love. Negative influences can be offset by positive influences. For example, the Patronus Charm can offset the influence of the Killing Curse. But a corrupted soul cannot use a Patronus. They can only master it before corruption. And a Dark Wizard with so-called Love is hard to corrupt completely. Thus allowing them to master the Patronus."
"What about the other two Unforgivable Curses?" Basil asked further.
"Them? They make people evil. An evil soul is definitely corrupted. But a corrupted soul isn't necessarily evil."
The conversation ended there.
This was why Basil still hadn't mastered the Killing Curse until now.
In Charms class, Basil recalled this scene and blew a strand of hair out of his face in frustration.
Professor Flitwick divided the class into pairs to start practicing.
Harry's partner was Ron.
Basil's partner was Hermione.
Coincidentally, neither Basil nor Ron was practicing the Levitation Charm seriously.
Basil was depressed, wondering when he could get started with the Killing Curse.
Ron, meanwhile, had spread out a piece of parchment.
He whispered to Harry, sharing his recent findings on Lockhart: "According to Basil's lead and my extensive investigation... the wizard who saved a village from a werewolf plague was likely an old American wizard named Frank. He looked ugly and crazy, so no one wanted to approach him."
" The witch who banished the Bandon Banshee was a harelip..."
"..."
"In summary, I found a pattern. Lockhart targets wizards who are physically disadvantaged or unapproachable. At the same time, they accomplished something extraordinary. They probably felt a huge gap in their hearts. And at this moment... think about it, a handsome young wizard actively approaches them."
"Plus, he's a smooth talker. It's hard not to open your heart to him."
"After stealing their deeds and erasing their memories... as marginalized people, no one would notice them anyway."
"This is probably why Lockhart has been at large for so many years."
Ron nodded with certainty.
On the other side, Basil's slacking off triggered Hermione's "Snitch Radar."
But due to Basil's excellence and her girlish crush, she couldn't bring herself to report him.
Just then, she noticed Ron.
So, after Ron finished his long speech...
Her hand shot up (Swish!). "Professor, Ron isn't practicing. He's talking!"
The result was Ron losing 2 points.
By the time class ended, Ron was in a foul mood.
"She thinks just because her family is well-off, my efforts don't matter!" he said to Harry as they pushed through the crowded corridor. "Honestly, if it weren't for Basil, who would bother with her? She's a nightmare."
Someone bumped into Harry and hurried past them. It was Hermione.
Harry caught a glimpse of her face—he was surprised to see her eyes were red.
Basil was following closely behind.
"I think she heard you," Harry whispered.
"So?" said Ron, though he looked a bit uneasy. "She deserved it."
"Basil is following behind," Harry hinted.
"Fine, I'll apologize to her at lunch," Ron said reluctantly.
However, for the rest of the afternoon, Hermione didn't appear.
Basil found this quite dramatic.
In fact, Hermione, accompanied by Basil, hadn't cared too much about Ron's words initially.
She hadn't even cried over it.
But on the way back to the dormitory, around a corner, Hermione ran into her roommates.
"That bitch! Clinging to Basil all day."
"Basil only accepted her because she has no friends."
"Nose in the air all day, looking down on everyone. So what if her grades are good? It's disgusting. Who wants to copy her homework anyway?"
"Exactly. I'm confident in my looks. If she wasn't in the way, Basil would be ours by now! I noticed he was especially enthusiastic towards us."
"Right!"
On the other side of the corridor, Hermione turned pale, tears blurring her vision.
She recognized the voices instantly.
Her roommates: Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil.
And Parvati's twin sister, Padma.
She didn't care much about the mockery.
But the content... Basil was more enthusiastic towards the Patil sisters.
Parvati wasn't wrong. She was indeed pretty; there was no one prettier among the first-years.
Not to mention she had a twin sister.
Boys would definitely like that.
Did Basil... really think she was a burden and an obstacle, just like Parvati said?
Behind Hermione, Basil had a face full of question marks.
Didn't Hermione's relationship with other students improve? Ever since she stopped nagging everyone except him, Harry, and Ron?
Why are these girls two-faced?
Everyone knew what happened next.
Hermione hid in the girls' bathroom and refused to come out.
Just like in the original book.
This wasn't about fate; it was a conflict destined by personality.
As long as Hermione refused to change her way of dealing with people, conflict was inevitable.
Fortunately, this wasn't the Information Age.
Idiots wouldn't resonate with other idiots online due to a large information base and become Mega-Idiots.
Idiots gathering together, validating their own stupid actions, and becoming even stupider.
At least Hermione would change because of this.
But staying in the bathroom and skipping class... that was too much.
Basil couldn't persuade her either.
She believed Basil was only with her out of pity/kindness.
This annoyed Basil.
Is this kindness? I'm lusting after your Echo!
Silly girl!
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