FOR MORE CHAPTERS
patreon.com/STEPHENHART427
"Although I have already mastered several full-level dark magics, in addition to the three Unforgivable Curses, I still need to learn the counter-spells for other dark magics as soon as possible."
The Christmas holidays were passing by, day by day.
Harry and Ron would often sneak out late at night to the Mirror of Erised, gazing at their reflections for hours.
Eventually, Dumbledore discovered them and had the mirror removed. Harry was noticeably dejected afterward, but Dylan had no time to console him.
Lately, he had been devoting himself to studying the counter-spells of dark magic.
For some reason, Professor Flitwick had been hesitant about teaching him dark magic counter-spells at first. However, not only did he eventually agree to teach Dylan the counter-spell for the Fiery Flame Curse, but he also decided, for the first time, to teach him counter-spells for other dark magics as well.
This was what Dylan had been studying over the past few days.
But this wasn't his only concern.
For instance, he was also preparing for a trip into the Forbidden Forest.
It was a dangerous endeavor, so he needed to be thoroughly prepared—knowing exactly when to enter, when to leave, where to find the giant spider, and, most importantly, how to safely extract its venom once he did.
At the same time, he couldn't afford to neglect his other subjects. He had to improve in all areas simultaneously.
As a result, despite the holidays, Dylan's schedule was more packed than ever.
"Next school year, the professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts will be replaced again," Dylan mused as he practiced the counter-spell for the Fiery Curse.
He couldn't quite remember the professor's name, but he was certain there was a "Root" among them.
However, there was one thing he remembered very clearly about this guy.
While his general magical abilities were unremarkable, when it came to the Memory Charm, he was nothing short of a master.
And he was incredibly arrogant.
He had a habit of handing out autographs to people as if he were a celebrity.
"Although he's a fraud who constantly uses the Obliviate spell to steal others' achievements, has mediocre skills, and is insufferably vain, after he becomes a professor, his signature will allow me to access the Restricted Section and borrow forbidden books."
Dylan recalled that this guy had once attempted to use the Memory Charm on Harry and Ron.
However, because Ron's wand was damaged, the spell backfired, rebounding onto Root himself.
This resulted in complete amnesia, and he was subsequently sent to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries for long-term care.
"Even useless people can be useful in some way," Dylan chuckled.
No one was entirely without value.
Hadn't Root managed to become a Hogwarts professor purely by using the Memory Charm to steal the achievements of others and then boasting about them?
"As long as I get his autograph, I can access the Restricted Section. Professor Flitwick has agreed to teach me a few counter-spells against dark magic, but that's far from enough," Dylan thought.
Gaining access to forbidden books would allow him to further verify some of his theories.
"If some of my ideas weren't seen as controversial by professors, I wouldn't have to learn everything on my own."
Dylan sighed.
He gently waved his wand.
Mastering the counter-spells for dark magic wasn't particularly difficult for him.
After all, counter-spells essentially reverse dark magic.
And since he was already one of the foremost masters of dark magic, possessing an unparalleled understanding of the six great dark spells, learning their counter-spells was just a matter of time.
Dylan deliberately waited until Harry and the others were out before staying behind in the dormitory to practice.
"Fiendfyre!"
With a flick of his wand, pink flames emerged from its tip, morphing into a lifelike pink furry rabbit.
The rabbit hopped in the air, twisting and flipping according to Dylan's thoughts.
Just as it was about to jump onto Harry's bed, Dylan flicked his wand again.
The Fiendfyre, shaped like a pink furry rabbit, leaped into the pile of wood he had prepared in advance.
"Sizzle!"
In an instant, the flames devoured the wood, reducing it to nothing.
As the fire threatened to spread further and engulf the entire dormitory, Dylan quickly cast the counter-spell.
"Swish!"
A stream of pink light shot out, enveloping the fiery pink rabbit.
Though the creature snarled, its blazing tongues of fire lashing out hungrily, it couldn't break free from the magical restraint.
Finally, it let out a high-pitched shriek before extinguishing with a soft "crackling" sound.
All that remained was a charred residue on the ground.
"Reparo!"
Dylan pointed his wand at the burn mark.
A pink glow radiated out, but as soon as it touched the charred floor, the mark only trembled slightly before the glow faded like a burst bubble.
The scorch mark remained stubbornly in place, unchanged.
Dylan's expression remained calm—he had expected this.
Slowly, he stood up, grabbed a corner of Harry's bedsheet, and gently pulled it down.
The cloth draped over the burn mark, concealing it completely.
Satisfied, Dylan patted the sheet, then returned to his own bed.
"If I want to practice dark magic extensively, including their counter-spells, I should do it in the Room of Requirement."
The Room of Requirement was extremely well-hidden, with special protection mechanisms that made it nearly impossible to be detected.
Only those who truly needed it could find and enter it, and the room itself adapted to suit the needs of whoever was inside.
More importantly, it could resist magical detection.
Thus, if Dylan wanted to experiment with dark magic, practice counter-spells, or test out certain theories, the Room of Requirement would be the ideal place.
It was one of the few locations where he wouldn't have to worry about Dumbledore noticing anything suspicious.
"Maybe I'm being overly cautious," Dylan thought.
"Even though Dumbledore is the greatest wizard of our time, he's still human. In the end, he planned to capture Voldemort and even sacrificed his own life in the process."
Perhaps he didn't need to be so wary.
Dumbledore couldn't possibly know everything.
(End of Chapter)
FOR MORE CHAPTERS
patreon.com/STEPHENHART427