Chapter 40: Professor "Quirrell"

As energetic and curious young wizards, the students naturally had high expectations for a class with a name as impressive as "Defense Against the Dark Arts."

Unfortunately, the rumors they'd overheard in the Great Hall earlier that morning weren't exactly encouraging.

Some said Professor Quirrell's class was extremely boring.

Others mentioned that Quirrell had an odd, weird sense of fashion.

And there were even whispers about a strong smell of garlic that constantly surrounded him.

These rumors had already dampened the students' excitement before the class even started.

As it turned out, the latter two rumors were true, but the claim about the class being boring didn't seem accurate at all.

"The basic concepts of Dark Magic—you're probably all familiar with terms like jinxes, hexes, and curses. But do you know how they are specifically categorized?"

Professor Quirrell spoke confidently from the podium. He didn't ask them to open to a specific page in their textbooks, nor was he mumbling quietly as the older students had warned. 

Instead, Quirrell was self-assured and commanding, as if he had been looking forward to teaching this lesson for quite some time.

He spoke with an air of deep knowledge, and though some of his remarks seemed to downplay the importance of textbooks, on closer thought, what he said made sense—perhaps even more so than what was written in the books.

Of course, only a few students could grasp this, as most hadn't bothered to review their textbooks before class.

Taylor was listening intently. She had heard many stories about Dark Magic growing up. While her grandmother hadn't taught her how to use it, she had taught her various counter-curses. 

Having lost a family member to Dark Magic, Taylor not only despised it but was also extra cautious and vigilant around it.

Meanwhile, Malfoy watched Quirrell from his seat. Although the professor was just delivering a normal lecture, Malfoy could feel the power in his words... 

But... it still didn't seem as impactful or thrilling as when Luke spoke.

On second thought, though, Quirrell was simply teaching a lesson. It would actually be odd if he were more compelling than Luke.

Malfoy glanced at Luke, noticing that he was watching Professor Quirrell with great attention. He seemed completely focused, yet for some reason, his face looked a little stiff.

In truth, Luke's face wasn't just stiff—

He was utterly shocked.

While the others might not have realized it, Luke knew better.

The person standing at the front of the class was just wearing Quirrell's face.

Of course, he was familiar with Dark Magic. Of course, he disregarded the textbooks. Of course, his lesson was effective.

For heaven's sake, that was 'Tom Marvolo Riddle'! 'The one who should not be named'! The very man who cursed the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor because he couldn't secure it for himself!

Who knows how long he had been waiting for a moment like this.

Did he ever imagine himself teaching such a class while he was slaughtering Muggle-borns and enforcing his reign of terror over the British wizarding world?

Now standing at the front of a classroom, sharing his thoughts on Dark Magic and its defense, while students listened attentively, took notes, and engaged with him.

Maybe, in another life, he could have been an excellent professor. He might have even become the Head of Slytherin House and, one day, the Headmaster of Hogwarts.

Wait a minute... Isn't that 'Snape's' career path?

Luke smirked inwardly. So Voldemort's original path was to be like Snape?

Of course, that was just a passing thought. Luke knew all too well that even if Voldemort had initially aspired to be a Hogwarts professor, his nature and methods would never have allowed him to become a kind or caring teacher.

Unlike Snape, who, despite his harsh words and intimidating demeanor, ultimately didn't cause any real harm to his students.

Tom as a professor would likely have seen students as potential sacrifices for his pursuit of immortality.

Though Luke's mind was swirling with all kinds of chaotic thoughts, he never let his guard down. His right hand was already in a position to quickly grab Slytherin's wand if needed. 

Even though the system hadn't given him any immediate power-boosting methods that were guaranteed to be safe, this wand could provide him with significant strength for a short time.

It wasn't without risks, though—the side effects alone, just from looking at the description, made Luke hesitant. He had already decided not to use it unless absolutely necessary.

He didn't believe Tom would be insane enough to attack students here and now, but preparation was still key.

"So, can anyone tell me what the classification criteria are for the three types of Dark Curses I mentioned earlier?"

Professor Quirrell's lecture had reached its peak, and he seemed more animated, even smiling. Luke could sense a kind of happiness in him, as if his endless greed had momentarily sunk below the surface.

The students exchanged glances, clearly unsure how to answer this particular question.

By now, Quirrell's lecture had deviated somewhat from the textbook, leaving even those who had done the reading unable to respond, let alone those who hadn't.

Still, there was someone who could answer the question.

Taylor, having grown up with extensive knowledge of Dark Magic, knew the answer.

She hadn't activated her Legilimens abilities, though. After all, Legilimens didn't always want to hear the dark, twisted, or dirty thoughts lurking in people's minds—especially when those thoughts clashed with someone's outward behavior, accompanied by a bright smile or a warm demeanor. That was particularly revolting.

As she prepared to raise her hand to answer, Luke suddenly pressed it down firmly, the motion subtle and discreet.

She shot a questioning glance at Luke, trying to keep her expression neutral.

Luke barely shook his head. Understanding his unspoken signal, she abandoned the idea of answering.

Taylor wasn't one to seek attention anyway. The only reason she had considered speaking up was because this particular Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson had been so fascinating, and no one else seemed capable of answering Quirrell's question.

She wanted to help the professor avoid an awkward silence, which could be worse than hearing a wrong answer.

But since Luke had stopped her in such a discreet way, she wasn't about to take the risk.

"Luke, Luke Gaunt! You answer! I'm sure someone from such an ancient family as yours would be well-versed in this basic knowledge"

Said Professor "Quirrell," smiling as he called on Luke.

All eyes turned to Luke, seated in the corner.

Luke sighed inwardly. What was meant to happen would always happen.

"There isn't a strict classification, Professor, Other than the three Unforgivable Curses, which are always considered curses, the rest depend largely on the effects and vary from person to person."

"For example, some people view the Bat-Bogey Hex as a harmful curse, while others see it as just a minor jinx."

Professor "Quirrell" was clearly pleased with Luke's response.

"Excellent! Five points to Slytherin!"

*****

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