Chapter 32: Training Dummy

Hearing Tver say his name, Quirrell shot to his feet, his face darkening. He had believed his disguise was impenetrable, which was his greatest assurance at Hogwarts. Now, someone had called out his name. What if Dumbledore had also seen through him?

Quirrell was now in a panic. Honestly, he no longer wanted to deal with the person in front of him. He wanted to run away and shout to the Dark Lord, "I quit!"

"Calm down. If this person had told Dumbledore about you, you wouldn't be meeting him now," Voldemort's voice echoed eerily in Quirrell's mind.

"But he knows our secret and could expose us at any time."

Voldemort snorted, a sound that mocked someone, though it was unclear whom.

"Rest assured, his goal is also the Philosopher's Stone. He won't cause any trouble until he has it. In fact, he'll 'protect' your identity."

Quirrell instantly understood the Dark Lord's meaning and relaxed, exhaling in relief.

"You mean, he plans to help us get the Philosopher's Stone and then steal it from us?"

Voldemort did not reply, but Quirrell already knew the answer. He sat back down, feeling more confident and at ease.

"There's only one Stone. If I give it to you, what will I do?" Quirrell asked casually.

"I can wait until you're done with it," Tver replied dismissively.

They both knew that the moment they obtained the Philosopher's Stone, a duel would ensue. The idea of waiting for one to finish using it before handing it over was absurd.

Quirrell understood this perfectly and didn't expect a useful answer.

"You know my identity, but I don't know yours. That's unfair."

Tver chuckled, tilting his head to look at Quirrell. "There's no fairness in black market dealings."

"True, but there's bargaining."

Tver immediately straightened, puzzled by Quirrell's sudden shrewdness as he looked at the hidden face under the hood.

"I don't need to know your identity," Quirrell said with satisfaction, "but I need to know your progress and more about that thing."

Since the person in front of him knew that the first guardian of the Philosopher's Stone was a three-headed dog, he must have already been inside.

However, needing Quirrell to blaze the trail and get the Stone meant he couldn't navigate the subsequent obstacles.

Quirrell planned to rely on Tver's information to get the Stone as soon as possible and then make a swift escape. By then, even if Dumbledore were furious, the Dark Lord would already be resurrected. What would he have to fear?

Tver chuckled, recalling the plot.

"I can tell you an extra piece of information—the Stone is hidden in the final mirror, enchanted by Dumbledore himself."

Quirrell's expression, hidden under his hood, changed instantly. He had suspected that the Stone's protection wouldn't be simple and had worried that Dumbledore might have cast the spells himself. He hadn't expected his fears to be confirmed so quickly.

"What kind of magic did Dumbledore use?" Quirrell asked urgently.

He couldn't help his urgency. When it came to dark magic, the Dark Lord wouldn't fear Dumbledore. But in terms of white magic, Dumbledore could outclass the Dark Lord by a mile!

"You'll have to ask Dumbledore himself about that. I've told you all I can. Whether you want to make a deal is up to you."

Tver wouldn't divulge everything at once. At least, not until he cleared the chessboard and Quirrell had drawn enough of Dumbledore's attention, allowing him to fish in troubled waters.

Quirrell pondered for a while before coming to a decision.

"Tell me the three-headed dog's weakness. It benefits both of us, doesn't it?"

Tver lightly tapped the table, leaving a single word before leaving. They were attracting too much attention, which could easily invite trouble from some desperate individuals. Though he wasn't afraid, it would still be a hassle, especially since he couldn't reveal his identity yet.

Quirrell glanced at the word "music," waved his hand, and it disappeared. For the same reason, he didn't linger in the bar either.

...

By the time Tver returned to the castle, it was already nine in the evening, with about an hour left before curfew.

For a professor, this wasn't an issue, but for the four students suspended in the air, it was a different story.

"I didn't consider that you hadn't learned wandless magic yet," Tver said, stifling a laugh as he looked at the scene before him.

When Cedric and the others first encountered the training dummy, they hesitated to engage it in battle.

This training dummy appeared cruder than what the second-year students had described. It had only basic limbs and no facial features.

Its bald head made it look unintelligent, but after some hesitation, they decided not to waste the opportunity for combat practice. So, they bravely attacked it.

To their surprise, this expressionless dummy was tougher than a real opponent! Although it used standard spells, its accuracy and casting speed surpassed even Professor Fawley's!

Of course, that was because it was only the first lesson, and the professor had taken it easy. But they all shared one common experience: they couldn't defeat it!

Fortunately, the dummy was considerate enough to ensure they didn't get hurt when it knocked them down, allowing them to quickly start the next round of combat.

Thus, the cycle continued: they were knocked down repeatedly and stood up repeatedly to face the dummy.

After all, these were the four most determined third-years. After enduring such a long beating, they managed to put up some resistance.

Soon, they learned the tactic of successive attacks, launching continuous assaults to force the dummy into a defensive stance.

However, when the dummy started moving, their plan fell apart.

In the end, they exploited the dummy's poor senses by using targeted Transfiguration spells to hinder its movements.

The effect was significant, and the dummy was nearly hit by their spells. The only problem was—

The dummy evolved!

It used Transfiguration for the first time, and it was a stronger Transfiguration than theirs. In an instant, it suspended the four of them from the ceiling...

"Professor, this dummy isn't training us, it's training itself!" George exclaimed loudly after being released.

"Cough, how could that be? I told you it's a reward for you guys."

Tver felt a bit embarrassed as his ulterior motive was exposed.

This dummy was created by combining insights from chess and soul perception. It contained not only memories but also a trace of will.

It was this trace of will that made the dummy seem conscious, allowing it to continuously learn during combat.

That's why, even though it only had basic magical memories, it could eventually use powerful Transfiguration.

Hearing the complaints from the four, Tver took out some sandwiches and a large bottle of pumpkin juice from his wallet.

"You haven't had dinner yet, have you? Hurry up and eat a bit before returning to the common room."

Fred, chewing on a sandwich, remarked, "The professor's bag really has everything."