The Silent Witch of Hogwarts

Chapter 58: Dumbledore's Defense Against the Dark Arts Class

In the early morning, the autumn wind blew across the grass of Hogwarts, and then along the eaves, carrying a desolate feeling all the way to the long corridor.

"It's getting colder and colder," Harry muttered, wrapped in his coat.

"Maybe it's because we have Defense Against the Dark Arts class next period?" Ron said, his face pale. "I just got out of the hospital!"

Poor Ron… Harry looked at his friend with concern, because he had been struck by the Avada Kedavra curse he remembered during Professor Hamilton’s class, and had been lying in Madam Pomfrey’s house for several days…

I was finally discharged from the hospital last night, but today I have to face Defense Against the Dark Arts class again.

"You need to be careful this time," Hermione cautioned. "Don't...stand in weird spots again."

Come to think of it, why would anyone be able to be hit by that Avada Kedavra curse that was cast into the sky?

Harry looked at Ron and shook his head.

"How was I supposed to know he would release...release that..." Ron muttered to himself, seemingly traumatized.

But what good is having a psychological trauma? The three of them sat down in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom again.

As class time approached, the office door opened precisely on time.

"..."

The silent Professor Hamilton emerged again. What did his face look like beneath that pale mask?

Harry wondered curiously, guessing that it should look like an old woman.

After all, Professor Hamilton wasn't much taller than me, probably because he was older.

While Harry was thinking, Professor Hamilton raised his wand and tapped it.

The headbands that the young wizards had put in their bags floated out one by one.

It's coming again!

"Bang!"

Another wave of pain shot through Harry's head, and before he could even say anything, everything in front of him was once again shrouded in fog.

As the silvery mist dissipated, what came into view was no longer Durmstrang's somewhat dark classroom... Instead, it was a place almost exactly the same as the classroom he had just been in.

Has the headband stopped working?

Harry paused for a moment and looked around, but he didn't see Ron and Hermione... This was still in his memory.

However, it seemed that... he slightly raised his head and looked at the man standing at the door of the second-floor office.

"Professor Dumbledore?!" He stared in astonishment as the old man, who bore a striking resemblance to Dumbledore, slowly descended the steps. Harry would never forget the gentle smile on his face and those blue eyes.

It's Professor Dumbledore!

Professor Hamilton... how did he do that? If Hermione were here, she might be able to analyze it, but after thinking for a long time, Harry could only come to the conclusion that it was amazing.

"Alright, gentlemen and ladies of the first year, please be quiet." Dumbledore spoke slowly, his gentle eyes sweeping over each student. Harry wondered if it was just his imagination, but he felt that his gaze lingered on him for a few seconds.

"Today is our first Defense Against the Dark Arts class," Dumbledore said, flicking his wand and opening everyone's books.

"Today we are going to learn the first and most important lesson in Defense Against the Dark Arts," Dumbledore said, flicking his wand. The chalk naturally rose and wrote on the blackboard: "Love."

"That's right, this is our first lesson." Dumbledore said slowly, appearing more gentle and refined than the professor at Durmstrang, and his words were also more wise.

"The power of love is immense."

"Even the most powerful dark magic, even the Unforgivable Curse, cannot overcome the spell of love."

Dumbledore's words were as gentle as a breeze, as if it were a spring morning rather than an autumn day. Harry felt an unusual sense of peace in his heart and slowly sat down as he listened to Dumbledore's voice.

If Professor Dumbledore were the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor right now… Harry suddenly had this thought.

He subconsciously let out a laugh, which, of course, did not attract the attention of the person in his memory.

Dumbledore continued to explain the spell of love, and also introduced the dark magic to the students. Compared to Professor Durmstrang, Miss Hamilton did not seem to give any ambiguity to the dark magic in this lesson.

Perhaps she trusted Dumbledore a lot?

"So when you're learning magic, you must be careful not to let darkness corrupt your heart, and you must also know..." Dumbledore paused and said, "Don't become like...."

Like whom?

Harry paused for a moment. Dumbledore had just said a name... but... was it the same name as in Durmstrang's lesson, the one that was obscured?

Is that name Voldemort?

Harry subconsciously thought this, but looking at the rather young Dumbledore... he remembered that Voldemort's story was only a little over a decade ago.

Who would that be?

"Does any gentleman or lady know what we should do when faced with the Unforgivable Curse?" While Harry was puzzled, Dumbledore seemed to have already steered the lesson in the next direction.

"Oh? Tom, do you know?" Dumbledore pointed to a student, a boy with black hair who looked quite calm, even slightly gloomy.

He nodded politely, then slowly stood up and said, "There's no other way."

The most distinctive feature of the Unforgivable Curse is that it has no counter-curse.

"All that exists is pure power."

"That's a good answer, Tom." Dumbledore smiled and nodded, gesturing for the student to sit down. "But I need to correct one thing."

"The Unforgivable Curse has no power; it contains only cruelty... and hatred."

"Only the purest inclination of hatred can unleash the Unforgivable Curse, and for that reason, it has no counter-curse." Dumbledore's words seemed to carry a hint of warning.

All the students nodded in agreement, including the student named Tom, who nodded slightly in approval.

The class ended quickly.

It was much faster than Harry had imagined, but when the silver mist dissipated, the clock showed the end of get out of class.

Was Professor Dumbledore's lecture too captivating?

Harry looked at Ron as he thought this. Ron's usually pale face was now flushed, and in Professor Dumbledore's memory, he seemed to be much more comfortable.

Hermione, after removing her headband, immediately exclaimed excitedly, "These are Professor Dumbledore's memories!"

"Did you just recognize me?"

"That's Professor Dumbledore!"

"I recognize it, but that seems to have been many years ago," Harry said after a moment's thought.

"Is that Professor Dumbledore?" Only Ron paused for a moment, then said, puzzled, "I thought he was some Hogwarts professor."

"You can actually recognize that as Hogwarts...?" Hermione shook her head helplessly. "That must be Professor Dumbledore from fifty years ago, right?"

"I never imagined Professor Hamilton could access Professor Dumbledore's memories..." Hermione said, her eyes shining with delight. "He's the greatest wizard of all time!"

"If everyone becomes Professor Dumbledore from now on..."

"Greater than Lockhart?" Ron interrupted at the opportune moment.

"They...their great paths are different." Hermione rolled her eyes and looked at Professor Hamilton, who was standing silently on the balcony.