Hogwarts: Starting with full Unforgivable Curses

He opened his eyes and found himself standing outside a classroom, peering through the half-open door.

The classroom was unusually spacious, yet it was chillingly cold. There were no windows on the walls, and the only light came from a few copper lamps hanging from the beams.

The students in the classroom were all wearing heavy black cloaks, their shoulders hunched, their hands tucked into their sleeves, their eyes filled with awe and fear as they stared at the person standing by the podium.

That man was none other than Barty Crouch Jr.

To conceal his appearance, he conjured up a thick, dark brown beard and hair, with a full beard covering his cheeks and even his nose covered with short hair, leaving only a pair of exceptionally bright eyes visible.

Having probably returned to Voldemort's side, he was incredibly energetic, standing ramrod straight and speaking in a loud voice.

Dylan's gaze fell on the podium, where a worn-out textbook lay open, its title clearly visible.

—"Practical and Powerful Magic Collection".

Clearly, Barty the Younger is giving a lesson, and it's a lesson on dark magic.

At this moment, he was pointing to a passage in the textbook, explaining an obscure incantation.

"This is the Bloodstained Curse, a high-level dark magic, but you must master it." Little Barty's voice came through the crack in the door, carrying an undeniable authority. "Don't even think about slacking off. Every syllable you pronounce, every wave of your wand, must be precise."

Like Moody, Barty Jr. places great emphasis on practice. During the entire lesson, he didn't waste a single word, explaining everything clearly and logically, from the origin and principles of the spell to the techniques for applying force when casting it, and the possible consequences of mistakes.

What alarmed Dylan even more was that Barty Jr.'s explanation also included some talk about the soul, subtly suggesting that the soul could be strengthened by external forces.

When it comes to the application of spells, he is even more outspoken.

"First, use the Cutting Curse to create a wound for the enemy. Then, while the enemy is in a state of panic due to blood loss, cast this spell to draw out one-third of their blood within ten seconds—this is the most practical suppression method on the battlefield."

The students in the classroom listened intently, barely daring to breathe. The only sounds were the scratching of pens on paper, intertwined with Little Barty's explanations, creating an eerie atmosphere.

As the other person explained, Dylan, combining his own knowledge of dark magic with the explanation, quickly realized that the blood loss caused by the spell was far more complex than it appeared.

Little Barty also confirmed this in the second practical lesson. He emphasized that while the spell strips away the dripping blood, it also interferes with the soul of the other person by traveling along the blood vessels, causing the damaged soul fragments to be lost along with the blood.

This is the core of its high-level dark magic, but Barty spoke of it vaguely. However, Dylan's research on dark magic was even deeper than his, and he easily grasped its profound meaning.

"The core of the practice is only one thing—to deprive the opponent of all life force, leaving them with no possibility of recovery!" Little Barty summarized in class, his voice devoid of any extra emotion.

Dylan noticed that he taught the older students sophisticated techniques of soul interference, while teaching the younger students basic spellcasting gestures.

The teaching is clearly structured in stages, with even the practice dummies divided into different levels of magic resistance.

To Dylan's surprise, Barty Jr. also mentioned the existence of "the afterlife".

"There's no need to delve into the origins of spells. A wizard's spellcasting relies on their connection with magic. By mastering the tricks and refining the technique, one can naturally unleash its full power."

He even went so far as to explain that the principles behind this spell can be applied across different fields.

—Potion ingredients can be precisely separated, and herbalism can quickly extract plant essences.

Even in everyday life, it can be used to remove fish bones; simply adjust the frequency of its magic output.

It can be dripping, and it's not just blood that's flowing freely.

Dylan lingered in his memory for an entire day.

From the theoretical lessons in the morning to the practical lessons in the evening, my understanding of the incantation has become more comprehensive, and I can even deepen my understanding of some of its shortcomings in a very short time.

As night fell, candles were lit in Durmstrang's dining hall.

When Little Barty finished his lesson and came here, his plate was quickly piled high with food.

For example, some golden-fried meatballs are coated in thick gravy, and neatly sliced ​​smoked salmon is placed next to them, topped with yogurt lemon juice and yellow mustard sauce.

Voldemort didn't seem to be in the castle. Barty Jr. didn't say much throughout the meal, just ate quietly, occasionally glancing at the students around him with a somewhat distant look in his eyes.

After finishing his meal, he went straight back to his office.

When Dylan followed him in, he saw him immediately sit down at his desk, and without even taking a breath, pick up a quill and start writing on the parchment.

Despite having taught all day, he was still full of energy, his eyes sparkling with excitement, clearly enjoying the moment.

Dylan walked to the desk and looked at the contents of the parchment.

It is all about wizarding families, but it is completely different from the previous "pure-blood theory".

Barty Jr. seems to be building a completely new concept.

Abandoning the distinction between "pure-blood" and "half-blood," we return to the wizard's identity itself, emphasizing that a wizard's power stems from their own magic and talent, rather than from bloodline inheritance.

However, the drafting process was clearly not going smoothly.

He would write a few sentences, then frown and cross them out, his quill pen poking ink dots into the parchment.

There were already more than a dozen wads of discarded parchment scattered on the ground. The coffee pot next to him was empty and then filled again. By the time he finished his fifth cup of black coffee, a new piece of parchment had been scratched beyond recognition.

Dylan stayed for another half hour, and seeing that Barty was constantly revising the draft without making any other moves, he took the initiative to withdraw his consciousness.

The feeling of weightlessness came over me again.

The next second, he had already straightened up and returned to the principal's office, the silvery-white liquid in the Pensieve still gently swaying.

"How was it? Was this memory very enlightening?" Dumbledore's voice rang out at the right moment. He was sitting on the sofa, holding a cup of hot cocoa.

“It’s amazing from any perspective.” Dylan blinked and nodded. “To be honest, Barty Crouch Jr. would be quite suitable to be a professor. He’s very organized in his lectures, and he can explain complex spells in a simple and easy-to-understand way, and he can even extend that knowledge to other fields.”

"Yes, that's really regrettable."

Dumbledore put down his cup, a hint of regret flashing in his eyes. "When I first saw this memory, I had the same thought. He could have had a completely different life."

"And Voldemort does look quite different from what I imagined."

Dylan then changed the subject, "Barty Jr. clearly enjoys his life now. When he was drafting those documents, there was no resistance or fear on his face, but rather a sense of certainty. This shows that everything he does is at Voldemort's behest, or even after the two of them have reached a consensus."

“That’s right!” Dumbledore nodded repeatedly, tapping his fingers lightly on the armrest of the sofa. “However, based on my current observations of Barty Crouch Jr., he is actually safer with Voldemort now than before, at least he won’t act recklessly like he used to.”

He paused, gazing out the window with a complex expression: "Perhaps for Durmstrang's students, having a professor like Barty Jr. isn't necessarily a bad thing. His lectures are clear and organized, and he knows how to teach in a structured way, which allows students to understand black magic more systematically, rather than blindly abusing it."

"But where did Voldemort go?" Dylan followed his gaze to the window. "Headmaster Dumbledore, has he... been resurrected? The Horcrux we were looking for last time, although I destroyed it, does he have any other Horcruxes?"

"As far as I know, not yet." Dumbledore shook his head slightly, picked up the hot cocoa on the table, took a sip, and said with certainty, "But what is certain is that he is preparing for the resurrection ceremony with all his might, and he is taking every step with extreme caution."

"So, he's not in Durmstrang because he's focused all his energy on the resurrection?" Dylan said.

After all, for Voldemort, nothing was more important than regaining his physical body.

Dylan recently learned why Old Man Dumbledore had suddenly become interested in Voldemort.

Even disregarding the convergence of timelines, Voldemort's recent aggressive recruitment of dark wizards makes it difficult to conceal his whereabouts.

In the past, Voldemort could probably have just given a shout and been resurrected, and many dark wizards would have become Death Eaters and rejoined his ranks.

But now, there is Karthus, a demon who has brought much hope to the dark wizarding world.

Some believe that the Ministry of Magic has yet to capture Karthus, who is like a ghost, untouchable by anyone, and is instead researching a great magic.

This seems much better than constantly agonizing over whether or not someone is pureblood.

Therefore, many people are unwilling to contact Voldemort anymore, so the latter can only shout louder or even resort to underhanded tactics.

But this only fuels more hatred from people.

Eventually, the commotion grew so large that it became difficult to go unnoticed.

And old Dumbledore probably noticed this a long time ago. "At least from what I know of him, that's certainly true." Dumbledore put down his cup, his eyes becoming more serious. "Voldemort will definitely be resurrected, he will definitely come back. This is an obsession etched into his bones."

As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly revealed a clear smile, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes smoothed out: "However, his luck has really not been good these past few years, and he has failed too many times. That's why he has become so cautious."

Dylan continued, his mind flashing through the empty Death Eater names on the Marauder's Map.

“That’s normal. There are very few people like Barty who can really help him. Most Death Eaters have either betrayed him or lost their ambition long ago.”

“Yes, perhaps this could be called… returning to one’s true nature?” Dumbledore blinked, as if recalling the distant past, with a touch of melancholy. “He was extremely cautious in his youth, and always liked to have a backup plan.”

"But as he grew stronger and stronger, and his Death Eaters increased, everyone started calling him by nicknames like 'Dark Lord.' Overwhelmed by admiration and awe, that initial caution slowly disappeared."

He tapped his fingers lightly on the table, his voice deepening, "But some things are ingrained in one's bones. For example, what he relies on most is always his magical talent and the absolute power that talent brings."

"That's why he was extremely reluctant to expose his weaknesses."

Dumbledore's gaze sharpened. "He absolutely does not want to show his weakest side to the Death Eaters, especially those who have betrayed him."

"You can think of quite a few people like that, right? He'd rather wait until he's fully resurrected and at the peak of his power before summoning those traitors to his side and enjoying their panicked state."

Dumbledore's analysis of Voldemort was frighteningly accurate.

Dylan nodded silently.

As he said, Voldemort would never face his old followers when he was weak.

Otherwise, in the years after his downfall, he actually had many opportunities to regain his power.

For example, the Malfoy family, with their wealth and connections, could easily help Voldemort regain even a portion of his power.

Voldemort preferred to live in anonymity rather than bow down to his former traitor. This pride and stubbornness were precisely his most fatal weakness.

Even now, when he is recruiting dark wizards again, he is not doing it himself, but rather relying on the power of his few remaining subordinates.

Dylan's thoughts raced.

Voldemort had never actively sought out those traitors before, but instead chose to lie low on his own until he regained some power in recent years and became active again.

Even so, he didn't contact his old subordinates, but instead went to Professor Quirrell.

These fragmented clues intertwined in my mind, gradually outlining a clear picture.

The Killing Curse had no effect on Harry, due to the magical protection he possessed, the blood magic fused with his soul fragments, and Barty Jr.'s Blood Curse under Professor Durmstrang's spell.

And then there's this three-way battle for supremacy that suddenly has an extra person...

All the clues, as if drawn by invisible threads, ultimately point in the same direction.

"Headmaster Dumbledore...is Voldemort planning to..." Dylan's voice slowly rang out, reminding the other person, "to use that kind of blood magic, to absorb Harry's blood, to complete his resurrection?"

He took a half-step closer: "He tried to hurt Harry many times before, even with the Killing Curse, but it was all in vain. I know Harry has a special protection. If he wants to be resurrected through blood, he might be able to bypass that protection."

"Yes."

Dumbledore nodded, his expression remaining calm, clearly not surprised that Dylan had come up with this.

He interlaced his fingers in front of him and leaned forward slightly. "Sirius told you about the magical protection Harry has, didn't he?"

“I remember when he came to see me last time, I mentioned to him that this matter could be told to you trustworthy children.”

"Yes, he told me."

Dylan nodded in confirmation. Sirius had talked to him quite a bit before, and Dylan had specifically tried to get a lot of information about Harry from him.

So even when faced with Old Deng's question, he remained completely calm about how he knew so much.

"I heard from Sirius that this protection Harry has will only last until he comes of age, is that right?"

“Indeed, magic loses its power after adulthood.” Dumbledore’s gaze deepened. “Adulthood and adolescence are two distinct stages, and this is of paramount importance.”

“Crucial?” Dylan raised an eyebrow. “Headmaster Dumbledore, if Voldemort’s target really is Harry’s blood…is this the outcome you’d like to see?”

“Hmm…” Dumbledore blinked, a genuine surprise flashing in the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, clearly not expecting Dylan to get to the heart of the matter so quickly. “It seems you’ve figured out quite a few things.”

"I have studied some information about magic contracts before."

Dylan explained his reasoning: "This kind of magic is much more dangerous than Transfiguration. A slight mistake can lead to the contract backfiring. The protection Harry has is actually closely tied to the magical contract."

He paused, then said, "The relationship between the two is like that of an egg protected by its shell—the shell provides protection, and the egg itself provides the contract; neither can be missing."

“That’s a brilliant description, I like it.” Dumbledore stroked his beard, his eyes flashing with approval.

“I think it’s very fitting too.” Dylan smiled, then composed himself and returned to the main point, “The reason Voldemort couldn’t hurt Harry was entirely due to the protection of this ‘egg shell’.”

"But if he wants to take Harry's blood in order to gain the right to harm Harry, he must bear a consequence—he will willingly become part of that magical contract."

At this point, Dylan squinted at Old Man Dumbledore: "But I don't understand why Voldemort would be willing to bear the constraints of the contract in exchange for the right to harm Harry? This is completely out of character for him."

Dumbledore did not answer directly, but simply raised his hand and used his wand to draw a pattern in the air. The lines lingered in the air for a few seconds before slowly dissipating.

"A curse? So, it's because he traded 'love' for a death curse back then?"

"In other words, he doesn't understand what 'love' is at all, and naturally he also overlooks the hidden power of the magical contract built on the basis of 'love'."

"That's why the punishments of the curse have always been more severe than you can imagine."

Dumbledore nodded, a hint of melancholy in his voice, "Voldemort is destined to be unable to access any knowledge related to 'love,' no matter what method he uses or what price he pays."

Dylan raised an eyebrow again: "Is it really impossible to obtain it by any means?"

“Absolutely true.” Dumbledore clasped his hands together, interlacing his fingers and circling his thumbs. His gaze fell on the phoenix quill pen on the corner of the desk, as if recalling a distant past. “How much do you think Voldemort knew about this protection?”

He frowned slightly and slowed his speech: "I guess he only knows that this is an ancient kind of magic, an obstacle he didn't anticipate back then. Because of his limited knowledge, he can only try to break through this protection based on his understanding of magic."

“That is, using blood magic.” Dylan recalled Barty Jr.’s lessons, “By absorbing Harry’s blood, you can transfer that protection to yourself and bypass the obstacle.”

At this point, he couldn't help but shake his head.

The Commands are such a special thing that even though the Hogwarts Library has a vast collection of books, you can't find a single word about them on the shelves.

Fortunately, he had Ravenclaw, who told him a lot about this.

"Hmm, it seems we should find an opportunity to bring Slytherin out. Actually, I'd like to wait until the other three headmasters appear before releasing him."

Every principal possesses their own unique knowledge.

These are all things Dylan wanted.

But they are just portraits, and their memories are incomplete.

Therefore, Dylan knew that Commands were an ancient form of magic that traded power for a price, and he also knew some of the uses of Commands, but he knew nothing about the deeper principles behind them.

Hearing Dumbledore say this now, Dylan finally had a clearer understanding of the price of acquiring the Command.

Voldemort traded love for the powerful Death Curse.

It was with this power that he was able to rise to prominence in a short period of time, rival Dumbledore, and ignite the great war that swept through the English wizarding world.

You may forever lose the ability to understand "love," and never be able to access knowledge related to "love"...

In Dylan's view, the price was terrifyingly high. (End of Chapter)