Hogwarts: Starting with full Unforgivable Curses

“But now it seems…” Hermione shrugged, her tone uncertain, “maybe it just happened to be the rainy season in France. After all, France is by the sea, the climate is humid, and it’s normal for it to rain for several days in a row. It probably has nothing to do with Dementors.”

“Hermione, that’s not necessarily true!” Fred held up a steaming cup of hot cocoa, his voice full of confidence. “Maybe it’s our arrival that brought good luck, and that’s why the weather turned nice! We’re the ‘Lucky Stars’!”

“That’s right! Have confidence in yourselves!” George immediately raised his hot cocoa and gently clinked it against Fred’s cup, making a crisp sound. “The sunny weather followed us as soon as we arrived; that’s real good luck!”

"So we have to make the most of this rare good weather!" Sirius Black downed his coffee in one gulp, his voice tinged with urgency. "Let's try out all the rides we haven't had enough of in the park before it rains, so we don't end up stuck indoors when the weather suddenly turns bad again."

Everyone agreed and sped up their meal, quickly finishing breakfast before heading towards the park. Besides thrilling roller coasters and relaxing river rides, the park also featured exciting stage performances, one of their goals for the day – everyone was curious about theatrical performances in the Muggle world.

Arriving at the theater ahead of time, I chose a seat in the middle near the front. I had barely settled in and hadn't even had a chance to admire the theater's decorations when I heard a familiar voice behind me, with a tone that carried a hint of "professional" commentary.

"Speaking of that roller coaster we rode yesterday, the initial dive design was actually alright, the speed and drop were barely acceptable, but the incline was just too childish, not challenging at all. I'd give it five points! No more than that!" Without turning around, Dylan could recognize Fred's voice.

“I completely agree with you!” George immediately chimed in, his tone equally serious. “The angle of that turn wasn’t sharp enough. If the arc were a little smaller and the centrifugal force a little stronger, the thrill would definitely be doubled. I’d give it a six out of ten. Right now… it’s only a five out of ten!”

"But the stability of that roller coaster was just too good, so good that it became boring!" Fred's voice carried a hint of dissatisfaction, as if he were complaining about something. "It was hard to feel that adrenaline-pumping pressure at all. The main problem was that the safety bar that held you in place was just too thick, and the restraint was too strong, completely affecting the experience. This has to be a zero!"

“That’s absolutely right!” George chimed in, his tone full of agreement. “If we could remove that bulky safety bar, it would be perfect for training reaction time! Even with other shortcomings, I’d still give it an eight out of ten if we could make that change!”

"Although the idea of ​​a small waterfall-like water spray device in the middle of the track is good, the actual effect is terrible!" Fred continued to complain, his tone tinged with disdain. "It can only spray a tiny little water droplet, not even enough to wet your clothes. What kind of distraction can it provide? It doesn't achieve the purpose of testing concentration at all. I'll give it a two out of ten, as a token of encouragement for the idea!"

The stage play inside the theater was still in the preparation stage. The warm yellow ceiling lights were all lit, and the staff were busy adjusting the props and scenery on the stage. There was a loose noise in the audience. Dylan heard a whisper of extreme focus behind him. The seriousness and persistence in that tone were etched into his bones and became more and more familiar to him. He subconsciously turned his head in the direction of the sound and his gaze fell on the seat diagonally behind him. There sat a tall and upright boy wearing a simple black sleeveless vest with firm arms.

His expression was extremely focused, his brows furrowed tightly, his gaze fixed on the writing tablet in his hand, and he kept muttering his judgment in a low voice. The tip of his quill pen slid rapidly across the tablet, as if he were recording crucial data that could not be wrong. Seeing this familiar, meticulous look, a name instantly and clearly appeared in Dylan's mind—Oliver Wood.

"Wood?"

Wood, who was engrossed in writing, looked up abruptly when he heard the familiar call. When he saw that it was Dylan, his eyes widened instantly, and his face broke into undisguised astonishment. He couldn't help but exclaim, "Merlin's beard! Dylan!!!! It's you?!?!"

He immediately picked up the writing tablet in his hand, his movements still retaining the swiftness and agility of the Quidditch captain from back then. Like a wildly moving ball, he flipped over the back of the seat in front of him and rushed to Dylan in a few steps.

"Dylan! It really is you! It's incredible!" Wood's smile was bright and warm. He opened his arms and gave Dylan a tight bear hug, the force of which was filled with the burning joy of a long-awaited reunion. After releasing Dylan, his eyes turned up, his heart filled with the excitement of the reunion.

“What a coincidence, Dylan. Do you have any special plans for tonight?” He turned to Dylan, his eyes filled with anticipation. “If you haven’t decided yet, how about we find a place to have dinner together? It’s been a long time since I’ve had a proper get-together with old friends.”

"Of course, no problem."

At this moment, the stage play had officially begun, and melodious singing filled the air. However, Wood's attention was clearly still on the Quidditch match, his eyes filled with anticipation for the game. The theater, which had been filled with the faint sounds of conversation, was plunged into complete darkness as the last overhead light slowly went out, leaving only a faint glow coming from the direction of the stage, indicating that the play was about to begin. Although the audience for this play was not large, the theater had clearly made ample preparations to present the best possible effect.

Suddenly, a blinding white light cleaved through the thick darkness like a sharp blade, precisely illuminating the stage that had been meticulously arranged to resemble ruins—withered vines entwined among the broken walls, and scattered broken bricks and wood chips on the ground, creating a desolate and dilapidated atmosphere. Immediately afterward, a rumbling thunder came from the speakers, deep and heavy, as if booming right next to your ears. The sound of pouring rain followed closely behind, dense and rapid, instantly filling the oppressive feeling of a thunderstorm.

Amidst the background noise of wind and rain, an actress dressed as a pregnant woman, wearing a tattered cloth garment stained with dirt and worn edges, clutched her swollen belly tightly with both hands as she stepped into the center of the stage with great difficulty. Her steps were unsteady, each step appearing extremely strenuous, as if she were enduring immense pain.

And every few steps the actress took, the white light above the stage would flash suddenly, illuminating her pale, pained face. Her brows furrowed slightly, her teeth clenched, and suppressed sobs escaped her throat, piercing and desperate sounds that mingled with the thunder, wind, and rain, echoing in the silent theater and making everyone's hearts clench. Dylan, sitting in his seat, had been intently watching the performance, absorbing the atmosphere of the Muggle drama, when he suddenly sensed something amiss. He turned his head, his gaze sweeping over the audience behind him, then narrowed his eyes, subtly reaching into his pocket, his fingertips firmly gripping his wand. Simultaneously, he slowly turned around, imbuing his eyes with magic to better observe the situation, casting a spell—a spell that allowed wizards to see the flow and unusual fluctuations of magical energy.

The performance on stage continued. The pregnant actress staggered to the center of the stage, and her suppressed sobs gradually turned into painful groans and rapid breathing. Her performance was quite vivid. Every expression and every movement was full of emotion, as if she was really enduring unbearable torment, making the audience below the stage feel sorry for her.

Just then, the vivid performance of the actors on stage seemed to have truly moved someone. The person who had been silently huddled in his seat suddenly turned deathly pale. Then, his facial muscles began to twist and twitch uncontrollably, eventually becoming ferocious and terrifying. He clenched his teeth tightly, and a series of low and painful groans escaped from his throat. His body also trembled slightly, as if he was enduring some kind of unbearable pain.

At this moment, Dylan saw a scene that ordinary people could not perceive. He saw a tangled mess on this person's body, a strange mass of energy. In the blink of an eye, the energy ball that was originally only the size of an ink can rapidly grew to the size of a fist, and its color changed from light gray to dark brown. The fluctuations became more intense, and the negative energy it emitted became stronger and stronger.

Not only was Dylan closely observing the man, but Wood also turned around immediately upon hearing his painful groans. Startled by the increasingly contorted face and trembling body, Wood reacted swiftly, pulling his wand from his pocket and gripping it tightly. Instead of immediately casting a spell, he looked anxiously at Dylan and asked urgently, "Dylan, what's wrong with him? How did he suddenly become like this? Is he under some kind of curse, or attacked by dark magic?"

The other audience members in the theater were also attracted by the commotion and turned around, their faces showing confusion and worry. Their attention, which was originally focused on the stage, was instantly diverted by the sudden situation. The performance on stage continued, but the shrill groans were drowned out by the increasingly intense painful breathing of the person, making the atmosphere in the entire theater tense and oppressive.

Dylan's fingertips twitched slightly, and his lips moved silently. A gentle Confusion Charm quietly spread out, forming an invisible barrier around them. This was to prevent the surrounding Muggle audience from noticing anything unusual and to avoid causing unnecessary panic and chaos. Although the Muggles' gazes were still fixed on this side, their faces showed a bit of confusion, as if they had only seen a trivial matter that they would soon forget.

Just then, a blinding white light flashed across the stage, followed by a loud baby's cry that echoed throughout the theater through the sound system. Clearly, the actress playing the pregnant woman had completed the climax of the story, "giving birth" to the newborn. The tangled black magic creature parasitizing the woman's body seemed to have also completed some kind of gestation and awakening, signaled by the white light.

As the white light faded into darkness once more, the dark magical creature completely took control of the man's body. Instead of choosing Dylan, who was closest and also exuded magical aura, it manipulated this man like a mad beast that had lost its mind, letting out a low roar and suddenly lunging at the passerby, who was right next to Wood.

"Watch out!" Wood instinctively pointed his wand tightly at the man, but still dared not cast a spell rashly.

Without the slightest hesitation, Dylan instantly cast a spell. It was a high-level spell that could instantly construct an independent miniature space to temporarily contain the target. To Wood's astonishment, the person who pounced seemed to be instantly swallowed up by an invisible force. His body paused slightly in mid-air before disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye, leaving only a gust of air from the attack.

A statue appeared, a glass statue no bigger than the palm of his hand, perfectly capturing the man's lunging posture. His ferocious expression and taut muscles were clearly visible. Controlled by the dark magic creature, he was trapped motionless inside the glass statue, the madness and pain in his eyes still clearly discernible. Wood's eyes widened, his mouth slightly open, and for a moment he didn't know what to say. He had always known that Dylan's magical level far surpassed that of wizards of his age, and that he was already a recognized genius at Hogwarts, but what was happening before his eyes was still far beyond his imagination, leaving him deeply shocked.

Wood had only graduated from Hogwarts a year or two ago, and the magical knowledge he had learned had not completely faded. He clearly remembered that there was a spell called the "Seamless Stretch Charm," which could extend and expand space. However, this spell was extremely complex and cumbersome to cast. It not only required precise control of magical power but was also very easy to fail. More importantly, Professor Flitwick had specifically emphasized that one should never cast the spell directly on a living being or an object. The consequences of doing so would be no different from directly using the Cutting Charm, and it would easily cause irreversible damage to the target.

What Dylan just did was not only to cast spatial magic directly on the person, but also to add the effects of shrinking and solidifying, turning a living person into a palm-sized glass statue without causing any obvious harm to him—this has gone beyond the scope of conventional magic and can be described as exquisite.

"Is he...is he really alright? Is he hurt?"

“Of course not,” Dylan replied confidently, his tone calm and reliable. “However, the situation was sudden and urgent, so this is the only way to temporarily restrict his movements and prevent further danger. This person’s situation is somewhat complicated. Based on my observation just now, he is probably being parasitized by a rare dark magic creature. This creature feeds on negative emotions and controls the host’s behavior. Therefore, we need to use some professional magical methods to safely remove this dark magic creature from his body so that he can return to normal.”

"A dark magic creature! Is it... is it one of those Dementors that sucks up happiness and even steals souls?"

Although the Muggle audience around them were affected by the Confusion Charm and did not fully notice the anomaly, the screams and strange noises from earlier still caused some discussion among them. The performance on stage had been temporarily interrupted, and the actors and staff all looked over in this direction, their faces full of doubt.

Dylan glanced at the stage and said to Wood, "This isn't the place to talk. Let's take him out of the theater and find a quiet, safe place before we figure out how to remove the dark magic creature."

Wood immediately nodded in agreement: "Okay! I'll cover you, you take the statue and go first!"

With that, he raised his wand and lightly tapped it around, casting a faint illusion spell that temporarily diverted the Muggles' attention to the stage, creating an opportunity for them to leave. (End of Chapter)