Magical Studies at Hogwarts...

Chapter 84 Curse

"You guys go back first," Ike whispered to the four of them.

With one victim already identified, Stuart and his group were somewhat safer. However, the possibility of Comrade Little Voldemort suddenly going berserk and launching a new attack in public could not be ruled out.

"Go back to the dorm, it's safer there," Ike quickly urged when he saw that the four were unmoved.

"Then you're here..." Stuart asked.

"I need to confirm a few things." Ike shook his head and gestured for the four of them to leave quickly. Although Stuart and the others were worried, they decided to follow Ike's instructions and left against the flow of the crowd.

After the four left, Ike turned his attention back to the front. He moved closer, frowning, and looked at Roger lying motionless on the ground in the distance.

I took the glasses Dumbledore had given me out of my pocket and put them on, feeling a little more at ease.

There was still magic flowing within Roger's body, slowly but definitely flowing, which meant he was still alive, and that was a good thing.

Ike is terrified that Voldemort might actually kill him; it's not impossible. Things are alright now, but who knows what might happen in the future.

"Make way, don't crowd here, go back to your dorms!" Professor McGonagall's voice came from outside the crowd, and the crowd naturally made way for her.

"Prefects, take your students back to their houses!" Professor McGonagall commanded again, her tone very serious.

Just then, a Ravenclaw student raised his hand, his voice filled with barely concealed fear: "Professor...we...we don't have a prefect anymore..."

Professor McGonagall glanced at the student, then at Roger lying on the ground. Before she could speak, Professor Flitwick arrived.

"I'll take them back first, Minerva, and then I'll come find you."

"Thank you for your help, Philius."

Professor Flitwick nodded slightly and clapped his hands, drawing the attention of the eaglets.

"Alright kids, now come back to the dorm with me and go to sleep."

The eaglets followed Professor Flitwick one after another, heading towards the Ravenclaw Tower. Ike didn't move, remaining standing in place, silently staring blankly at Roger and the blood-written words on the wall.

Professor McGonagall knew something, but instead of speaking up, she urged the prefects of the other houses to take the students back quickly.

After a noisy moment, only Professor McGonagall remained beside Roger.

"Mr. Stradwell," Professor McGonagall said, "help me carry Mr. Davis to the university hospital; Dumbledore and the others are waiting for us there."

Ike nodded, took out his wand and tapped it in the air, causing Roger's body to float up. He then followed Professor McGonagall towards the university hospital.

When they arrived at the university hospital, Dumbledore, Snape, Sprout, and Madam Pomfrey were all there. Madam Pomfrey took Roger and placed him on a bed, then began a series of examinations.

A short while later, Professor Flitwick, who had accompanied the students, arrived. After waiting a few more moments, Madam Pomfrey sighed rather helplessly. Seeing this, Dumbledore asked, "Bobby, how is Mr. Davis?"

"He's still alive, that's all I can say," said Mrs. Pomfrey, her face full of worry and confusion. "But I can't determine why he became like this."

"It might be black magic, it might be a curse, I can't be sure, it's something I've never seen before."

Dumbledore silently walked to Roger's bedside, took out his wand, and muttered some kind of spell, causing the tip of the wand to emit a sky-blue light.

It was gently touched to Roger's head, and blue light rippled out like water, spreading out in circles before disappearing into Roger's body.

A faint wisp of black mist appeared from Roger's body, but it retreated as soon as it appeared.

"I think I know what it is," Dumbledore said, putting away his wand. "It's a curse, an evil, cruel curse."

After a slight pause, seemingly lost in memories, Dumbledore remained silent for a long time.

"What curse? Albus?" Professor McGonagall had no choice but to interrupt Dumbledore's thoughts.

"I'm sorry, Minerva." Coming to his senses, Dumbledore continued, "That was almost fifty years ago..."

"Back then, I traveled with...that person, searching for the true meaning of magic. In Istanbul, we accidentally got caught up in a troublesome matter..."

"That was the first time I saw this curse..."

Pushing up his glasses, Dumbledore continued, "We all know that in Africa, besides the Vagabond School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, there is also the tradition of Voodoo. These are the two largest branches of magical tradition in Africa."

"But in some small tribes, some primitive magic has been passed down from ancient times..."

"Because these spells are so bizarre and contrary to our understanding of magic, many people see them as strange and evil. But in reality, in my opinion, these spells..."

"Albus!" Seeing that Dumbledore was going off on a tangent, Professor McGonagall immediately interrupted him.

"Oh, sorry, Minerva," Dumbledore chuckled. "Where was I... oh right, the curse!"

"Yes, a very primitive but vicious curse!"

"Its only purpose is to prolong life!"

Dumbledore glanced at Ike casually, then said, "It can link one person's life to another's, but only one way. The life force of the cursed person will slowly nourish the other person, and this process will last for one to two months until the life force of the cursed person is completely drained."

"Throughout the process, the cursed person, like Mr. Davis, completely loses consciousness and only awakens at the moment when their life is completely exhausted, but even that lasts only a moment."

"In that instant, all the pain that the cursed person has accumulated over the past month or two will burst forth all at once, and then they will sacrifice their last life to the one who cast the curse."

"Is there no way to crack this, Albus?" Professor McGonagall asked.

Dumbledore shook his head and said, "As far as I know, there is no other way but to kill the one who cast the spell."

The school hospital was deathly silent; so quiet that you could hear everyone breathing.

"Mr. Strayed..." Dumbledore looked at Ike, his eyes calm. "You need to find him as soon as possible. Although this curse will last for a month or two, the life force lost is not so easy to recover. If it goes on for too long, Mr. Davis will permanently lose a part of it."

Ike wasn't surprised that Dumbledore had brought things up in front of so many people. Those in the school hospital were all his staunch supporters, so it wasn't surprising that they knew some things about Ike.

In fact, when Ike saw that Lockhart wasn't in the school hospital, he already knew that this scene was bound to happen.

"I understand." Ike nodded, then asked in return, "But Professor, am I the only one who can do this?"

"That's right, Mr. Streid..."

"No one else can interfere in this matter," Dumbledore said. "Remember the words written in blood on the wall?"

"Remember: Come find me, I'm the first one!"

"Yes, Mr. Strayed, I can tell you definitively that it was an ancient contract spell, one that only applied to you." Dumbledore's expression turned serious, and his tone became much more pronounced. "Remember that special gift you received at Christmas? That contract was signed without your knowledge at that time..."

"Your precious life is sacrificed as an offering to the demon god. Under the power of magic, you have entered into a life-and-death pact."

Dumbledore took out a wand that resembled a human finger bone and pointed it at Ike. Soft white light emanated from the tip of the wand, enveloping Ike. Under the light, Ike was astonished to find wisps of crimson mist suddenly appearing within his body. The mist slowly coalesced, eventually forming two intertwined snakes above his head.

"Just as I expected," Dumbledore sighed.

"A life-or-death pact: only one of you can live..."

(End of this chapter)