Hogwarts: I'm Harry's older cousin

Chapter 449, Section 443: The wizards are such a bunch of 'cute' kids.

Everyone actually knew that Harry and Ginny were secretly dating, but the two thought they had hidden it well. Just as everyone assumed Dudley and Hermione were a couple, they also assumed Harry and Ginny were a couple.

Ginny would be an excellent witch even in today's Hogwarts, a place teeming with talented individuals. She is skilled at casting minor curses and can achieve almost 100% accuracy.

She had an excellent relationship with Hermione in the original book. Even the snobbish Professor Slughorn, who only wanted to "befriend famous, successful, and powerful people," genuinely admired her and invited her to join his Slug Club.

Dudley knew about their relationship but never interfered. He would get involved in Harry's training, studies, and daily life, but he would never interfere in their love life.

Dudley would wholeheartedly support Harry even if he wanted to marry Pansy, as long as Harry was happy.

"Dudley, do you have time? I'd like you to come with me to Badley Barberton village." As the holiday was drawing to a close, Dumbledore suddenly approached Dudley. Although he used a question, he didn't seem to intend to give Harry a chance to refuse.

"We need to find a professor who teaches our course. Professor Black just submitted his resignation to me; I thought he could stay in that position for another year."

Dudley didn't respond to Dumbledore's rambling, after all, he was the culprit who caused Professor Black to resign.

"Not bringing Harry and Neville?"

"Dali asked curiously."

"We don't need that many people, and aren't you the most idle person in Hogwarts right now?" Dumbledore said, winking at Dudley.

Dudley shrugged, looking noncommittal.

"Professor, please don't say that. I'm still very busy. I'm currently researching a drug."

"What potion?" Dumbledore was intrigued by Dudley's words and his curiosity was piqued.

Dudley's talent in potions was simply outrageous. Every potion he produced was absolutely amazing. Dumbledore naturally wanted to know what they were and what their effects were.

"Of course, it's to solve the problem of the Death Eaters."

At this point, Dudley paused, looked up at Dumbledore, and said with a hint of resentment, as if he were angry at Dumbledore's incompetence: "More than a decade ago, the Death Eaters turned the entire wizarding world upside down. You must know what they relied on to achieve that, right?"

"It's the Imperius Curse," Dumbledore said.

"Yes, it's the Imperius Curse. It has thrown the entire wizarding community into a state of panic. The Death Eaters rely on the power of the Imperius Curse to make people unable to tell whether those around them are being controlled or have become the Death Eaters' lackeys. This distrust has grown in the hearts of all wizards."

"Once this curse is broken, Senior Tom and his cronies are not actually that scary."

Upon hearing Dudley's words, Dumbledore already knew what he was going to say next.

"So, Professor Dumbledore, having already suffered such a great loss, why didn't you find a solution in over a decade? Now you're allowing them to repeat their old tricks?"

There's a million things to say about Dudley. People say you learn from your mistakes, but the entire English—no, the entire European wizarding world—knowing full well how horrible the Imperius Curse is, hasn't bothered to find a solution for over a decade.

It's like you leading a squad of rattan armor soldiers. More than a decade ago, you were repelled by the enemy's fire attack for the first time. More than a decade later, even though you know the enemy is using fire, you still use rattan armor soldiers to fight them again.

It's simply unbelievable.

"That's the Imperius Curse, one of the three unforgivable curses. There's no counter-curse. What can we do?" Dumbledore's tone sounded innocent.

If the Imperius Curse has a counter-curse, then it is not one of the three Unforgivable Curses.

"Others may not have a solution, but I don't believe you don't have one."

Dudley stared intently at Dumbledore. As a wizard over a hundred years old, his magical skills were already incredibly advanced; he simply hadn't done it, not that he couldn't.

"But I really have no other choice."

Dumbledore simply shrugged.

"All right."

Unable to extract any useful information from Dumbledore, Dudley remained somewhat unwilling: "Professor Dumbledore, is there really no one or no institution in the entire wizarding world researching the three Unforgivable Curses? For example, some secret organization set up by the Ministry of Magic. I need some key data."

Dudley was more aware than Dumbledore of what departments the Ministry of Magic had and who worked in them; he was just unwilling to give up.

"Researching the Unforgivable Curse is also prohibited."

"."

They really do ban it when they say they will; these wizards are frighteningly straightforward.

No, it should be described as incredibly stupid.

Shouldn't you be the one forbidding others while secretly researching things yourself? You haven't learned a thing of that Muggle mentality of outward compliance but inward defiance!

Does banning it mean it no longer exists?

The most important thing is to find a solution.

Dudley rubbed his temples. He finally understood one thing: these wizards were truly stupid. Once the data on spells was released, and magic lost its mystique, these wizards would inevitably lose if they started a war against the Muggles.

The opposing side will find a way to counter each spell.

"Dali, how long will it take you to develop the potion?"

Dumbledore looked at Dudley cautiously and asked, "Being able to identify the Imperius Curse potion is extremely important."

If Dudley can really figure it out, the Death Eaters will lose their most powerful trump card, and hiding in the shadows will be the foundation of their invincibility.

Death Eaters exposed to sunlight lose much of their deterrent power.

Dudley shook his head and said honestly, "There's no data to support this. I just have a concept, and it's far from successful. I'd need the assistance of at least two potions masters to make it possible."

Upon hearing Dudley's words, Dumbledore's eyes lit up.

"The professor we're going to invite is a potions master no less skilled than Severus, and I think he'll be happy to help you."

"I hope so."

Both of them were wizards who could Apparate. After deciding to set off, they quickly left the Hogwarts area (where Apparate is forbidden) and arrived at the village of Badley Barberton, which Dumbledore had mentioned, in less than a second.

Soon they arrived at a neat little stone house nestled in a garden.

However, the hinges of the front door were open, and the door hung crookedly. The street was quiet on both sides, and it seemed that there was no one there.

(End of this chapter)