Hogwarts: This holy light is righteously evil.

We must never let our guard down when facing a defeated opponent. We must eliminate any possibility of counterattack or escape and leave no room for a comeback.

The centaur forces steadily tightened their encirclement, but deliberately left space in the center of the arena, reserving the final confrontation stage solely for the two wizards.

"Professor Calder."

Puni stepped forward.

Upon hearing his real name revealed, Calder's body stiffened slightly.

He forced a dry, distorted smile by moving his facial muscles, his voice hoarse and tired.

“Your insight has always far surpassed that of your peers, Puni, and I have always admired that about you. It’s just a pity… it’s all too late.”

Before he could finish speaking, the situation on the field changed dramatically.

Calder, seemingly exhausted and on the verge of collapse, suddenly revealed an extreme determination and ruthlessness in his eyes.

He forcibly compressed and gathered all the remaining magic power in his body, completed the power accumulation in an instant, and suddenly burst forth!

His goal was not to break through and escape, nor was it the centaurs who were waiting in ambush around him; it was Puni, who stood facing him from beginning to end.

He knew that the centaur people were proud and self-possessed by nature, and would never kill an opponent who was unable to resist.

But Puni is different. This young man is meticulous and decisive, the only variable on the field, and his only chance to turn the tide.

If he can subdue Puni, he might still have a sliver of hope to escape this desperate situation.

A dark, emerald-green beam of light, carrying an evil, corrosive power, shot out from the sky.

This Imperish Curse, one of the three unforgivable curses, was incredibly fast and possessed a terrifying power to manipulate minds, heading straight for Puni.

The change happened in the blink of an eye. The centaur warriors nearby didn't even have time to release their bowstrings to stop it before the cursed power was already close to Puni.

But Puni had already taken all necessary precautions.

In the instant that Calder's eyes sharpened and his magic surged violently, he used his extraordinary magical perception to anticipate the opponent's intention to launch a sneak attack.

The body reacts much faster than the mind, entering a state of readiness.

He didn't need to chant spells or make complicated wand gestures; relying on instinct, he gathered all the holy light within him at the tip of his wand.

A torrent of pure energy, woven from countless fine golden threads, burst forth, defying the paradigms of any modern magic textbook. It was the most primal and purest eruption of magic.

The eerie green curse beams collided violently with the golden primal energy in the center of the open space.

Two loud explosions rang out, but without any violent shockwaves. The two extreme magical energies dissolved and canceled each other out at the point of contact, and magical sparks splashed out in all directions, sweeping across the entire open space.

Calder's pupils contracted sharply, and an extreme frenzy and excitement surged onto his ferocious face.

"This doesn't belong to any standard form of magic..."

The power he had longed for, a power that required no incantation or gestures, a power that transcended the modern wizarding magic system, was now truly before his eyes.

He desperately wanted to uncover the essence of this power, to touch this ability that could overturn the magical world, but his right hand joints were stiff and numb, completely out of his control.

The next second, the backlash erupted.

"puff"

As if struck by a heavy blow, Calder spurted out a mouthful of blood mixed with black, flocculent curse patterns.

Its massive body staggered backward several steps, finally giving way and collapsing heavily onto the scorched earth.

The wand slipped from his hand and fell to the ground with a thud.

His face was deathly pale, his eyes were deeply sunken, and countless fine black lines were constantly writhing and spreading beneath his skin. His aura was weak and fleeting, and his life force was rapidly fading away.

Puni, wand in hand, slowly stepped forward and stopped a few meters away from the other person.

Looking at the disheveled and miserable professor before him, he felt a mix of emotions, not the joy of victory, but only a complex sense of regret.

Calder struggled to lift his eyelids and looked at Puni. All his obsession and hatred had faded, leaving only endless exhaustion and a sense of relief.

"Cough cough..."

He gasped for breath, each word consuming his last ounce of strength, his voice broken and barely audible, "This primal magic... I've searched for it my whole life... and it really does exist..."

Puni stood silently, not interrupting, while simultaneously stepping on the fallen wand under his foot, cutting off any possibility of a counterattack.

Calder's gaze gradually became unfocused, his eyes lingering in the distance, as if recalling fragments of the past.

“I pursue these things...not for power...not for immortality...Puni, do you believe me?”

He gasped for breath several times, steadying his weak breathing, and continued with difficulty, "I was too stubborn... too greedy."

He looked down at the black curse writhing on his body, his eyes filled with regret and disgust.

These last words exhausted his last bit of life.

Calder's head slumped limply, the faint magic around him dissipated, and the black curse on his body erupted, devouring his remaining life force. Everything settled down.

When Dumbledore strode into the Forbidden Forest clearing, the scene of devastation before him surprised even someone as accustomed to magical phenomena and perilous situations as he was.

The air in the forest was filled with a complex mixture of scents: the acrid smell of burning wood, the unique odor of monster bodies being roasted by high temperatures, the pungent residue of magical potions, and the unique sweet and pungent smell of the blood of magical creatures. These layers intertwined and permeated the entire airspace.

Chapter 139 Quirrell

The sparse sunlight pierced through the scattered branches and leaves, barely illuminating this land that had endured a brutal battle, the ground covered with scorched pits of varying depths.

Scattered everywhere were fragments of the eight-eyed giant spider's carapace of various sizes, gleaming with a dark luster. Many of the monster's limbs were still alive, twitching slightly unconsciously. Thick, dark green fluid had soaked into the soil and low vegetation, leaving behind wet, dark stains.

At the edge of the devastated grounds, Penny, dressed in Hogwarts uniform, sat on a section of ancient oak stump that had been magically melted and carbonized.

His condition clearly indicated that he had just finished an intense battle. His once neat and crisp school uniform robe was torn and damaged in many places, covered with ash, wet mud, and several conspicuous clumps of slime. His hair was messy and sticky, with a few withered leaves mixed in.

But in stark contrast to his disheveled appearance, the boy's expression was relaxed and at ease, with no trace of panic or lingering fear in his eyes, but rather a sense of calm and leisure.

Dumbledore's sharp gaze swept over Puni and quickly landed on a row of potion bottles neatly stacked beside the remnant. The familiar style of the containers and the sealing method caused a glint to flash in his azure eyes behind his crescent-shaped spectacles.

This dangerous battle in the forbidden forest was a life-or-death crisis for outsiders, but for Puni, it was more like a highly profitable resource gathering.

Puni looked up at Dumbledore as he approached. His voice was clear and steady, even carrying a hint of excitement. He showed no signs of exhaustion, clearly indicating that the rare materials he had acquired had put him in an excellent mood.

"Good evening, Principal. The situation on the ground is completely under control, but the site has been severely damaged."

Dumbledore walked slowly forward, deliberately avoiding a spider's limb that was still twitching slightly. The limb was slightly hot from being roasted by the flames and made a sizzling sound. He glanced at it indifferently and did not linger.

“Puni, you’ve certainly had a very fulfilling day off. Why don’t you tell me what happened here?” Puni succinctly recounted the entire incident.

Professor Calder deliberately disguised himself as Hagrid to infiltrate the Forbidden Forest and set a trap, intentionally provoking conflict.

The two engaged in a fierce magical battle, and in the end, Calder was killed by the backlash of the forbidden curse he had unleashed.

Out of extreme caution, he added, "I can confirm that there is no longer any threat to survival in this area."

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows almost imperceptibly, without delving into the deeper meaning behind the statement or asking whether there were any other hidden witnesses. He understood the conclusion of the matter from Penny's calm and confident demeanor. He turned and looked around the open space, and sure enough, he could not see any trace of Calder.

He nodded slightly: "I can see that you handled it extremely well."

As soon as he finished speaking, he raised his wand with elegant movements and systematically cleared the entire battlefield with his extremely skillful magical techniques. The fallen trees were all restored, the scattered pebbles were returned to their original positions, the scorched and barren land was revitalized, the remains of monsters were melted away, all the arrows left by the centaurs were cleared away, the pungent odor mixed in the air was purified, and a fragrance of forest grass and trees spread.

Puni wanted to point out that the dark ash in the corner of the arena was the last trace left by Calder, but Dumbledore's spellcasting was so fast that he wiped away all traces in an instant, even skipping the subsequent burial process.

After the battlefield was cleared, only extremely valuable and scarce supplies remained at the scene.

Several intact fangs of the eight-eyed giant spider, as well as several bottles of pure venom sealed by Puni, are all expensive and rare core materials for potion making. It would be a waste to discard them, so he carefully kept them.

The old man and the young man, both understanding each other perfectly, lowered their voices and discussed how to proceed.

"The staff from the Department of Accident Investigations of the Ministry of Magic will arrive at the school first thing tomorrow morning to investigate the case," Dumbledore said calmly. "In particular, Dolores Umbridge is extremely particular about rules and regulations and is very strict about the details of all kinds of accidents. She will definitely question people at every level and hold them accountable repeatedly."

Puni blinked slightly, having a good understanding of the bureaucratic style of the Ministry of Magic. He knew that the core function of such departments was superficial, focusing on maintaining a stable posture in public rather than actually investigating the truth.

"We can simply categorize them as accidents," Puni decided.

Dumbledore then refined his public statement, revealing no trace of grief: "Then let's announce it to the public: an unknown fire broke out in the Forbidden Forest, and Professor Calder, in his efforts to extinguish the fire and protect the Forbidden Forest's ecosystem, unfortunately perished from the backlash of the out-of-control magical flames. The entire school will deeply regret this."

“This explanation is flawless and can withstand any investigation,” Puni readily agreed. He had already eliminated any potential problems at the scene, and with Dumbledore setting the tone, this secret confrontation between teacher and student would finally be buried.

"Things are always unpredictable." Dumbledore said in a light tone, then smoothly changed the subject. "The position of Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor is temporarily vacant. Several professors will be willing to take over the course temporarily in the short term. We will then gradually select suitable candidates for the long-term position."

"Hagrid was lured to the depths of the Forbidden Forest by a diversionary tactic. He encountered some setbacks along the way, but fortunately he was unharmed. At this moment, he is resting in the cabin, still regretting that he has fallen into the trap."

Dumbledore did not inquire further about the details of the centaur tribe involved in the fighting. He simply stated that the school would fulfill its inherent responsibilities since its founding, formally recognize the legitimacy of the existing centaur territory, and that Hogwarts would always accept all friendly magical races to inhabit the area around the school and jointly protect the ecological balance between the Forbidden Forest and the school.

Puni did not disclose his private arrangements.

Taking advantage of the Forest Ban incident, he had already reached a cooperation agreement with Ronan the Centaur, with the Lestrange family behind him acquiring all kinds of usable magical materials from the Eight-Eyed Giant Spider, while providing the Centaur tribe with excellent production tools and living supplies, achieving a stable cooperation that would benefit both sides.

With the cleanup work finished, the two walked side by side toward Hogwarts Castle.

"By the way, a professor on campus urgently needs a batch of rare potion materials. He doesn't want to reveal his identity, so he asked me to convey his wish to discuss cooperation with you privately. We can arrange the meeting in his office."

“I am very willing to cooperate and can visit you at any time.” Puni agreed. With scarce and exclusive resources in hand, he knew that this was an excellent opportunity to leverage the connections and resources of the professors in the school, pave the way for his future studies and development, and easily seize more hidden advantages.

The following morning, Hogwarts Great Hall was filled with the aroma of breakfast. Suddenly, Dumbledore's steady voice filled the hall as he announced the passing of Professor Calder. The official conclusion was that Professor Calder had tragically died in the line of duty while fighting a wildfire in the Forbidden Forest and protecting the safety of the school grounds.

With this solemn declaration, he reiterated the school rules, strictly prohibiting all students from entering the forbidden forest without permission and urging them to refrain from any dangerous attempts.

When the news spread, the students all murmured their regrets.

In everyone's perception, Calder's teaching style is rigorous and rigid, and he is serious and unsmiling. The classroom atmosphere tends to be serious and oppressive. However, it is undeniable that the Defense Against the Dark Arts he taught is extremely practical. He is the teacher who has taught the most practical and effective teaching methods in all his years of teaching.

Everyone sighed, lamenting that they had finally found a practical and responsible teacher, only to have him leave so suddenly in such an unexpected way.

Immediately afterwards, Dumbledore announced a temporary teaching adjustment plan, with Quirrell, who was originally in charge of the Muggle Studies course, temporarily taking over the teaching of the remaining Defense Against the Dark Arts for the semester.

This impromptu arrangement once again caused a stir among the students, who whispered among themselves, filled with a mixture of helplessness and curiosity about the new teaching arrangements.

Quillo, sitting in the teacher's seat, was extremely excited. His entire aura became tense. Facing the gaze of all the teachers and students, he frequently paused, intermittently promising that he would do his best to complete the teaching task.

His past courses on Muggle Studies, along with Professor Binns' History of Magic, were considered the two most tedious courses in the entire school.

Binns' lectures were always uneventful, making them a perfect time for students to take a break from class.

When Quirrell gets emotional, he stutters and gets nervous, making both of their classes utterly uninteresting.

Snape, in the adjacent position, was in a completely different state, his expression more gloomy and somber than usual.

He lowered his eyes and stared at the golden plate in front of him, a sense of oppression emanating from him, his eyes revealing an undisguised sense of loss and resentment.

At the long table in Ravenclaw, Penny and Cho Chang leisurely enjoyed their breakfast.

With the school administration concluding that the fire was an accident, life at Hogwarts quickly returned to a superficial calm.

The Ministry of Magic did not conduct a thorough investigation into the matter, but merely sent an Auror with Hagrid into the Forbidden Forest for a simple patrol and evidence collection, which was a perfunctory matter.