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Chapter 478: The Iron-Armour Charm
Chapter 478: The Iron-Armour Charm
Marian, who had been fiddling with her new hair clip, was startled by the sudden voice. She looked up to find Moody's magical eye fixed upon her, causing her to stand up nervously, her face reddening as she murmured, "I've heard of it... it's the Killing Curse, I think."
"Good. Take your seat, but next time, keep that thing away during my class." Moody turned his head, but his magical eye remained fixed on her. "Yes, the Killing Curse. It's one of the most feared spells in existence, but these are lessons for sixth years and above. It's too early for you lot."
"Now, who can name some more common Dark Arts?"
Several hands shot up.
"Miss Prince," Moody pointed at Connor.
"Erm, there's one," Connor said, "the Corrosive Curse."
"Ah, yes. A standard Dark spell," Moody nodded. "It corrodes flesh and bone; extremely dangerous and a favorite among most Dark Wizards... Though I suppose that doesn't mean much to you yet."
He waved his wand at the lectern, and it was instantly covered in a purple, mud-like substance. The hard wood seemed to melt like an ice cube under hot water.
Students in the front row leaned back, afraid of being affected.
With another wave of his wand, Moody restored the lectern to its original state.
"Any others? Who else knows a curse?"
Hands went up again, and he pointed randomly.
"The Horn-Growth Hex!"
"That's a borderline case," Moody said, "as it's more of a restrictive hex and isn't illegal if it doesn't cause harm."
"I know one, Professor," said another student. "The Blasting Curse."
"A standard answer."
...
"The Skull-Exploding Curse!"
"Excellent."
...
The atmosphere in the classroom had been completely transformed, and the students no longer seemed intimidated by Moody's scarred face. They eagerly raised their hands to answer his questions, though some answered from knowledge, others from hearsay, and a few even made up spells on the spot, only to be immediately seen through by Moody.
When he judged the time was right, Professor Moody clapped his hands again, signaling for everyone to lower their hands.
"Now, back to the matter at hand," he said. "These Dark spells, without exception, can cause a lot of trouble. According to the Ministry of Magic and our textbooks, I should be teaching you various counter-curses at this point. But I don't agree.
I believe the most effective counter-curse is to ensure the enemy's Dark spell never hits you in the first place. So, in our first lesson, I'll be teaching you the simplest and most universal defensive measure!"
He turned his head, and with a few swishes, he wrote some large characters on the blackboard. Everyone knew that his magical eye was observing them through the back of his head.
Not a single student dared to whisper, all sitting straight and attentive.
Soon, Moody finished writing and turned to face the class, pointing at the blackboard.
"The Iron-Armour Charm. The most effective defensive measure. A wizard proficient in this charm can withstand ninety percent of Dark spells. Additionally, this charm is a requirement for becoming an Auror.
If any of you wish to become an Auror after graduation, remember that only those skilled in the Iron-Armour Charm will be allowed to proceed with the Auror assessment. Even if you obtain all the necessary certificates, you'll be turned away if you can't master this charm."
Moody's magical eye swiveled, fixing on the student.
"In theory, yes," he said, "but the Killing Curse is unique. It's not just about magical power; it's the malicious intent within people that makes the curse so deadly. That malice is far more terrifying than mere magic, so you would often need several times the power of your opponent to block the Killing Curse with the Iron-Armour Charm.
The difference is like you trying to use the Killing Curse on me..." He paused, a rare smile tugging at his scarred face. "Honestly, it would be not only meaningless but also foolish. Because you never truly know if your opponent is as weak as they seem."
"So, when facing the Killing Curse, the best approach is to dodge, not to block..."
The sound of quills scratching against parchment filled the classroom once more.
Although this was material for higher-grade students, Moody didn't stop them from taking notes. Instead, he quietly waited for them to finish.
Once everyone was done writing, he waved his wand, and lines of tiny text appeared on the blackboard, along with wand movement diagrams.
The board clearly illustrated the wand gestures, directions, and amplitudes required when casting the Iron-Armour Charm.
"This is your homework," Moody said, "as well as some techniques I've summarized for the Iron-Armour Charm. I want you to memorize all of this, and in the next class, we will practice it practically. If anyone's theory is a mess..."
He parted his lips, and the scars on his face seemed to converge, making him look even more frightening.
"Believe me, you will regret it then.
Of course, I know some of you might not care, but that's fine. I'll inform the hospital wing to prepare a few beds for you in advance..."
The classroom fell into a pensive silence. For the remainder of the class, everyone busied themselves copying the notes from the blackboard, and not a single person spoke until the bell rang for the end of class...
Moody limped out of the classroom, the thumping of his wooden leg on the floor fading into the distance until it was gone.
Instantly, a chorus of discussions erupted.
Apart from a small number of students expressing concern, most were excited and looked forward to Friday, the only day they would have their next Dark Arts Defense lesson.
"He's really good, isn't he?" Mikel said as they left the classroom, looking at the scroll of parchment in his hand:
"He knows so much about Dark Magic. I made up a spell, and he saw right through it... Seems not everyone is all fame and no substance like Lockhart."
Kyle glanced at him, hesitating to tell Mikel that the so-called "Clearing Curse" he had made up actually had another name—the "Cleaning Charm."
Making the target of your wand instantly disappear was, quite literally, cleaning, wasn't it?
Just like how the Transfiguration Spell couldn't create food, the Cleaning Charm was ineffective against anything with life. Aside from Moody, any wizard with half a brain would know it was made up.
Otherwise, the Killing Curse would have been ranked second, as it was far more convenient.
(End of Chapter)
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