Chapter 943: Dark Arts
Chapter 943: Dark Arts
Ever since Albert decided to work on completing the "Bookworm" task in his spare time, his already busy life became even more hectic. In addition to the homework assigned by the professors and writing letters to old friends, he now had to set aside more time to read those hefty tomes, especially the ancient Dark Arts books. This wasn't so much a form of rest as it was a burdensome chore.
Of course, there were benefits to all this reading.
Albert had also gained a considerable amount of knowledge about the Dark Arts, and no longer viewed them with the same awe and distance as before.
During this period when Albert was reading in the Restricted Section, he had caught the attention of Dumbledore.
Whether it was because of trust or some other reason, Dumbledore merely observed from the shadows and did not take the initiative to approach him.
Albert, on the other hand, wished that Dumbledore would come looking for him, so they could exchange insights about the Dark Arts.
If he took the initiative to seek out Dumbledore, he would probably be brushed off with some excuse.
As for saying that Professor Dumbledore didn't understand Dark Magic, that would undoubtedly be the biggest joke in this world.
Albert was certain that Dumbledore's understanding of the Dark Arts was no less than that of Voldemort; he simply chose not to use them.
Knowledge and power were not inherently wrong; it was the people who abused them that were at fault.
Even with the Time-Turner, Albert was pushing himself to the limit. In truth, he could have taken a break and allowed himself to relax and enjoy life.
By giving up on certain things, one could indeed find happiness.
As for the threat of Voldemort, with the Fidelius Charm in place, he could simply hide away and live his life in peace.
However, his past life's experience had taught Albert that there were times when one needed to strive and make efforts. Why not seize the moment while he was still young and energetic, so that he wouldn't have to work so hard later on?
Regarding the threat of Voldemort, if he didn't have the system panel, he would have immediately taken his entire family far away from Britain the moment he graduated. But now, things were different. He had the panel, and he had the ability, all of which were based on the results of these past few years. Albert did not fear Voldemort like others did; he even planned to use the infamous Dark Lord as a stepping stone to further his own goals.
Albert didn't pay much attention to fame, wealth, or social status, but he knew he needed them. Only by possessing them could he afford to ignore them. After all, he was still a part of this society, and these things could provide him with convenience.
He certainly didn't want to end up like Percy, struggling in the Ministry of Magic. That wasn't the life he wanted. If he wanted to live a carefree life, he had to keep getting stronger and breaking through the shackles that bound him. Even if he wanted to achieve immortality like Nicolas Flamel in the future, as long as he had enough experience and skill points, he could recreate the Philosopher's Stone.
Of course, there was another reason as well. In the magical world, the pursuit of strength could sometimes be as alluring as a woman.
"When are you going to teach us some practical Dark Arts?"
Fred, George, and Lee Jordan were well aware that Albert had been studying the Dark Arts lately, and they had also browsed through those sinister books of dark magic. However, the obscure and complex instructions and profound concepts within those books were beyond their comprehension, leaving them dizzy and confused. So, the trio now hoped that Albert would teach them a few practical dark spells once he had mastered them.
"Most Dark Arts are actually not very useful," Albert said as he placed a bookmark in the thick tome and closed it. Looking up at the three boys, who seemed hesitant to speak, he continued, "Most of what are considered Dark Arts are spells that should be discarded. Well, I won't deny that some dark spells have tremendous destructive power, but that's about it."
The three boys exchanged glances, surprised to hear Albert dismiss the feared Dark Arts as a bunch of outdated garbage.
"Remember when I first entered the school and accidentally cast 'Sesame, Open'?" Albert reminded them. "The spell that ripped the door off Professor McGonagall's office?"
The trio looked at each other and laughed, none of them having forgotten how Albert had accidentally torn the door off its hinges and reduced it to kindling with that very spell.
"In fact, many of the Dark Arts spells in the library are similar to 'Sesame, Open'. They are more violent, have greater destructive power, and are more dangerous. For the vast majority of clumsy students, using them haphazardly could lead to significant danger, which is why they are placed in the Restricted Section."
"Due to the peaceful nature of the wizarding world and the policies of the Ministry of Magic, fewer witches and wizards are researching Dark Arts these days. This has caused ancient magic to be gradually forgotten, surviving only in old books. When most witches and wizards don't know how to deal with or counter these dark spells, they naturally seem very dangerous. If there was a defensive spell similar to the Ironskin Charm that could protect against most Dark Arts, would you still think the Dark Arts were extremely dangerous?"
"You know, the unknown is always the most frightening."
"So, that's why you're reading these books."
The trio had originally thought that Albert was perusing the Dark Arts books to find some suitable dark spells, but they never expected that he was actually studying them to understand them better.
However, what he said made a lot of sense.
When you know your enemy, they become less scary.
"So, in my opinion, most of the Dark Arts spells in these books are pretty mediocre," Albert continued. "They're too crude; for example, 'Sesame, Open' can only destroy a door, whereas 'Alohomora' is much more practical." He paused, then added, "A large part of the lethality of Dark Arts stems from the fact that they require a strong magical foundation, and the caster must be sufficiently cruel to unleash their full power. Regular use of Dark Arts can also lead to a person becoming more violent and brutal, like some crazed individuals. I assume you don't want to turn into those kinds of lunatics, right?"
"No!" the three boys chorused, shaking their heads.
"Well, I've convinced you, then," George said with a slight lift of his eyebrow. "I bet you've not just been studying the Dark Arts, though."
If Albert hadn't learned a few suitable spells, they would have found it out of character for him.
"As long as they're not abused," Albert said, steering the conversation in a different direction. "Dumbledore is the best example of this."
"Dumbledore is skilled in the Dark Arts," Lee Jordan said, his eyes widening with curiosity.
"At least he's not inferior to You-Know-Who in that regard, but he simply doesn't like using them," Albert said calmly. "Of course, Professor Dumbledore is also well aware of the consequences of abusing the Dark Arts. Or, you could say that Dumbledore is too noble to stoop to using them."
"Tell us about Dark Magic and let us broaden our horizons a bit." Fred urged.
"Most Dark Arts spells have a lot of drawbacks. They usually require a very strong magical foundation. Wizards with powerful magic use Dark Magic to showcase their strength, and Death Eaters are a perfect example. In reality, ordinary curses can also be incredibly potent. Take the Stunning Spell, for instance; it's not uncommon for a wizard to struggle with casting it on a fire-breathing dragon, but an exceptionally powerful wizard like Dumbledore should be able to pull it off."
"Could Professor Dumbledore really put a lone fire-breathing dragon under a spell?" Lee Jordan asked curiously.
"I'm just giving an example," Albert said, glancing at Lee Jordan before continuing, "Dark Magic spells are typically harder to control, and if the caster's control isn't strong enough, the spell can backfire on them. Take the Blasting Curse, for instance."
"The Blasting Curse?"
"It's a cursed, powerful, flame-type Dark Magic spell," Albert said nonchalantly. "It produces black flames when cast."
"The Blasting Curse, also known as Devil's Fire, is far more potent than regular flames produced by the Fire-Making Spell. Moreover, Devil's Fire can't be extinguished by conventional means, and it can even morph into terrifying monsters that devour everything in their path uncontrollably."
Albert raised his wand, and a black flame ignited at its tip, twisting into countless eerie shapes.
The trio stared in astonishment as the flame suddenly went out, and Albert's voice rang out again.
"Even if a student manages to learn the Blasting Curse, it's highly unlikely that they'll be able to master it completely. In the end, they'll likely be consumed by the uncontrollable Devil's Fire. Even seasoned Dark Wizards rarely dare to misuse such a curse."
"If it's that difficult, how come you picked it up so easily?" Fred asked, perplexed.
"Because my abilities are sufficiently advanced, my magic is strong enough, and my control is good enough," Albert said calmly. "Once you guys truly master the Silencing Charm and can cast wandless magic with ease, you'll also be able to learn the Blasting Curse with relative ease."
Of course, the truth was that Albert had upgraded the Blasting Curse to a Tier 3 spell.
The three boys were momentarily at a loss for words, for the black flames they had just witnessed were indeed eerie and dangerous.
"If one were to master truly perilous Dark Magic, dealing with those ignorant students would be as easy as killing chickens. An uncontrolled Blasting Curse could easily destroy an entire city, and that's one of the reasons why those powerful Dark Wizards are so formidable. Those who truly master formidable Dark Magic are incredibly dangerous."
This was also the reason why Albert didn't want to go up against Voldemort.
The trio couldn't help but swallow nervously.
"Of course, such individuals are actually very rare. Just flip through your History of Magic textbooks, and you'll come across those infamous Dark Wizards," Albert said, noticing the reverent looks on their faces. He shook his head and added, "As far as we know, there are currently only two of them still alive."
"Who's the other one besides You-Know-Who?"
"Gellert Grindelwald, the first Dark Wizard to rival the fame of You-Know-Who," Albert introduced, "He's mentioned on the back of Dumbledore's Chocolate Frog Card."
"What about those infamous Death Eaters? Don't they count?" Fred and George thought of their father's unease and agitation whenever he mentioned the Death Eaters.
"Of course not," Albert scoffed, "They're nothing more than a bunch of mediocre magicians who know a trick or two of Dark Magic. Otherwise, why would the Death Eaters be so afraid of Dumbledore? It's the same as how ordinary wizards fear You-Know-Who because they simply can't beat him. The gap between them is just that huge."
"I like how you put it," Fred mumbled, "Mediocre magicians, or 'rotten shrimp,' as you call them, do fit the bill for those guys."
"I'm sure you're way better than those rotten shrimp," George added.
"Calling them rotten shrimp depends on who's doing the calling," Albert said, "For someone like Dumbledore, they are indeed rotten shrimp, but for us, Death Eaters are still very dangerous individuals." Albert didn't want them to underestimate their enemies.
"I have a feeling you're way more powerful than you let on," George said, puzzled. "You even subdued a fire-breathing dragon with ease. I dare say that even the professors at school would struggle to do the same."
"That's different," Albert shook his head, "I lack their combat experience, which puts me at a disadvantage." He then added, "In our sparring sessions, I've never won against Professor Flitwick in a direct confrontation."
"You probably weren't trying your hardest," Lee Jordan muttered, "And, if I recall correctly, Professor Flitwick is a Duelling Champion."
The trio fell silent.
It was only natural that Albert couldn't beat Professor Flitwick, given his lack of combat experience and the fact that neither of them was going all out.
"Once you learn from Professor Flitwick's combat experience, you'll definitely surpass him," the trio thought. They had never doubted Albert's learning abilities, and his control over the Blasting Curse was a testament to his frightening capacity for learning. After all, Albert had only recently started researching Dark Magic.
"Professor Flitwick taught me the Blasting Curse," Albert said.
"No, he didn't," George interjected, "You told him you wanted to learn it, and he agreed to supervise you to prevent any accidents."
After Albert had mastered the Exploding Curse, he confided in Professor Flitwick about his intention to learn the Blasting Curse. Only after Albert's repeated assurances that he wouldn't misuse it did Professor Flitwick agree to help him.
In fact, Albert suspected that Professor Flitwick had consulted with Dumbledore about it, as he hadn't given his consent immediately.
Perhaps it was because Albert, while perusing Dark Magic books, hadn't recklessly experimented with or learned Dark Magic on his own that Dumbledore hadn't intervened.
After all, it was better to provide guidance than to let someone dabble in it unsupervised.
Indeed, Albert wasn't the type to learn something behind someone's back just because they refused to teach him. If Professor Flitwick hadn't agreed to teach him, he would have found someone else. It was better to have Dumbledore's supervision than to let Albert learn it on his own.
Well, Headmaster Dumbledore would never admit that he was scared.
The Headmaster was already regretting his initial refusal to teach Albert himself. He now wanted to guide Albert down the right path and prevent him from treading the same dark path as Tom Riddle.
If this young man were to become a dangerous individual like Voldemort, his destructive potential would far surpass that of the Dark Lord.
Dumbledore was now considering taking Albert under his wing personally.
As it turned out, the Blasting Curse was indeed a good fit for Albert. His potent magic and precise control meant that he could wield the Blasting Curse with the same flexibility as the Exploding Curse, and it would undoubtedly become the bane of all his enemies.
After all, facing off against the terrifying monsters conjured by the Devil's Fire would give even Dark Wizards pause, forcing them to divert their attention. But once they became distracted, they would be in for a rude awakening when facing Albert.
(End of Chapter)
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