Bab 31: Teaching how to fight.
"Now tell me why didn't any of your spells hit me?" I asked.
"Because you kept dodging." Said Neville not sure whether the obvious answer was what the professor was asking for.
"Yes, because I was dodging. Make sure you understand this one point. In a fight, it is not the strongest wizard who prevails but the one who uses his magic scarcely to inflict the most damage. I kept on evading your spells just enough to conserve my energy. While you guys on the other hand never even thought to dodge. That is what we will work the next whole week and the weekends. How to dodge. A wizard whose mobility is high will always be better at fighting than one who is not." I said.
"Professor, your card said you will provide answers we seek. Can you answer a question of mine?" Asked Daphne.
"Yes, Miss Greengrass. Ask away."
"Do you know any method to cure blood malediction?"
"I am not a healer Miss Greengrass. But I do know of a direction of research that might help you. It is related to a series of muggle knowledge called genetics. It deals with the inheritance of characters from parents to offspring. Once you are proficient in the magical knowledge of blood malediction, start your work on genetics. Even muggles have similar diseases that transfer across generations. That could help you. Maybe you can ask this room to give you books on malediction as well. Besides that, I can teach you curse-breaking which could be helpful."
Daphne looked good. She felt her decision to join the group was right. This professor was not a run-of-the-mill wizard.
"Sir, I have a question too. What do you know about the chamber of secrets and the heir of Slytherin." Asked Harry looking a bit uncomfortable from the gazes of the members.
"It seems the rumors say that you are the Heir, Mr. Potter." I said. Harry looked even more distraught. "No sir, I am not. I could always speak to snakes but I didn't knew Slytherin was a parselmouth till yesterday." He tried justifying as fast as he could.
"Relax Mr. Potter. You are not the heir of that I know. Potters descended from Peverrels. The only founder any of your family would have had was Gryffindors. On the other hand, Slytherins descended to Gaunts. They do have a bit of Peverell blood but predominantly the Gaunts were inbreds who married cousins. There were many parselmouths in the Gaunt family. I don't think anyone of the sacred twenty-eight can be the heir since there are no Gaunts left and they never married into any other families. I think the last Gaunt, Marvolo died as well." I said and added. "Now who could it raises several assumptions. One, some squib of the Gaunts who lived in the muggle world gave birth to a witch or wizard who could be the heir. Two, this is not the play of a witch or wizard but some magic that we don't know about. Three, it is an artifact like the sorting hat or a ghost. As long as I have no information I could only assume all these possibilities."
The five looked at me incredulously. When I said finally. "Today's session will end here guys. I hope you don't tell anyone about this class. Also, don't look into Snape's eyes. He is an accomplished legilimens who has no respect for privacy. I don't think any one of you would be in trouble but Harry."
"Sir what is legillimens?" Asked Harry.
"He can read minds Potter" said Cederic looking angry at the thought he could have used mind-reading on him.
"What, so he can read minds?" Asked Neville looking pale.
"He can do it surreptitiously and only surface thoughts if he is not trying. If he used the spell consciously, you would know, and it will cause pain. Just avoid looking at his eyes when he talks to you. Look at his mouth instead. You guys should seriously learn occlumency as well so that you can protect your thoughts. I will teach you how to. But my technique is a bit distasteful for people, especially women." I said looking at the two girls. I also did not mention Dumbledore as he does not interact with the students much except for Harry at the end of the year.
"Sir regarding the monster everyone talks. Do you have any opinion?" Asked Cederic.
"Oh yes, I have many. But the headmaster says he is taking care of it." I will escort you to your dormitories. Here hold this." I handed each a rune made of ash that prevented the body temperature from being detected. "Channel magic into it, it prevents detection of body temperature" I said and cast UHM on all and myself. "Let's go."
I sent each of them to their dorms fearing the Basilisk.
'They are not ready for a Basilisk' I thought.
The next day evening while I was looking at a coursebook for the seventh years, I thought to look at the map. It seemed everything was fine. But then I saw it. Justin Finch-Fletchley and Nearly headless Nick hanging around quite closely.
'Oh crap, I thought the snake attacks at night, it does not seem to be the case.' I ran as fast as I could and found them petrified. Without further ado I summoned my Patronus and told it to relay the news to the headmaster, Madam Pomfrey, and Professor Sprout. As I waited for their arrival I saw Harry walking up to the corridor.
"Professor Quirrell" he asked, there was concern and suspicion in his voice.
"Found them petrified. I've sent a message to the headmaster, he should arrive soon." I said unconcernedly by the fact that he may suspect me.
Soon Filch came up. "Caught in the act are we Potter, I will see to it that justice is done right by my cat." Students and teachers started coming in.
"I was here first Mr. Filch. Are you going to accuse me as well now?" I asked angrily. The old man took a look at my eyes and flinched.
"What happened Professor Quirrell." A concerned Professor Sprout asked while Madam Pomfrey took Justin and started moving towards the infirmary.
"I heard a peculiar sound of something heavy being dragged. And followed it when I saw the two of them petrified." I said.
Dumbledore looked at me. For the first time, he did not use mind-reading.
'That was odd. It seems he does deem me as just a side character. Thank Merlin. But it seemed as if he has checked Harry on it.'
[Headmasters Office]
"What does this mean Albus" asked a concerned McGonagall.
"It seems the chamber of secrets has indeed been opened." Said Dumbledore.
"By whom?" Asked Professor Flitwick.
"It's not whom, but how." Replied Dumbledore.
"Headmaster, we should close the school till the situation is resolved. I am afraid I have a conclusion on what caused this from the sound I heard." I wanted to see whether the old coot wanted to keep the children safe or still manipulate Harry.
"What conclusion Quirrell?" Asked the potion master Severus 'Bat' Snape.
"It's either a gorgon or a basilisk. Both kill with a stare petrifying them into stone. In the case of Mr. Fletchley he was in line with Nick the ghost. The curse of the eye was viewed via a ghost hence petrified. The same with Mr. Filches cat. It must have seen the reflection of the eyes of the creature since the floor was flooded with water that day." I replied making the staff visibly uncomfortable.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone