บท 163: Chapter 166: Wilson: I Don't Want Mr. Crouch to Send Me Back to the Orphanage…

What a greedy and foolish young man!

This student's face almost screamed his desire for dark magic!

Professor Quirrell's eyes narrowed slightly, resuming his façade of a timid smile. This boy named Wilson was exceedingly foolish!

Throw out a bait…

This boy immediately took the hook!

Wilson didn't even attempt to conceal his ambition, greedily wanting to learn dark magic from him…

A thirteen-year-old boy with little intelligence—just a glimpse of powerful magic like the Fiendfyre Curse had exposed his greed for magical knowledge…

While Professor Quirrell thought Wilson was greedy and foolish, Wilson thought the same of his Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.

Wilson didn't want it to be this way.

he didn't want to be hooked by them!

But his own tactics were too high, Voldemort and Professor Quirrell combined were a pair of fools. These two were too cautious; if he didn't take the bait now, who knew when he'd have another chance to get close to them…

"This is... dark magic."

Professor Quirrell put away the piece of paper with the Fiendfyre Curse written on it, a trace of pride on his face, though he earnestly advised, "It's too dangerous... best not... to learn it..."

"Yes."

Wilson hesitated before calmly continuing, "Mr. Crouch once told me that dangerous magic generally means powerful magic. He also forbade me from touching evil dark magic..."

A hint of regret flickered in Wilson's eyes as he said, "I heard Mr. Crouch's son, Crouch Jr., was obsessed with dark magic, joined the second Dark Lord, and eventually died in Azkaban..."

These weren't empty words.

The feud between the Crouch family and Voldemort had a long history. Generally speaking, mentioning these things would definitely provoke Voldemort!

Crouch Sr. forbade Wilson from touching dark magic because his son, Crouch Jr., turned to dark magic and caused a tragedy by joining Voldemort. Now, Voldemort would certainly want to lure Wilson into learning dark magic, making Crouch Sr.'s efforts go to waste!

"Hehehe..."

Professor Quirrell's smile became awkward as he rubbed his forehead, trying to mask the faint pain in his brain.

Clearly.

Voldemort had heard Wilson's words.

The second Dark Lord's mood immediately soured, as Wilson predicted, becoming irritable and resolute!

No matter what…

Wilson had to be dragged into dark magic!

It was fate.

Crouch Sr.'s son joined him, and his ward would too. That was their fate!

"But..."

Professor Quirrell rubbed his forehead, quickly changing the topic to avoid further provoking Voldemort. He cautiously said, "Every wizard... is curious about knowledge... right? At this age... you surely desire more power... right?"

"..."

Wilson immediately fell silent.

To Professor Quirrell, his silence was an answer.

The professor's smile grew more triumphant as he carefully continued to guide his student, "This isn't... something to be ashamed of... I have the same... thoughts as you..."

"Yes, Professor."

Wilson nodded, seemingly unwilling to talk about it, "I am indeed curious about dark magic because of its power, allowing us to achieve more... but Mr. Crouch forbade me from touching it."

"I... I can teach you some..."

Professor Quirrell's face showed a fervent expression as he stammered, "I can teach you... some practical... useful spells..."

Seeing the astonishment in Wilson's eyes, Professor Quirrell hurriedly explained, "This is... to let you understand their power... not to use them for evil... remember that?"

"...Yes, Professor."

Wilson nodded, still visibly confused.

At this moment, Wilson wasn't sure if he was Quirrell's fish or if Quirrell was his fish...

Could Quirrell really be so easily deceived?

However, Wilson underestimated his adversary.

Professor Quirrell was still too timid. He didn't dare introduce Voldemort so soon, intending only to lure Wilson with dark magic.

Perhaps by the time Wilson was deeply involved in more powerful dark magic, Professor Quirrell still wouldn't introduce him to Voldemort—or maybe wouldn't get the chance...

As long as he achieved today's goal!

As long as he could find out from Wilson where the Ice Phoenix was!

Thinking of his goal, Professor Quirrell forced a passionate smile, "Speaking of... Mr. Crouch... is good to you... I heard... that unique Ice Phoenix... was a gift from him?"

"Yes..."

Wilson nodded while inwardly cursing.

No wonder Professor Quirrell was so enthusiastic today! It was to ask about this! And he hadn't even done anything yet!

Did this guy think he could trick him so easily?

Could he?

Of course he could!

Wilson thought for less than a second before speaking, "I remember Mr. Crouch picked it up while visiting Durmstrang in Northern Europe..."

"Northern Europe... Durmstrang..."

Professor Quirrell's smile stiffened.

Everyone in the magical world knew that Northern Europe, including Durmstrang, was under the first Dark Lord Grindelwald's control!

That would be too difficult.

All wizards knew.

Even Professor Quirrell knew very well that there were three Dark Lords in the magical world, and they wouldn't tolerate each other.

If Grindelwald found out…

Neither he nor Voldemort could compete with Grindelwald and would surely be dealt with!

Although Professor Quirrell didn't know that Durmstrang was temporarily led by Karkaroff, the risk was too high, and Voldemort wouldn't allow it...

That was Grindelwald!

Not some ordinary wizard!

Even in his arrogance, Voldemort wouldn't think he could challenge Grindelwald in his current half-dead state… The Dark Lord wasn't stupid!

Professor Quirrell saw Wilson's slightly surprised expression and quickly maintained the conversation, laughing awkwardly, "If I get a chance... I'd like to have one too."

"Anivia is the last one."

Wilson lowered his head, seemingly nonchalantly, "I wanted to release it, but it's the last of its kind..."

"Just one left?"

Professor Quirrell laughed awkwardly.

That was a good reason.

It would make Professor Quirrell give up, but the issue remained of how to get Hagrid to help with the three-headed dog…

"Yes."

Wilson nodded, seemingly inadvertently, "No one's found a second one in years… Ice Phoenixes are rarer than dragons."

"That's... a real pity..."

Professor Quirrell nodded, feeling a bit uneasy.

The main problem remained unsolved… What now?

To get past the three-headed dog and into the chamber with the Philosopher's Stone, Professor Quirrell had been wracking his brain. He finally managed to trick Hagrid, only to find himself facing a huge problem.

"What's wrong, Professor?"

Wilson asked knowingly.

"N-nothing..."

Professor Quirrell shook his head, glancing at Wilson still sitting there, quickly saying, "If... if there's nothing else... you can go."

"..."

Is this a joke?

Now that he was useless, he was being dismissed?

Wilson hesitated, his gaze falling on the piece of paper with the Fiendfyre Curse, showing his desire for the spell.

Professor Quirrell immediately noticed this, his smile slightly forced. Maybe tonight wasn't entirely fruitless, at least this boy was hooked!

"Want... want to learn this spell?"

Professor Quirrell smiled at Wilson, speaking earnestly, "Fiendfyre... is very dangerous... if... if you learn it... be careful... never... never experiment alone..."

"..."

Wilson's expression became excited, as if seeing a treasure, carefully reaching for the paper!

Bang!

Professor Quirrell's hand pressed down on the paper, smiling with a hint of threat in his voice, "Remember... don't tell anyone... I have much more to teach you..."

After saying this, he released the paper, laughing, "You should be in Slytherin or Ravenclaw..."

"I can't be in such places."

Wilson clutched the paper with the Fiendfyre Curse, seemingly unconcerned as he explained, "Mr. Crouch strictly forbade me from entering Slytherin. He insisted I stay far from that house, or he'd stop supporting me. He doesn't want me to end up like Crouch Jr..."

"Is that... so?"

Professor Quirrell smiled mysteriously.

Yet the professor nodded, as if remembering something, continuing, "But I... heard you pulled out... Gryffindor's sword..."

"I planned it."

Wilson still focused on the paper, seemingly answering instinctively, "If I didn't, I might've been sorted into Slytherin…

Mr. Crouch told me the secret. Anyone who knows what's inside the Sorting Hat can pull out that sword. I just didn't want to wear the hat.

If I wore the hat and got sorted into Slytherin, Mr. Crouch would've made me leave and return to the orphanage. I don't want to go back to the orphanage as a freak, so..."

At this point, Wilson's face changed as if he had revealed a secret he shouldn't have. He suddenly looked up at Professor Quirrell!

The professor looked at Wilson with a mysterious smile, seemingly pleased to have uncovered a secret...

"Don't worry..."

"Don't worry..." Professor Quirrell smiled at Wilson. He seemed confident that he had Wilson under his control. His speech had become smooth, almost as if he were a different person.

"Mr. Wilson, I won't tell anyone. This is your secret..."

"..." Wilson's expression darkened.

Did Professor Quirrell really think those words were meant for him?

Just as Quirrell was about to continue threatening the student, a weak voice suddenly came from the back of his head, "Quirrell... remove the turban... I want to say a few words to this young man... such a pitiable young man..."