Hogwarts : Max Level Unforgivable Curse

Dumbledore picked up a Cockroach Cluster from the table. 

"Care for one?"

Professor Snape frowned, leaning back slightly, his lips pressed into a thin line as he eyed the treat with disgust. "I have no interest in such repulsive things."

Dumbledore shrugged. "Suit yourself, but they're quite delicious."

"I'm here to discuss Dylan!" Snape's voice was low and tense.

Dumbledore chuckled. "I must say, I didn't realize you'd take such an interest in a young wizard."

Snape's frown deepened. "He's venturing into extremely dangerous territory."

"How so?" Dumbledore asked, surprised. "He shouldn't have access to anything truly dangerous."

"Perhaps not, but it's not impossible," Snape replied with a cold snort.

Dumbledore looked at him intently. "Are you suggesting he might delve into forbidden magic out of curiosity, risking the corruption of his mind?"

"It's worse than that."

Snape's lips curled into a sneer. "If he finds a safe method, he'll undoubtedly pursue it."

Dumbledore's brow furrowed.

Snape continued, "Today, he not only asked me how to counter the Fiendfyre Curse but also inquired about the mechanics of Amortentia."

"Oh?" Dumbledore was taken aback.

Dylan, a first-year student, was exploring such… diverse topics? 

"What's his interest in these?"

Snape let out another cold laugh. 

"Amortentia induces powerful feelings of infatuation, but it's not genuine emotion. When he brought it up, I thought he was being foolish, but no…"

Snape's expression darkened further. 

"He understands the effects of Amortentia perfectly. What he's really after is whether it's possible to brew other potions that can artificially induce emotions! Clearly, he's considering using potions to experiment with dark magic."

Snape stared at Dumbledore, his face grave.

After a moment of thought, Dumbledore looked up, a hint of curiosity—and even anticipation—in his eyes. "So, is it possible?"

"No!"

Snape's face was as dark as a storm cloud.

"I thought not," Dumbledore said with a dry laugh. 

"Still, the boy does have some peculiar yet intriguing ideas. I've never considered whether potion-induced emotions could replace the mental corruption required to wield dark magic."

Snape's eyebrows nearly knit together into a single line.

Seeing his expression, Dumbledore cleared his throat. 

"Of course, regardless of whether it's possible, the destructive nature of dark magic is too convenient, and its consequences are irreversible. If a wizard becomes too comfortable using dark magic, it will inevitably twist their soul."

At this, Snape's expression softened slightly. 

"I even asked him if he'd been studying dark magic. His response was that he wanted to understand the differences between dark magic and ordinary spells."

"And?"

"I'm certain he wasn't lying. He's genuinely interested in studying dark magic."

Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully. 

He had no reason to doubt Snape's judgment. 

While three professors had come to him that evening to "complain" about Dylan, it was clear the boy hadn't truly strayed down a dark path. His ideas were simply the result of an overactive imagination and a lack of familiarity with magical norms. 

Most importantly, Dylan sought guidance from his professors—multiple ones, in fact. 

This alone showed that his intentions weren't malicious, and he wasn't secretly dabbling in dark magic.

Dumbledore looked at Snape and said, "He's young. We have plenty of time to guide him. And after all, he's a Gryffindor. You know how rare it is for a Gryffindor to become a dark wizard."

Snape's eye twitched. 

"Hmph!"

With a dramatic swirl of his robes, he turned and stormed out.

As Dumbledore watched Snape's retreating figure, his expression grew serious, lost in thought. 

*Should I…?*

---

The night's snowstorm had left Hogwarts blanketed in white. 

The air outside was bitterly cold, but Dylan, snug in his bed, was reluctant to get up. 

He'd discovered a new use for the Robe Beautification Charm! 

For a hundred Galleons, he could transform his robes into a cozy, warm onesie, lined with soft, fluffy fabric that clung comfortably to his skin. 

Unfortunately, while reverting the onesie back to robes didn't cost extra, transforming it again required another hundred Galleons. 

"What a rip-off! I paid for the enchantment, and it doesn't even save the settings!" 

Coal, curled up in his arms, burrowed deeper as Dylan sat up. 

Dylan didn't immediately change back into his robes. Instead, he glanced at the mountain of gifts piled at the foot of his bed. 

"This many?" he muttered in surprise. 

He wriggled back under the covers and peeked out from the other end, Coal's tiny black head poking out from his collar. 

Dylan reached for the largest gift and unwrapped it. 

"Wow!" 

Inside was a Gryffindor scarf and glove set, made from enchanted wool that adjusted to the wearer's temperature. 

It was a gift from Professor McGonagall. 

Alongside it was a book titled *Advanced Transfiguration: A Guide to Complex Biological Transformations* and a full year's subscription to *Transfiguration Today*. 

"No way!" 

Dylan was even more excited about the magazine. 

*Transfiguration Today* featured articles and research papers from some of the most brilliant minds in the field, offering invaluable insights and discussions. 

He'd managed to scavenge a few issues here and there, and they'd already been incredibly helpful. 

It wasn't that he couldn't afford a full subscription—though it was pricey—but the process was notoriously cumbersome. Subscriptions had to be requested by mail, and the magazine only accepted orders at the start of the year. 

Each subscription was tied to an individual, and even bookstores didn't carry back issues. 

"This is an incredible gift. Compared to this, what I gave…" 

(End of Chapter)