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He hadn't expected there to be a master among the first-years!
"I feel like a new student in front of you," Ian admitted, his evaluation heartfelt. Aurora tilted her head, about to say something else, when,
"Click~"
The sound of the doorknob turning echoed through the room. Aurora raised her wand, aiming at the door, but Ian immediately pressed her down and silently cast the Disillusionment Charm on both of them.
One for all.
With his deepening study of magic, many spells that weren't too complex but required high proficiency could now be performed without incantation.
As the door opened, Ian and Aurora's bodies first appeared with numerous transparent holes, which spread out like water stains, and the two of them vanished like ice under the scorching sun.
Inside the office, their bodies entered a hidden state.
The person who entered the office was completely oblivious to the fact that two people had been there moments before. He cautiously poked his head in to survey the room before carefully squeezing through the door and quietly closing it behind him.
"Muggle Studies professor?" Aurora was surprised to recognize the newcomer in her mind.
Ian's expression turned peculiar.
Did Snape's office really attract so many visitors every night?
It couldn't be!
How much could it withstand being raided like this?
"Eagle's eye, snake's nerve..." The frail Quirrell, even when alone, looked weak. He tiptoed around Snape's office, pilfering ingredients, seeing him steal a few items and then leave, Ian stopped Aurora from following out of curiosity.
"We need to be cautious; this professor clearly doesn't seem like a good person," Ian said, to which Aurora nodded in agreement. After all, how could a thief be considered a good person?
As for her and Ian... well, they weren't exactly paragons of virtue either.
"This bloke hasn't even returned to his dormitory," Ian observed Quirrell's movements through the Marauder's Map, watching him enter a remote, unused classroom.
"Should we catch him? Then pin the stolen goods on him," Aurora suggested, eyeing the materials Ian had gathered in his sack with astonishment.
She realized she'd underestimated the scale of Ian's operation.
"He won't admit it," Ian replied, shrinking the sack and stuffing it into his pocket.
"Then let's make sure there's no evidence," Aurora said, raising her wand with a hint of eagerness.
"That might not be wise," Ian hesitated. "Attacking a professor within Hogwarts Castle isn't the right behavior, and I suspect he's already allied with some very troublesome dark forces."
He felt that as long as it wasn't the noseless one, dealing with a Death Eater wouldn't be too much of a hassle. Quirrell's actions had already made it clear he'd turned traitor; the materials he'd taken were key ingredients for many dark magic spells, and, most tellingly, there was a distinct bloody smell about him.
"My grandfather's Acolyte listens to me now," Aurora said, blinking.
The implication of her concise words was unmistakable.
"Let's see what he's up to," Ian decided. He didn't want Quirrell to cause any disturbances that might interfere with his peaceful studies, but he clearly had more reservations than Aurora.
Following the markings on the map, Ian led Aurora slowly toward the empty classroom where Quirrell was, both of them maintained the Disillusionment Charm, and Ian also cleared away anything nearby that might make noise if accidentally disturbed.
They stood outside the window and peered in; Quirrell was indeed casting dark magic, just as Ian had suspected.
Not returning to his dormitory was likely due to concerns about leaving traces of dark magic there. In the center of the classroom was an empty basin filled with blood, and Quirrell was using the stolen materials to perform a ritual, muttering obscure incantations.
As the blood in the basin began to bubble like boiling water, it eventually coalesced into a grotesque face, and Quirrell immediately dropped to his knees, speaking in a tone laced with fear.
"Master~"
His voice was sycophantic.
"Is the item still there?"
The blood-formed face emitted a hoarse voice.
"I went into that room; your treasure was not there," Quirrell replied, trembling slightly, his tone tense as his eyes darted around nervously.
Perhaps he was worried that Dumbledore, who had left the school, might suddenly return, one could only say that this bloke was clearly overly cautious; he surely didn't know that Dumbledore had taken a liking to avoid work.
"Just as I thought!"
The blood-formed face surged angrily, revealing that the person on the other end was furious. "When that fool Carrow went missing without sending any news, I had a premonition. I didn't expect someone to actually find the things I've hidden. That damned fool didn't even find out who took it!"
The voice wasn't loud, but that was clearly due to Quirrell's "volume control."
The other person was practically roaring.
"Master, I... I... I have completed the tasks you assigned me. May I return to your side and continue to serve you as your loyal servant?"
Quirrell pleaded, prostrating himself on the ground.
"You still need to help me find out who stole my belongings," The blood-formed face replied coldly, refusing Quirrell's request and issuing a stern command instead.
This made Quirrell tremble uncontrollably.
"I'm afraid, Master, I'm afraid Dumbledore might discover my situation. He made me feel something was off today; I even suspect he has uncovered my connection with you."
Quirrell's voice quivered with a whimper, thick with fear and trepidation.
"Rest assured, our great Dumbledore is nowhere near as clever as you think. His enemies will soon make it difficult for him to cope. What you need to do is seize the opportunity to find that thief for me."
Voldemort's low, hoarse voice carried a hint of gritted teeth.
"I'm just the professor of Muggle Studies; it's an elective course, and I don't come into contact with many people. I'm not very familiar with the other professors either."
"Perhaps... perhaps Dumbledore took your things," Quirrell desperately tried to persuade the person on the other end; he clearly did not want to stay at Hogwarts any longer.
One could understand that.
After all, he was a traitor within Hogwarts' walls.
"Then find a way to get Dumbledore to transfer you to another position... the Defense Against the Dark Arts class is a good choice," The Dark Lord said, clearly still nursing a grudge over the job application he had been denied years ago.
He might hope that his servant could become the professor of that class, thus proving some of the worth he had always been concerned about. Dumbledore's past insult had indeed left a mark on him.
"But, but that class is currently taught by Gilderoy Lockhart," Quirrell protested, only to find the blood-colored face in the basin glaring at him ominously.
"Then kill him!" The Dark Lord's tone was filled with disdain.
"Just a clown trying to attract attention; don't forget, you're also a wizard who graduated from Ravenclaw. This is the best opportunity to prove your worth."
"Kill that man, replace him, and complete the task I assigned to you!"
The hoarse, low voice echoed through the classroom.
Ian and Aurora, crouched outside the window, heard everything clearly.
"Very well... Master... for you."
After a few minutes, Quirrell finally seemed to have made a decision, prostrating himself on the ground to respond to the Dark Lord linked to the bubbling blood in the basin.
At this moment,
Ian finally let out a long breath.
He knew.
The peaceful days were about to return.
And they wouldn't even need to lift a finger.
(End of Chapter)