Cursed Hogwarts?

"Are you sure?"

Much of the time, Snape could not understand what the greatest wizard of the twentieth century standing before him was thinking.

Dumbledore's mind, like his magical prowess, seemed unfathomable.

Andy was fairly well-known among the professors. More than once, Snape had heard Professor Flitwick and Professor McGonagall discussing the Little Wizard.

Snape had even taught Andy Potions Class.

He admitted that Andy was a very talented Little Wizard.

Hardworking, intelligent, mature, thoughtful, meticulous... Though he occasionally acted a little offbeat, it was precisely because of that that Andy seemed more like a child.

Otherwise, Snape might have thought he was facing an adult.

But clearly, Dumbledore saw Andy differently.

"Yes, I have also heard some things about Collins. He is a very talented Little Wizard."

Dumbledore's tone carried admiration for Andy. "Especially his thoughts on magic. It is truly astonishing that he is only eleven years old this year. These are matters many adult wizards would never consider."

Snape looked at Dumbledore. If that were all, Dumbledore would never have asked him to keep an eye on an eleven-year-old Little Wizard.

"I collected some of the questions Collins raised during class."

Dumbledore continued, "I discovered that he is studying the effects of emotions on magic, as well as the nature of magical power. Some of his questions have even touched upon the soul..."

"This is very dangerous."

"If we do not guide him, sooner or later, he will become curious about the Dark Arts."

Dumbledore had also studied the Dark Arts when he was young, and he understood them well enough. So he knew that the Dark Arts could give Andy the answers he sought.

But that was undoubtedly dangerous.

If those who studied the Dark Arts could not turn back in time, their hearts would sooner or later fall into evil.

Snape fell silent for a moment before saying, "I understand. If I have spare time, I will help you keep an eye on him."

"Then I will leave it to you," Dumbledore said.

"What about Quirrell..."

"This is the wish of all Hogwarts students. We should not stop them."

No one knew of the conversation in the Headmaster's Office, so Andy naturally had no idea that he had already caught Dumbledore's attention.

Why? Andy felt that he had already kept a low enough profile.

He did not cause trouble or stir things up. Usually, he was even better behaved than Hermione.

What exactly do you like about me? Can't I change it?

Fortunately, Andy still knew nothing about any of this.

What he did not know would not trouble him.

So Andy was very happy right now.

The library.

Andy found another book explaining Magical Theory. Its author had died in a magical experiment, so the contents were novel and completely unlike the rigid, by-the-book stuff.

Andy decided to spend the morning studying this book, then go to the Abandoned Classroom on the Sixth Floor to practice magic in the afternoon.

The red liquid within the system orb grew every day, which meant that Andy was improving every day.

In at most another two or three days, the red liquid would fill up, which meant Andy would gain another Potential Point.

Visible progress was undoubtedly something to celebrate.

Andy decided to raise Charms and Transfiguration to 5 points first, then add points to his mental attribute.

Once his magical power attribute naturally grew to 3 points, he would add points to that as well.

By then, if Andy could fully realize all his talent, he should be strong enough to become a powerhouse in the Wizarding World, right? Andy roughly calculated.

If he could maintain his current rate of progress and gain one Potential Point every ten days, then within four months, Andy could raise Charms and Transfiguration to 5 points.

By then, Andy's speed of learning magic would improve further, and the system's red liquid would grow even faster.

With such a virtuous cycle, Andy felt that he could become godlike.

A few years from now, even going solo against Voldemort did not seem like it would be a problem.

Of course, all of that depended on whether Andy could realize his talent.

Talent alone was clearly useless.

He had to work hard.

A flicker of black suddenly caught the corner of his eye. Andy curiously looked up, only to see Snape sweep past him like a gust of wind, heading for the Restricted Section without looking back.

Andy was truly envious.

Being a professor was great. They could freely borrow magical books from the Restricted Section.

Wait! Becoming a professor?

Andy's eyes lit up.

If he stayed at Hogwarts as a professor after graduation, would he be able to read every book in Hogwarts' collection?

How many books were in the Hogwarts library?

Andy did not know.

But seven years was clearly only enough to read a tiny fraction of them.

But if Andy became a Hogwarts professor, then he could read for the rest of his life!

But there was a very serious problem now.

Andy turned to look at Hermione beside him.

Andy did not know whether the Defense Against the Dark Arts Class Curse existed, but Hogwarts itself was definitely cursed.

From the Headmaster down to the caretaker, every single one of them had one thing in common.

They were single!

That was terrifying.

Andy liked magic, that was true. But liking magic did not mean liking being single.

Who doesn't like sex? Besides, having someone to sleep with but not doing it, and having no one to sleep with at all, were completely different things.

"This shouldn't be a curse, right?" Andy scratched his head.

The Defense Against the Dark Arts Class Curse was easy enough to verify. He could ask older students, or simply wait another two years, and the answer would naturally reveal itself.

But the Hogwarts curse...

"It might not be impossible!"

"Once I get familiar with the professors, I can arrange blind dates for them. If both sides find happiness together, then this so-called curse will naturally turn out to be nothing but self-inflicted fear. But if repeated blind dates all go badly..."

Andy silently considered ways to break the curse.

"Perhaps I can find a chance later to ask Dumbledore in private."

The Restricted Section.

Snape casually selected several books.

Since he had accepted Dumbledore's request, Snape naturally had to take action.

He knew that Andy often read in the library, so he wanted to see what books Andy usually read.

He had only glanced over it casually just now, but Snape had still memorized what was written on the book.

The influence of soul power on spellcasting!

"So he really is researching the soul?"

Snape had been obsessed with the Dark Arts in his youth. If not for an accident, he might have continued down the path of the Dark Arts until he could never turn back.

He knew full well how terrifying the Dark Arts were, and he knew even better how great the temptation of power could be.

Dumbledore was right.

Sooner or later, this boy would become curious about the Dark Arts!