Voldemort's Teaching Philosophy

"Tell me about the Blood Curse."

"This is a rather uncommon curse," Dumbledore said with concern.

"It was trouble that appeared during a hunt. At the time, I was too close to Mount Auricino..."

Quirrell began to tell a story he had long fabricated. Dumbledore listened patiently, nodding occasionally. When Quirrell finished, Dumbledore spoke again.

"So, may I see it?" he asked, looking at Quirrell through his crescent-shaped glasses.

"Uh... Of course. It would be wonderful if you could directly help me remove the curse," Quirrell said, feigning surprise.

Voldemort, who was hidden within the Blood Curse and observing all of this from afar, immediately chose to slumber, ceasing to reveal any information that could be detected.

"I am not skilled in curses," Dumbledore said, rising. His floor-length purple robes trailed behind him as he moved. "But I can take a look for you. Perhaps there is a way."

Quirrell nodded repeatedly, but at the same time, he activated Legilimency. This was naturally not to prevent Dumbledore from seeing the Blood Curse, but only to stop him from seeing his true memories.

"You might feel a little dizzy, but it will be quick," Dumbledore said softly. He waved the Elder Wand in the air twice before placing it on Quirrell's head.

This appeared to be a spell similar to Legilimency, but it had clearly been altered. At least, it did not bring up Quirrell's memories; it merely made the mark of the Blood Curse flicker in Quirrell's eyes.

"This Vampire is more powerful than I anticipated," Dumbledore said, bending over to peer closely into Quirrell's eyes.

He used his free hand to pull back Quirrell's eyelid, revealing more of the Blood Curse's texture. The curse resembled a bite mark, with the upper and lower fangs particularly prominent. An evil aura lay deep within Quirrell's eyes.

"It should be a female Vampire. That's rather good news."

"Whoosh."

The Elder Wand was waved again, and the Blood Curse was hidden once more.

"Based on my knowledge of curses, the Blood Curse is firmly in place and cannot be removed. If one must say who could solve this trouble... perhaps the person who cursed the Defense Against the Dark Arts class has a way."

Dumbledore's words sent a shiver down Quirrell's spine. He seemed to be frightened, but he gritted his teeth and said nothing.

"Legend has it that he is also in the Forbidden Forest. Did you not see him?" Dumbledore asked, seemingly casually.

"Are you referring to... the Dark Lord?" Quirrell asked, enduring the shiver.

"Voldemort. I prefer to call him that," Dumbledore said, staring at Quirrell.

Quirrell flinched like a startled rabbit, but he ultimately gritted his teeth and did not cry out. Thanks to the teachings of his acting professor, he did well. At least Dumbledore did not notice anything unusual.

"I did not see him... Headmaster, please do not say his name again," Quirrell said.

Dumbledore smiled and did not dwell on the issue, changing the subject instead.

"Perhaps you could try to get along with that Vampire. Love can soften her and her curse."

As Dumbledore spoke, he looked Quirrell up and down. "It appears you have already begun to try."

Quirrell gave an awkward laugh and shifted his shoulders, as if he had just recovered from his fear.

"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore," Dumbledore said, ending the topic that made Quirrell uncomfortable. "It's time to discuss the course matters."

Quirrell immediately straightened his back, looking as if he was fully prepared.

"First, I will increase practical exercises," Quirrell said loudly. "My experience in the Forbidden Forest has shown me my shortcomings, and it has also revealed the deficiencies in the Defense Against the Dark Arts class."

Dumbledore nodded and gave Quirrell an encouraging look.

"My lack of proficiency in defensive and offensive spells caused me great hardship in the early stages. If I hadn't prepared so many Potions, I truly felt I might have died there."

"That was a dangerous journey. You must be more careful next time," Dumbledore cautioned.

"Yes, I will be careful," Quirrell replied, then continued with his thoughts.

"Secondly, I wish to create synergy with the Charms and Herbology professors, and of course, preferably with Professor Snape as well."

"Charms can be used for defense and offense. Herbology has many plants that are themselves the source of danger in dangerous places like the Forbidden Forest. As for Potions... they are truly life-saving things."

Dumbledore nodded, expressing his approval.

"Finally..."

Quirrell's gaze drifted to the Sorting Hat, his expression hesitant.

"Whatever thoughts you have, please speak them. We are discussing, are we not?" Dumbledore encouraged.

Quirrell nodded, organized his thoughts, and spoke again.

"Finally, I think not all students are suited for direct combat... Of course, I am not saying they are timid or anything else, but rather..."

Quirrell looked somewhat embarrassed. He had often been teased for being weak in the past. Although he had improved a lot now, he was still not entirely comfortable bringing up things that shamed him.

"I understand. Please continue," Dumbledore said, tapping Quirrell's water glass with the Elder Wand and refilling his drink. This effectively eased Quirrell's awkwardness.

"Thank you," Quirrell said, letting out a long breath. After calming down, he spoke.

Dumbledore nodded slightly, signaling him not to rush.

"I believe different students should have different fighting styles," Quirrell said, his composure restored, as he began to elaborate on his ideas.

"Brave Gryffindors are suited for duels, for direct combat. Their battles can even incorporate close-quarters combat—their founder wielded a wand in one hand and a longsword in the other."

Dumbledore's eyebrows rose slightly, seemingly surprised by the novelty of Quirrell's idea.

"And for Ravenclaws, most of us memorize a large number of spells during our student years, but lack practical combat ability. I believe we are better suited to win with intellect."

"Like your trip to the Forbidden Forest this time?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes," Quirrell nodded affirmatively. "If I hadn't read enough travelogues and made sufficient preparations—especially with Potions—I don't think I would have been able to get out of the Forbidden Forest."

Dumbledore nodded in agreement.

"Slytherin... In my opinion, their magic is stronger than that of ordinary Wizards. Pure-bloods do have such benefits, so powerful magic is more suited for them."

Quirrell's words caused Dumbledore to frown slightly. He clearly disliked such a statement, but he eventually nodded.

"Most pure-bloods do have better magical fluctuations than Wizards from Muggle-born families, but I hope you won't instill such ideas in the students' hearts," Dumbledore said after some thought.

"Of course, I wouldn't do that. Moreover, I myself am not pure-blood, but with constant practice, my magic is not weaker than that of most pure-blood Wizards," Quirrell said proudly.

Dumbledore nodded again, then asked curiously, "What about Hufflepuff? Some people always think they aren't good enough."

"Teaching them to develop a fixed combat style."

Quirrell answered without hesitation, clearly having prepared for this.

"Hufflepuff isn't as brave as Gryffindor, as wise as Ravenclaw, or as magically powerful as Slytherin, but... they don't fear hardship and are the most persistent students among the four houses."

Dumbledore slowly nodded, expressing his agreement.

"Let them find their own fixed combat routines, and then it's continuous reinforcement. They don't need too many spells, nor do they have to choose powerful ones. As long as they are effective and flow well, that's enough."

Quirrell said excitedly, "Combined with their persistent practice, I even think that after they maintain this kind of learning until graduation, most students from other houses won't be able to defeat them in sudden combat."

"A very clear line of thought," Dumbledore praised loudly. "I even think that if it can be implemented well, the combat effectiveness of Hogwarts graduates will improve overall."

Quirrell was quite excited. Although this was Voldemort's idea, receiving Dumbledore's approval made him feel a sense of shared honor.

"However, it's not without its troubles..." Dumbledore said slowly, calming the excited Quirrell.