Disillusionment Charm

Over the next few days, the students never stopped discussing the once-cool and powerful Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"Hey, have you had Professor Baker's class yet?"

"Yeah, I have... You noticed it too?"

"Sure did. Lots of people have noticed. Professor Baker seems to have lost all his energy. He talks really slowly, and his voice is much more monotonous!"

"Exactly! His classes used to be amazing. Besides teaching the material, he'd share all kinds of useful little tricks and tell stories about his own adventures. You'd never want the lesson to end. But lately, all he does is monotonously go over the textbook. He's still thorough, but it's just not as interesting as before!"

"Honestly, how did such a good professor end up like this after only ten days away...? Maybe we should go visit him. Some desserts and milk tea might cheer him up?"

"Lots of people have already visited him. Even Deputy Headmistress Professor McGonagall went to see him in person, but nothing helped..."

"Are you talking about Professor Baker? Listen, a friend of mine in Gryffindor let me in on what's really going on. Professor Snape wants the Defense Against the Dark Arts post and is jealous of Professor Baker, so he secretly drugged his food!"

"Huh? The rumor I heard was that Professor Binns was tired of teaching History of Magic and wanted to try a new subject, so he secretly possessed Professor Baker's body?"

"I also heard that You-Know-Who's curse is gradually taking effect... By the way, what does 'possessed his body' mean?"

Unfortunately, no matter how sensational the rumors and gossip flying around outside became, none of it could affect Avada and Baron, who were currently studying and practicing desperately in the Room of Requirement.

Inside the Room of Requirement, the "room where things are hidden" had undergone a complete transformation. A huge amount of clutter had been swept into the corners or arranged in strategic spots to serve as camouflage or cover. A large open space had been cleared in the middle of the room. Avada and Baron stood there, holding their wands aloft as they recited a long, complicated incantation. Their wands gave off a strange glow.

After what felt like ages, they finally lowered their wands at the same time. They let out a long breath, then felt exhaustion wash over them.

"Excellent."

The Black Crystal Ball containing Professor Baker's soul had been placed among a pile of clutter, where it was barely noticeable. "That completes the second part of the magic."

"You've learned faster than I expected. At this rate, you should have the spell fully set up by the middle of February."

"Take a short break, then we'll start today's lesson."

"Merlin above, I feel like my brain's about to explode..."

Baron sat on the floor, clutching his head and groaning in pain. Though he was almost unmatched among first-years and ordinary schoolwork rarely put him under any pressure, the material Professor Baker needed them to master was simply too extensive and difficult.

The spell for extracting someone's consciousness alone had seven steps. Learning the material for each step took him and Avada several days, followed by even more time to set everything up. On top of that, there were battle plans for taking on the fake Professor Baker, as well as traps, Potions, curses, and all sorts of other things. And then there was their own combat training...

They still had classes during the day and homework at night!

Avada was in even worse shape than Baron. Without a live demonstration, and with only theory to go on, his Magic Sense was almost useless. Even after his talents had been enhanced, he still fell short of Baron in some respects. The crushing workload had left him barely able to make it back to his dorm conscious these past few days. Most nights, he blacked out the moment his head hit the pillow.

Shabi, Summers, and Stebbins had all shown concern for him and suggested he not put so much pressure on himself. Avada couldn't tell them the truth, so he could only push himself harder, hoping to reach their goal as soon as possible and escape the punishing training. That way, they'd stop worrying about him. In the end, though, he only looked even more haggard.

During training, he had gradually come up with an interesting idea. Voldemort was supposed to possess Quirrell and sneak into Hogwarts next year, wasn't he?

He wondered whether Professor Baker's spell would work on him.

About ten minutes later, Professor Baker called the two of them back.

"Today we'll be learning the Disillusionment Charm. It'll be extremely useful to our plan, whether we need to obtain magical materials or during the final battle, so you must make sure you master it."

"Don't worry. The Disillusionment Charm is much easier than the spells you've studied so far. The main reason so few people learn it is that its uses are so specialized that the Ministry of Magic regulates it. Only Aurors and people in certain other professions are allowed to study it..."

Professor Baker's voice came from the Crystal Ball as he explained at length. "The Disillusionment Charm isn't too difficult to pick up—roughly the level of a third- or fourth-year student. The real challenge is mastering it. The charm works by changing the color of your body's surface so you blend into your surroundings. A poorly cast Disillusionment Charm will just turn you into a jumble of crude patches of color, which might actually make you stand out more in certain situations..."

"Professor,"

Avada raised his hand and asked the question he'd been wondering about ever since he'd read the original books. "If the Disillusionment Charm can only change the color of your body, how does it make you completely invisible?"

"For example, if I stood in the middle of a room with a black floor and white walls, then cast the Disillusionment Charm, what would I look like? If I turned white and blended into the walls, wouldn't I be incredibly conspicuous when viewed from above?"

Baron, standing nearby, stared blankly for a moment after hearing the question, then looked at Professor Baker with the same puzzled expression.

"Very perceptive. You've gone straight to the heart of the problem!"

Professor Baker's approving voice came from the Crystal Ball. "That's why learning how to use the charm is just as important as practicing the spell itself."

"People who use the Disillusionment Charm usually change their position to stay hidden as much as possible. They might keep close to a wall, crawl, or avoid exposing themselves to multiple angles. And since the Disillusionment Charm only makes you invisible to the eye, you also need to practice masking your scent, covering your tracks, moving quietly, and so on..."

"I was worried you'd be discouraged when you heard how much training this would take, so I was planning to keep that from you for a while."

"..."

"Isn't there a spell that can make you completely invisible all at once?" Even Baron couldn't help asking in despair.

"Forget it. There isn't one. Unless you have an Invisibility Cloak made from Demiguise hair."

There was a hint of helplessness in Professor Baker's voice. "The principle behind a Demiguise's invisibility is still a mystery. If you could figure it out and use it to develop a spell that made you completely invisible, the Department of Mysteries and the Auror Office would fight over you."

"So stop thinking about all that nonsense. Focus and train properly—that's the right way."

Avada:...

If only someone would give him a Demiguise, he could develop that blasted invisibility spell in a few days and scare Professor Baker half to death.

Too bad there was no way he could get one. Even though he got along pretty well with Rolf Scamander, a fourth-year, he couldn't ask him to steal one from Newt and bring it to school.

So he had to put that lofty ambition aside for now and join Baron in waving his wand, miserable as could be.