Dumbledore's gaze carried a silent inquiry, as if to say:
"Severus, this incision… I know you've done quite a bit of research on certain unique cutting Spells with a Dark Arts nature. This Troll's nose—was it really not taken by you for some… well… rare Potion ingredient?"
Snape felt Dumbledore's gaze.
He tilted his chin slightly—a movement so small it was almost invisible—but the meaning was clear: It wasn't me. I have no interest in the mucus of such a filthy creature, let alone obtaining it in this manner.
While this silent exchange took place, Professor Quirrell finally scrambled into the bathroom, stammering, "Merlin, oh Merlin," expressing his lingering fear and 'concern.'
Dumbledore's gaze shifted from Snape back to the three shaken students and the oddly deceased Troll, a look of contemplation flashing in his eyes.
A masterfully executed "nose removal surgery"… This Halloween night seemed much more… interesting than expected. It appeared there was a student in the Castle who had learned some magic from somewhere.
---
Meanwhile, Lynn was back in his dormitory, secretly rejoicing over his newly acquired ability and a bottle of Troll mucus.
The next day, rumors about Harry and the other two taking down a Troll on Halloween night spread through Hogwarts like wildfire. The versions grew increasingly ridiculous; some even claimed Harry had stared the Troll to death.
Lynn was slightly surprised when he heard these discussions while eating breakfast in the Great Hall.
He had assumed that noseless idiot would remain unconscious in the corridor until a patrolling Professor quietly dealt with it.
On second thought, since Hermione and the others had encountered the Troll—which he had already severely weakened and bled—they were reasonable candidates to handle it, given their abilities, especially Hermione's wit.
The Troll had been carved up to that extent, with blood flowing like it cost nothing; if they couldn't finish it off, their Spells would have truly been learned in vain.
Just as he mentally critiqued their performance while chewing on some bacon, a familiar voice rang out behind him.
"Lynn~"
Lynn froze. That voice… He whipped his head around.
"Fawkes? What are you doing here?"
Lynn was a bit surprised; a Phoenix wouldn't normally appear in the Great Hall so casually.
"Dumbledore is looking for you."
Fawkes was concise, and before Lynn could react, he extended a claw.
Lynn instinctively reached out to touch it—
In the next moment, the world spun! It was as if he had been shoved into a warm vortex, his vision filled with golden flames…
Dumbledore was sitting behind his massive desk, his blue eyes behind half-moon spectacles carrying their usual gentleness as he smiled at him:
"Oh~ Mr. Lynn, you're here. Please, have a seat."
He gestured to the chair in front of the desk.
Lynn's mind was as clear as a mirror. From the moment he used Sectumsempra to cut off the Troll's nose, he had expected something like this might happen.
He put on a perfectly measured look of confusion, tinged with a hint of obedience: "Professor, is there something you needed to see me about?"
Internally, he was as steady as an old dog. He felt his reasons were sufficient—saving money on making glue—and he hadn't caused any dire consequences. Besides, he hadn't killed the Troll. At most, it would be some lost points and detention, which he could handle.
Dumbledore looked at him calmly. "Mr. Lynn, I have a small question that I hope you can answer truthfully. That… Spell you used, which produces such an extremely sharp cutting effect, 'Sectumsempra'—where did you learn it?"
Dumbledore had learned from Madam Pince that Lynn held a permission slip for the Restricted Section signed by Professor Quirrell, which gave him a direction for his investigation.
Lynn was straightforward and confessed directly: "I learned it from Professor Quirrell."
There was nothing to hide; it truly was Quirrell who taught him.
Dumbledore's brow twitched imperceptibly as he continued to probe, his tone still peaceful: "Then, besides this dangerous Spell, what other similar magic have you… learned from Professor Quirrell?"
Lynn began counting on his fingers, his tone as casual as if reciting a menu:
"Fear Charm, Shadow Binding Curse, Bone-Breaking Curse, Blood-Boiling Curse, Acid Curse…"
With each Dark Arts name he recited, Dumbledore's fingers on the armrest curled imperceptibly, and his eyelid twitched along with them.
The old Principal's heart was in turmoil: That Tom! He really can teach!
But what confused Dumbledore was that the boy before him had steady breathing, with no signs of the coldness, irritability, or paranoia usually brought on by Dark Arts erosion. He was ridiculously healthy!
"Alright, Mr. Lynn, I think I have the general idea."
Dumbledore timely interrupted Lynn's "menu recital" and steered the conversation toward the core issue.
"Then, can you tell me, what was your reason for cutting off that Troll's nose?"
This was the point he understood the least; such behavior carried a sense of senseless cruelty, unlike something an ordinary student would do.
Lynn answered in a way that almost made Dumbledore lose his composure:
"I needed to use the Troll mucus to brew 'Super Glue,' Professor. As you know, the premium Troll mucus at the magical materials shop in Hogsmeade is just too expensive. I couldn't afford it, so I had to take matters into my own hands to be self-sufficient."
His expression was incredibly sincere, carrying the simple honesty of a "poor student forced to be frugal."
Dumbledore: "…"
He was momentarily speechless. Looking at Lynn's 'isn't this perfectly normal?' expression, he was caught between laughter and tears.
This reason… was simply too down-to-earth!
He pondered for a moment before making one final request: "Mr. Lynn, I've noticed you've learned quite a few… well… rather risky Spells. Would you mind if I performed a simple physical examination on you? After all, the impact of the Dark Arts on its user is something we must treat with caution."
"No problem, Professor! Check all you like!"
Lynn agreed readily, even proactively extending his wrist.
He had absolute confidence in his Only Eat the Sugar Coating.
Dumbledore waved his wand, and a soft golden light enveloped Lynn.
He carefully sensed the flow of magic, mental fluctuations, and the soul state within Lynn.
The result surprised him once again—Lynn's magic was pure and stable, his mental barriers solid, and his soul active and healthy, without a single trace of erosion or contamination from the Dark Arts. He could practically be used as a "Hogwarts Model Sample for a Healthy Student"!
Finally, Dumbledore withdrew his magic, a helpless smile appearing on his face.
He tacitly allowed Lynn to continue "learning" the Dark Arts, since they seemed harmless, but he still sternly cautioned:
"Mr. Lynn, your… 'learning ability' is very strong. But I must remind you that these Spells are dangerous—not just to others, but they could also have unpredictable effects on yourself in certain situations. Please be sure to use them with caution. Unless absolutely necessary, try not to use them at all."
Lynn nodded like a chick pecking at grain, his attitude impeccably sincere: "I understand, Professor! I will definitely keep your teachings in mind and never use them lightly unless it's a critical moment!"
Lynn's internal monologue: There are no side effects anyway. It'd be a waste not to use them. I'll just handle it flexibly depending on the situation.
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