Hogwarts : Max Level Unforgivable Curse

Dylan clicked his tongue.

Meanwhile.

The students who were already facing the Boggart.

Because Lupin's explanation was quite detailed.

As the students' spells sounded out.

The bandages of the mummy the Boggart had transformed into turned into colourful stripes.

A disembodied leg danced a lively tambourine jig in mid-air.

A Banshee's long hair frizzed out, her eyes glazed over, making her look like a fluffy dandelion.

— Whenever the Boggart morphed into the students' deepest fears.

The students who could overcome their fear used the 'Riddikulus' charm to change the Boggart's shape into something hilarious.

When it was Neville's turn.

Dylan gently nudged his trembling hand and lowered his voice.

"If it's Professor Snape, just imagine him doing the Conga."

Perhaps because Dylan's comfort helped, or maybe Neville pictured the usually stern Professor Snape doing a ridiculous dance.

Neville couldn't help but chuckle out loud, losing his composure for a moment.

This also helped calm his tense nerves, and taking a deep breath, he stepped forward.

However, when Neville faced that Boggart.

It didn't turn into Professor Snape as he expected at all; instead, it instantly transformed into a Dementor.

Rotten claws.

A bone-chilling aura seeping from beneath its grey hooded cloak.

Neville's face instantly turned as white as parchment, and the hand holding his wand trembled violently.

*How is this different from what Dylan said...?*

Dylan looked up at the ceiling.

— He hadn't predicted the form Neville's Boggart would take.

Maybe it was described in the original story, but his memory was very hazy about it.

Nor had he seen these scenes of them facing the Boggart in some of his previous predictions.

"Riddikulus!"

"Riddikulus!"

Neville chanted the spell three times without effect.

It was only on his fourth try, gritting his teeth as he forced the charm out.

That the spell finally worked.

The Dementor in front of him suddenly seemed to be hit by a Body-Bind Curse *and* a powerful Spinny Charm, its body twisting like a pretzel in mid-air.

The rotting black robe curled into the biggest black spiral, and with a muffled 'thump', it fell heavily to the ground.

— The Dementor had turned into a comical bundle of sacking, with two lopsided ears flopping at the top of the wrinkled material.

It looked like a torn sack on a broomstick.

Neville let out a sigh of relief.

After receiving praise from Lupin, he quickly hurried back into the line.

"Mr. Hawkwood, you're up next, please step forward."

Lupin looked at the list, pointing to the next student, and it happened to be Dylan.

As Dylan passed Neville, he patted his shoulder, then walked over to stand in front of Lupin.

The Boggart had just been turned into a crumpled rag by Neville.

When facing Dylan.

It actually seemed a bit hesitant.

Unlike when facing other students, where it instantly transformed into another shape, it lingered for a good while.

Finally, a swirl of black mist billowed, transforming into a distorted figure.

Everyone looked over.

— It was a monster seemingly pieced together from tree trunks.

Dark brown sap oozed from the wrinkles in its bark, and twisted limbs still clung to half-broken vines.

The most unsettling part was its face.

— Dark purple flowers bloomed from its hollow eye sockets, and thorny stems wrapped around its rotting lips.

Each petal oozed a foul-smelling sap, and the students at the back unconsciously gasped when they saw the monstrous figure, some even instinctively stepping back half a pace.

Dylan deliberately tensed his shoulders and widened his eyes slightly.

"Riddikulus!"

Dylan raised his wand.

As the spell left his lips.

The monster lying on the ground suddenly twitched violently.

Its bark peeled away, bursting into colourful balloons.

The twisted thorny stems turned into bright pink ribbons.

The next second, the entire monster collapsed with a crash, turning into an inflatable tree figure wearing a crooked hat.

It even bounced and bobbed with the airflow.

— The branches and leaves, made of what looked like rubbery material, even made strange 'poof' noises, looking quite comical.

Lupin was slightly taken aback.

*What in Merlin's beard was that thing just now?*

By all accounts, Boggarts usually only materialise as fears one has personally experienced.

But that monster, a bizarre fusion of plant and death, clearly fell outside his understanding.

*Could it be something this young lad just made up?*

After a slight pause.

Lupin just gave the seemingly unfazed Dylan a long look, then cleared his throat and called the next student forward.

By the time Dylan returned to the line.

Ron had already faced the Boggart before them.

Seeing Dylan return, he quickly stepped forward and stood next to Dylan.

"That... thing just now..."

Ron thought and thought, not knowing how to describe it.

He grimaced, "Blimey, I can't even describe it! What *was* that?"

Dylan replied casually, "Probably something I saw in a dream once, it doesn't actually exist – so of course, I wouldn't know what it was."

Ron was suspicious, "Really?"

Hermione, who had already practised the spell, rolled her eyes. "Why would Dylan need to lie to you? Besides, that thing was far too strange; it clearly could only be some weird creature from a dream!"

"I've never seen anything like it in *any* book!"

Ron shrunk his neck, "I was just asking, no need to shout..."

Just then.

After a few more students had gone forward to face the Boggart.

It was finally Harry's turn.

Dylan looked up.

But he saw that just as Harry was about to face the Boggart.

Lupin suddenly intervened.

He turned the Boggart, which was about to change form, into a pink pig.

Or rather, a balloon.

And it was deflating.

"Pffft—"

After the air completely leaked out.

The balloon turned into a shrivelled pink pig.

Lupin pointed his wand again.

Dylan noticed that it looked like he was about to destroy the Boggart outright.

Suddenly, he stepped forward.

And precisely intercepted Lupin's spell with his own wand.

The two streams of magic collided, sparks flying in the air, before dissipating.

The surrounding students were stunned.

The great hall, which had been filled with laughter, instantly fell silent.

The deflating Boggart, which had been trembling, was now frozen in place.

The wrinkled pink rubbery skin no longer faded away, remaining in its shrivelled and twisted form, lying limply on the stone floor.

It didn't explode into smoke from the students' laughter.

Lupin raised an eyebrow.

*This child...*

*His magical strength is comparable to an adult wizard's?*

Lupin stared at Dylan.

The latter smiled slightly.

"Professor, everyone has already practised, and it seems you weren't planning on keeping it – so, could you let me have it?"

Dylan lowered his wand, his eyes sincere.

"I want to study its transformation mechanism further. It can even turn into a Dementor. I'm very curious about how its life actually exists and how it differs from a Dementor."

Dylan's lips curved upwards. "But as you know, I can't exactly go catch a Dementor to study."

Lupin gently stroked his chin with one hand, his gaze on Dylan, carrying a hint of scrutiny.

"Although I've only been at Hogwarts for a short time, I've already heard your name from many people – are you that genius wizard, Dylan?"

Lupin's words made Dylan pause slightly.

— *Who gave him that awful, awkward nickname?*

Dylan outright denied it.

"No, I'm just slightly talented, which has been acknowledged by other professors. As for 'genius wizard' – that description is far too excessive; I don't accept it."

Lupin: (...)

*This young lad seems a bit humble, but why does it also feel like he's not that humble?*

*Talented and genius...*

*Is there a difference between these two descriptions?*

Lupin froze for a moment, then let out a dry chuckle.

"Alright, if you want to study it, I need you to make sure it won't be used to scare other students, and after you've finished researching it, you must destroy it with laughter – can you promise me that?"

Dylan nodded.

"Of course, I swear it."

— *He won't use it to scare classmates, but scaring Coal, or Norbert, or even the Basilisk, including Voldemort, should be fine, right?*

*Speaking of which, what would happen if you used a Boggart to scare a Dementor?*

*Would the Boggart turn into a Patronus?*

Dylan was somewhat curious.

Facing Dylan's sincere expression.

Lupin remembered Dumbledore mentioning, when he'd called him to his office privately.

He had specifically stressed that there was a particular young wizard in the third year who was quite special and asked him to pay special attention to him.

After a brief silence, he nodded gently.

"Very well, this Boggart is yours then – just remember not to scare other students."

Anyway, Professor Flitwick had found it initially.

He had just borrowed it specifically for teaching material.

Giving it away now wasn't a big deal.

Moreover, a Boggart is essentially harmless.

Aside from being able to give someone a fright – or possibly scare them half to death.

But... wizards should always train their courage.

So, although Lupin instructed Dylan as such.

In reality, even if Dylan took the Boggart to scare other students, he wouldn't really mind.

*How can one grow without experiencing some setbacks?*

Dylan smiled and nodded. "Thank you very much for your generosity."

Dylan pretended to take a box from his backpack, then twirled his wand, collecting the now wrinkled pink pig balloon into the box and casually holding it.

Ron, standing beside him, took several steps back in fear.

Hermione glanced at Dylan.

*This fellow...*

No wonder he was always able to get the better of her academically!

Even though she had practised the charm on this Boggart.

She had never thought of catching it and taking it back for research.

— *Is studying this kind of creature something a young wizard should be doing right now?*

*Is this right?*

Hermione's eyes darted about quickly.

Suddenly, she, who had previously felt lost about the future, felt a clear goal surge within her heart.

She!

Must catch up to Dylan's pace!

If she could keep up with Dylan!

What else would she have to feel lost about concerning the future?

Whatever Dylan did, she could follow and do the same!

"Clap! Clap! Clap!"

Lupin clapped his hands.

Smiling, he looked at everyone.

"I'm pleasantly surprised; today's lesson went quite smoothly. Hardly anyone failed with the charm."

Lupin's gaze shifted away from Dylan, and he continued.

"Let's see – I think Gryffindor deserves 10 points, both as a reward for Miss Granger answering the question correctly and for everyone successfully dealing with the Boggart."

Harry walked back, looking a bit bewildered.

He hadn't even had a chance to see what his greatest fear was.

Professor Lupin had stepped in and dealt with the Boggart for him.

He didn't understand why.

Why would Professor Lupin prevent him from facing the Boggart?

— It was obvious; it couldn't possibly be because Professor Lupin had forgotten about him.

How could that be?

Clearly, Professor Lupin doing this could only be deliberate.

But why would he deliberately do that?

The lesson ended.

A crowd of students noisily filed out of the classroom.

Hermione walked alongside Dylan.

"Your Boggart, I recognised it. Even though it looked terrifying – its face looked a lot like Cedric."

Dylan looked at her in surprise.

*She recognised that?*

"What? Cedric?"

Hermione hadn't deliberately lowered her voice, and Ron, Harry, and others walking with her also heard.

Hermione nodded. "Anyone who knows Cedric would be able to recognise him, so there's no need for me to whisper it to you. Why would you be afraid of him? Or rather, how do you know him?"

Ron also squeezed in. "Yeah, Dylan, how do you know Cedric? I don't even know him that well."

Looking at the curious faces in front of him.

Dylan's mouth twitched.

*Kind of want to grab a big club and just whack them, one by one, what to do?*

"Didn't I already say? I just dreamt it, a *dream*! Maybe I saw him sometime, which left that impression."

Ron was clearly not satisfied with this answer.

But faced with Dylan's consistent explanation.

He knew he definitely wouldn't be able to get a proper answer out of Dylan and finally had to give up.

"That's truly amazing, I've never heard of something like that before – dreaming about someone you don't even know – and he turned into a big monster!"

Dylan couldn't help but roll his eyes.

Two more days passed.

During this time.

Because it wasn't just Hermione who recognised that Dylan's Boggart seemed very much like Cedric, others had recognised it too.

They usually couldn't find Dylan, who vanished right after class.

They could only ask Harry and Ron.

The result they got was naturally Dylan's explanation.

But this rumour only circulated for a short while before the students started talking about Sirius Black again.

This afternoon.

Having dropped many elective classes.

Dylan even had time to go to the library to read during the school day.

However, just then, Cedric suddenly walked up to him.

Dylan immediately saw some Quidditch pitch grass stuck to the hem of his wizard robes.

Looking up, Dylan looked at him.

Cedric's Prefect badge on his chest glinted in the light.

This popular Hufflepuff, facing Dylan, who had a puzzled expression, showed a rare hint of hesitation.

His golden-brown eyes swept across the empty reading room before he finally lowered his voice and asked Dylan.

"Is it convenient to talk? About... that tree-man the Boggart turned into in Defence Against the Dark Arts class."