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Chapter 42: Mess with Your Mind
🕑 Added 2025-02-18 13:06:46 +0000 UTC
"Of course, I know you're not alone. Not only me, but we all know it."
Looking at Quirrell’s expression, Noah suddenly showed an inexplicable smile.
Although Noah didn’t think Quirrell was particularly difficult to deal with, if there was an opportunity, he was more than happy to mess with his opponent’s mentality.
For a wizard, one's mental state was perhaps more important than in any other profession!
After all, wizards weren’t warriors who could rely on raw strength or rage to overpower their enemies.
An unstable or fearful mindset could only spell disaster for a wizard. Even anger would just cause them to waste magic power recklessly, potentially preventing them from casting spells to their full potential.
Of course, if a wizard reached the level of a true magical powerhouse, then such weaknesses could be ignored entirely.
But Quirrell was no such wizard.
From what Noah remembered, Voldemort was so weak at this point that he couldn’t even take control of a body to fight properly. Even if he could, his magical reserves were insufficient to sustain his power.
If Quirrell’s composure crumbled now, Noah would have a much easier time handling him.
Sure, manipulating someone’s emotions in battle might be considered a low tactic, but Noah didn’t care. He was a wizard, not some noble knight bound by honor!
"What do you mean?" Quirrell’s expression stiffened, and his movements froze for a moment.
"I heard that you went into the Forbidden Forest to gain practical experience in Defense Against the Dark Arts. But I think you must have met someone there… someone who made you what you are now, right?"
Noah smiled slightly and began picking apart Quirrell’s mindset bit by bit, using what he remembered from his past knowledge.
His goal was simple: drag Quirrell’s secrets into the light and shake his confidence.
"…"
"Ever since then, you started wearing that ridiculous purple turban, one that gives off a strange smell that keeps people at a distance. I imagine someone must be sharing your body, right?"
"…"
"Let me guess… Since you were the one who jinxed Harry's broomstick and released the troll, then I assume you're also the one who lured Professor Dumbledore away tonight by sending a fake message from the Ministry of Magic?"
"…"
Quirrell’s face grew increasingly pale. How did this boy know so much?!
As a Ravenclaw himself, Quirrell was no fool. His thoughts raced—if Noah, a mere student, had figured this out, then what about Dumbledore? Did the headmaster know as well?
But then, a wave of relief hit him.
If Dumbledore truly knew, then surely he wouldn’t send a bunch of students here to confront him. No, if the headmaster had seen through his plans, Quirrell would be facing Dumbledore himself—a truly terrifying prospect.
"You think Dumbledore doesn’t know about you?" Noah suddenly said, as if reading his mind.
"…Doesn’t he?" Quirrell asked, almost desperately.
"Come on, don’t be so naïve. While we really shouldn’t have come here, I couldn’t restrain my curiosity, especially not when it came to meeting the so-called Dark Lord." Noah smirked, but to Quirrell, it was nothing short of infuriating.
"So…"
"So, we got here first. Do you really think we came here to die without a plan? Please, you were a Ravenclaw, and so am I!"
Quirrell felt his heart sink.
He was right.
Noah was clearly intelligent. There was no way someone like him would rush into a deadly situation without preparation.
Which meant… they had a backup plan.
"Kill him! Now!"
Voldemort’s voice rang in Quirrell’s mind, sharp and urgent. "We need to get out of here immediately!"
Not only Quirrell, but even Voldemort was panicking now.
If Dumbledore truly arrived, they would be finished!
Sure, Voldemort’s current state meant that even if this vessel perished, he wouldn’t truly die.
But soul-splitting magic came with severe consequences. Every fragment of his soul became more and more independent.
And that was a problem.
Each Horcrux, each sliver of Voldemort’s soul, still carried his arrogance and selfishness. Each one considered itself the true Dark Lord.
None of them wanted to perish.
"Incendio!"
Following Voldemort’s orders, Quirrell raised his wand without hesitation and launched a blast of fire at Noah and his group!
He couldn’t afford to be caught by Dumbledore! If his cover was blown, he was doomed!
"Protego Maxima!"
Noah had been watching Quirrell carefully, so the moment he raised his wand, Noah reacted instantly.
Unlike Quirrell, whose sole focus was on attacking, Noah had to protect his allies—especially Harry and Ron!
So his first spell was a defensive one.
After all, this wasn’t a movie. Quirrell wasn’t foolish enough to fight hand-to-hand like some cliché villain.
With the first exchange of spells complete, Harry and Ron finally snapped out of their daze.
They had been too stunned to react at first.
Now, watching Noah face off against Quirrell with absolute confidence, they felt their hearts pounding.
What made them even more ashamed was noticing that Kenn and the others had remained completely composed. The moment Noah cast his first spell, they had already drawn their wands, ready for battle.
"Thank Merlin we asked them for help!"
At that moment, both Harry and Ron had the exact same thought.
If they had come here alone, they wouldn’t have even made it past the obstacles.
And even if, by some miracle, they had, they wouldn’t have lasted a second against Quirrell. They would’ve been burned to ashes by now.
"Huh?"
Noah, still in the midst of the firestorm, suddenly noticed something odd.
Quirrell hadn’t cast any defensive spells.
And his second spell had been Impedimenta?
A smirk spread across Noah’s face.
"I see… his mental state really is shaken."
This was getting interesting.
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