A trace of amusement flashed through Dumbledore's eyes.
"One can never have too many skills? An interesting way of putting it."
Lucien merely smiled.
To him, useful magic was useful magic.
Whether it was old or new hardly mattered.
After a little more small talk, Lucien turned the conversation back to Nagini.
"At the moment, I have a few leads regarding Nagini's curse, but..."
His expression became more serious.
Dumbledore had attempted to treat Nagini's curse years ago, so he understood her condition well and knew just how complicated it was.
That curse had been entangled with Nagini for decades and had almost become part of her.
Separating it without harming her was easier said than done.
Even Dumbledore had never found a truly safe method.
"Since Newt entrusted her to you, he trusts you," Dumbledore said. "I've been very busy lately, and I expect to become even busier in the future, so I can't spare much time for Nagini's situation..."
He paused, his tone carrying a hint of emotion.
"Mhm. Besides, the minds of you young people are often sharper than those of an old fellow like me."
Lucien naturally didn't take that modest statement too seriously.
If Dumbledore truly considered himself slow, then most wizards in the world could simply give up thinking altogether.
Still, he understood the meaning behind the words.
Dumbledore knew that when dealing with certain difficult problems, the inspiration brought by extraordinary talent could be crucial.
Sometimes, one unusual idea was all it took to break through a problem that had remained unsolved for years.
And when it came to the Dark Arts, he had long known that Lucien possessed exceptional talent.
"What are your thoughts on Nagini's curse?" Dumbledore asked.
Lucien thought for a moment before answering carefully.
"The greatest difficulty is still separating the curse from her soul... If I had a deeper understanding of Curseology, I'd be more confident about every stage of the treatment."
The physical body and magical circuits were difficult enough, but Lucien already had possible methods for both.
The soul remained the least certain part.
Dumbledore nodded.
"Very well. Then continue your studies on curses. I'll also help you consult some people who are more specialised in that field."
More specialised?
Lucien blinked.
When it came to knowledge and talent in the Dark Arts, Dumbledore himself was already among the very best in the world.
Someone who knew even more about the Dark Arts than Dumbledore...
Lucien's thoughts paused.
Oh.
Was old Dumbledore planning another visit to a certain prison?
A certain figure immediately came to mind, though Lucien wisely kept the thought to himself.
Dumbledore seemed not to notice the change in his expression.
"Oh, right. I've also found you a tutor for your study of the Patronus Charm."
Lucien paused.
A tutor?
For learning the Patronus Charm?
To be honest, his first thought was of the scene from the original story where Harry learned the Patronus Charm from Lupin.
Remus Lupin, a classmate and friend of Harry's father, was highly skilled in Defence Against the Dark Arts.
If nothing unexpected happened, he should be coming to Hogwarts to teach next school year.
Could Dumbledore have contacted him in advance?
Lucien looked across the desk with mild curiosity.
Dumbledore picked up his teacup, then set it down again.
For some reason, a rare hint of hesitation appeared on his face.
"However..."
He paused.
"You may have to pay the tuition yourself..."
Following the location Dumbledore had given him, Lucien arrived on time at an unused classroom.
The moment he entered, he saw a familiar figure in black robes waving his wand.
Charms shot from the tip of the wand, landing across the room on the doorframes, windows, walls, and floor. Every location was covered with precise accuracy.
After striking their targets, the spells quickly vanished, leaving only a fleeting shimmer in the air.
Lucien watched for a few moments and thought it looked like Snape was setting up some kind of magical barrier.
Was it to prevent his Patronus Charm from leaking out again?
So the tutor Dumbledore had mentioned turned out to be Snape.
The first person Lucien had thought of at the time was Lupin. After all, who else was so closely associated with the Patronus Charm?
But thinking about it now, Snape actually made perfect sense.
Snape was highly proficient with the Patronus Charm.
The Patronus Charm represented the power of righteousness and conviction. Normally, those who had fallen deeply into darkness, such as Death Eaters, were unable to conjure a Patronus, and forcing the spell could even cause it to backfire.
Yet Snape was the only Death Eater who possessed a Patronus.
Noticing that Lucien had arrived, Snape didn't even turn around. He simply continued casting the final few Charms.
Magical light flickered at the tip of his wand as he sealed off the last corner of the room.
Only then did he turn, glance at Lucien, and begin the lesson without any pleasantries.
"The Patronus Charm is one of the oldest and most powerful forms of defensive magic. It can ward off..." Snape's voice was flat. "When casting it, you need to concentrate and recall your happiest memory..."
After giving a brief introduction, he changed the subject.
"How did you cast it at the time? Tell me in more detail."
After listening to Lucien's account, Snape also fell into deep thought.
Generally speaking, the power of a spell was related to factors such as the amount of magic used, the caster's concentration, and the strength of their conviction.
The Patronus Charm had an additional variable: the happiness contained within the chosen memory, as well as how clearly and deeply that memory was recalled.
But this situation, where the caster's magic was being "led by the nose"...
As Snape thought about it, he suddenly looked at Lucien with a strange expression.
This boy looked remarkably steady on the surface, but was he actually overflowing with emotion inside?
"So, what exactly were you remembering that made you so happy?"
Snape asked directly, without the slightest concern for privacy.
Lucien thought for a moment.
"The first time I picked up a wand and cast a spell. Just a simple Accio."
Snape froze.
Casting such a minor spell had made him that happy?
Lucien continued, "I'm Muggle-born, so the first time I truly came into contact with magic, I was genuinely happy."
Besides, Lucien had spent many years in a world governed entirely by science in his previous life. Being able to cast real magic with his own hands brought him a kind of pure joy that truly came from the bottom of his heart.
It was also at that moment that he realised that, in this world, knowledge truly equalled power.
There was no need for any additional conversion or medium. The knowledge and techniques one learned could be directly transformed into supernatural power.
Lucien's simple but sincere words made Snape fall silent.
To some extent, he could understand.
Snape knew very well what magic meant to those who possessed it.
The feeling of magic answering your call was intoxicating.
Life was full of misery, but magic alone had always favoured him.
It was simply that, as he grew older and experienced more, Snape had long since forgotten the joy that came from that pure act of releasing magic.
Looking at Lucien, Snape sighed inwardly.
Sometimes, he really was just a child.
"The peculiar nature of the Patronus Charm lies in this," Snape said, pulling himself from his thoughts and continuing the explanation. "It uses sincere and profound happiness to trigger your magic. The importance of emotion can even exceed that of magical technique..."
He paused before giving an extreme example.
"There is a similar but opposite example. The Killing Curse, Avada Kedavra. To cast it effectively, one requires pure and intense intent to kill. For an ordinary beginner or a young wizard with insufficient magical power, a Killing Curse would, at most, give someone a nosebleed."
"So your problem is..."
Snape's fingers tapped lightly against the table.
Then he withdrew his hand and pressed it to his forehead, unable to come up with an answer for quite some time.
He rubbed his brow, feeling a headache coming on.
It couldn't really be because the boy's emotions were simply too abundant, could it?
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