Hogwarts : Max Level Unforgivable Curse

Professor McGonagall's gaze shifted between Dylan and Hermione. 

"This object is very valuable, and incredibly difficult to get approval for – only students who are absolutely exceptional are permitted to use them." 

Professor McGonagall's tone was serious, her expression tinged with solemnity. 

—She looked even sterner than she did during lessons. 

"I know you are both outstanding – you have more than enough qualification to use these, to help you manage the subjects you have chosen that clash on the timetable." 

"But I still require you to keep this a complete secret – absolute secrecy. Apart from each other and me, you mustn't breathe a word to anyone – not even Professor Dumbledore." 

Hermione blinked, "Professor, what do we need to do?" 

"You must make a vow to me – an Unbreakable Vow, promising me you will not disclose the existence of this object." 

Professor McGonagall stared at Dylan and Hermione. 

"Swear with a magical oath?" Hermione asked, a little surprised. 

"It's a necessary procedure. If this object were to be revealed while it's in your possession, it could have considerable ramifications – it might lead to certain individuals taking an interest in you. I must be extremely cautious," Professor McGonagall stated. 

"Alright..." 

"But don't worry, by the time you've finished your lessons, this object will most likely have ceased to function, and you won't need to keep the secret any longer." 

Under Professor McGonagall's guidance, Dylan and Hermione took the vow, one after the other. 

Only after confirming the vow was truly Unbreakable did Professor McGonagall nod, leaning slightly to pull open a drawer beside her desk. 

She rummaged inside for a moment. 

Finally, Professor McGonagall took out a small, intricately crafted box. 

The box's surface had an antique sheen; its deep brown texture appeared steady and substantial. 

She placed the box gently on the table, lifted the lid, revealing two necklaces nestled inside. 

Dylan looked. 

He saw that the two necklaces seemed to be made of pure gold; the chains glittered with a golden light. 

The central pendant was a peculiarly shaped hourglass. 

Crystal-clear golden sand flowed slowly within it. 

The hourglass was firmly encircled by two concentric golden rings. 

Dylan examined it closely, noticing intricate, complex runes carved onto the rings. 

"Is this..." Hermione's expression was one of curiosity. 

"A Time-Turner," Professor McGonagall said deliberately, each syllable carrying a heavy weight. "It will allow you to travel through time so that you can attend your time-conflicting classes." 

"What?!" Hermione's eyes widened dramatically, her mouth falling open uncontrollably, a gasp threatening to escape her throat. 

However, the next second, she quickly raised a hand and clapped it over her mouth. 

Harry and Madam Pomfrey were still outside the door, and Hermione definitely didn't want her gasp to draw their attention. 

Professor McGonagall's face remained very serious. 

She didn't immediately hand the Time-Turners to the two of them. 

"The Time-Turner will allow you to move through time. Remember, you are only to use it to attend lessons that clash on your timetable." 

Professor McGonagall continued to stare at them, "I require you to swear again, that you will not use it to change the past and cause irreversible consequences!" 

"Time travel is not a safe endeavour; on the contrary, this act is extremely dangerous! Carelessly altering the past can cause reality and the future to collapse, leading to catastrophic outcomes!" 

"The existence of Time-Turners is strictly for academic purposes and not for arbitrarily changing the past. This is an ironclad rule set by the Ministry of Magic; those who defy it will face the most severe penalties." 

Professor McGonagall warned them repeatedly. 

Dylan and Hermione nodded quickly. 

Whether they could actually use it like that, even after swearing, wouldn't it still depend on old Dumbledore? 

Besides, Professor McGonagall only said they couldn't cause irreversible consequences while changing the past. 

Didn't that essentially mean... they could change the past? 

After all, they needed to travel back in time to attend classes they had already completed on their own original timeline. 

That itself was an act of changing the past. 

Therefore, if Professor McGonagall had made them swear not to change the past using the Time-Turner, 

What use would giving them this object be? 

Dylan certainly wouldn't casually alter history. 

He just wanted to get his hands on a Time-Turner and use it for research. 

—What if using a Time-Turner could unlock a time-related achievement and then trigger some critical reward? 

He might even get an artefact stronger than a Time-Turner! 

That was Dylan's ultimate goal! 

It wasn't until she watched them take the vow for a second time that Professor McGonagall finally handed the two necklaces from the box to Dylan and Hermione respectively. 

The moment he received the Time-Turner, Dylan held it in his hand, examining it carefully. 

Words were inscribed on the two rings surrounding the hourglass: 

"I mark the hours, every one, nor have I yet outrun the sun." "My use and value, unto you, are gauged by what you have to do." 

—I mark the hours, every one, nor have I yet outrun the sun. —My use and value, unto you, are gauged by what you have to do. 

Dylan clasped it in his hand. 

He distinctly felt that within the Time-Turner, some magic he couldn't understand was pulsating. 

"I must state once more, Time-Turners are extremely complex and dangerous magical devices. The one you hold can turn back time by no more than five hours at most." 

Professor McGonagall's expression was solemn as she stood before her desk, her gaze sweeping over Dylan and Hermione in turn. 

"Remember, after casting the charm, each turn of the hourglass reverses time. One turn represents one hour reversed. Do not turn it more times than necessary!" 

Professor McGonagall paused slightly, looking at the Time-Turner in Dylan's hand. 

Dylan was currently swinging the chain, causing the golden sand in the hourglass to gently swirl. 

"Furthermore, when using it, you must ensure that no one nearby detects you." 

"If the timeline becomes chaotic, it will not only lead to severe magical disasters and temporal accidents, but you yourselves will also suffer irreversible harm, and may even vanish from time altogether." 

"—Vanishing completely!" 

Professor McGonagall's serious voice echoed in the office. 

Hermione, who had been curiously fiddling with the Time-Turner in her hand, grew serious upon hearing Professor McGonagall's stern warnings. 

"Remember one thing: time is a fragile thread. Do not attempt to jump upon it." 

"We understand, Professor." 

Hermione and Dylan nodded again. 

After jotting down the key points Professor McGonagall had mentioned, even in a notebook, Professor McGonagall finally dismissed them. 

The three of them stepped out the door and followed Harry and Madam Pomfrey towards the Great Hall. 

They walked quickly. 

—Mostly because Professor McGonagall took very large strides, practically flying. 

This forced the others to quicken their pace to keep up. 

Back in the Great Hall. 

Even though they had hurried, the Sorting Ceremony had already finished. 

Dylan glanced around. 

Since Professor McGonagall had been with them the entire time, Professor Snape had conducted the Sorting Ceremony this year. 

Dylan looked at the first-years. 

—These poor little things, especially those in the three Houses other than Slytherin. 

Each of them looked as though they had been thoroughly intimidated by Professor Snape. 

Their posture was tense, their faces pale, squirming in their seats. 

The first-years in Slytherin weren't much better. 

Clearly, they had witnessed Professor Snape's venomous tongue firsthand. 

Dylan quickly walked to his seat. 

Professor Snape, having finished the Sorting Ceremony, was also heading back. Seeing Dylan, his gaze swept over. 

A slight smirk played on Dylan's lips as he met Professor Snape's gaze – his eyes full of friendliness. 

Professor Snape, however, lifted his chin dismissively, swept his gaze away, gave a flick of his black robes, and strode back to his seat. 

He then cast an icy stare at the figure seated beside him before looking away again. 

"Typical old bat," Dylan thought to himself, the curve of his mouth unchanging as he sat down. 

They hadn't seen each other for a whole summer. 

That old bat must have missed him dreadfully, surely? 

Otherwise, why would he have been the first thing Snape looked at when he returned? 

Inside the Great Hall. 

Candles flickered under the vaulted ceiling, illuminating the long tables until they seemed to gleam like molten gold. 

Dylan's fingers idly traced the Time-Turner tucked away in his robes, the edges of the hourglass pressing against his palm through the fabric. 

Hermione was muttering quietly to Harry, explaining the year's course load, but every time her gaze fell upon Dylan, she would involuntarily touch her collar. 

"You two have been acting peculiar ever since you got back from the hospital wing," Ron said oddly, poking an empty plate with his fork. "Professor McGonagall didn't make you sign some dreadful pact, did she?" 

"Like making you study around the clock for the entire year?" 

"Just some notes on coursework," Dylan smiled. "Like having to memorise twelve whole pages on the 'Advanced Transfiguration Safety Regulations'." 

Hermione pursed her lips, saying nothing. 

"Alright," Ron grumbled. 

Just then, Dumbledore slowly rose. 

He looked very tall, his robes swirling gently with his movement. 

Dumbledore raised a hand, and then brought it down. 

The low murmur in the Hall fell silent instantly. 

Everyone's eyes swept towards the High Table. 

Dumbledore's kind eyes swept over the young, eager faces below, beaming as he projected his voice. 

"Welcome, students! It is a pleasure to see you all safely returned to Hogwarts!" 

He wondered if Dumbledore was using a Sonorus charm or simply relying on sheer lung power. 

His voice was quite resounding. 

And it didn't sound like an old man in the slightest. 

—His voice was bursting with vitality. 

"The Sorting Ceremony is concluded. To our dear first-years, welcome to our ranks! Now, before we begin the feast, I must draw your attention to a few matters." 

"One matter, in particular, is of utmost importance, and I feel I must make it clear before you are all too stuffed and sleepy." 

Dumbledore gave a slight cough, the smile lingered on his face, but it was now very faint. 

"I imagine you have already encountered... the Dementors from Azkaban... on the journey here." 

"These special visitors will be carrying out their duties at our school – they have been sent by the Ministry of Magic, and they will remain here until Sirius Black is apprehended." 

"Until then, the Dementors will be stationed at every entrance." 

When Dumbledore reached this point, his expression was not a happy one. 

—He was, quite frankly, appalled by it. 

This was also the reason Dylan had dared to relieve the train of a few Dementors right there and then, without fearing any repercussions later. 

Whether anyone would even notice they were missing was one thing. 

Even if someone did notice the Dementor count had dropped. 

Would Fudge dare question Dumbledore? 

And even if he did. 

Dumbledore would likely just retort – 'You sent these Dementors here on Ministry business; do you expect the school to ensure the safety of... non-beings?' 

Perhaps they were simply unhappy with Ministry supervision and wandered off! 

"While the Ministry assures us their presence won't disrupt our daily routine, I must impress upon you again – for as long as the Dementors patrol our grounds, no student is to leave the school precincts without express permission!" 

"They are impervious to pleas or excuses, and they cannot distinguish between their quarry and anyone who happens to cross their path. No disguise or trickery will fool them – not even an Invisibility Cloak." 

"So, do not give these ghastly creatures reason to harm you. Dementors are creatures utterly devoid of mercy." 

Saying this, Dumbledore paused. 

"Prefects, and indeed, our new Head Boy and Head Girl, you are to do everything in your power to ensure no student comes into conflict with these dreadful beings!" 

Dylan slyly produced a piece of chestnut cake and popped it into his mouth. 

Listening to Dumbledore's rambling, he understood the sentiment, but wasn't overly concerned. 

Regardless, even if an Invisibility Cloak wouldn't shield one from Dementors, it didn't mean his Dark Shadow Ring couldn't evade them. 

Furthermore, even if the Dark Shadow Ring failed – an Animagus form could still fool Dementors. 

"It's just my Animagus form... Ah well!" 

Dylan was hoping the system would grant him a reward for a second Animagus form. 

Though, since becoming an Animagus, there'd been no sign of such a reward for so long, it was probably a long shot. 

"Oi! Dylan, where'd you get that chestnut slice?" 

Ron, seated opposite, saw Dylan snacking and his eyes widened. 

Dylan paused, first swallowing the pastry, then raised an index finger and pressed it to his lips. 

"Brought it with me. Don't fret, the feast is about to start." 

Ron grumbled. 

"Don't look so glum, everyone. As long as you keep to your normal routines, these wretched creatures have no cause to bother you." 

Dumbledore's tone brightened again. 

"Now, I am also delighted to announce another piece of good news – we have two new additions to our teaching staff who will be teaching you this year." 

Dumbledore first looked towards the High Table on his left. 

"At my behest, Professor Lupin has kindly agreed to take on the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher here at Hogwarts – I wish you the very best of luck, Professor." 

Dumbledore gestured. 

Professor Lupin, seated next to Professor Snape, rose. 

Scattered applause rippled through the Great Hall. 

It was hardly enthusiastic, rather tepid even; mostly the first-years were clapping. 

—Clearly, last year's Defence Against the Dark Arts professor had left a rather lasting impression. 

But even despite the lukewarm reception, Professor Lupin's expression remained kind. 

He tugged at his slightly threadbare robes and nodded towards the students. 

The professors on the High Table joined in the applause. 

Only Professor Snape remained tight-lipped, his face a mask of indifference, giving three sharp, minimal claps against the base of his palm in a visibly reluctant motion before letting his hand drop instantly. 

Dylan distinctly felt that Professor Snape's feelings towards Lupin carried a definite undercurrent of hostility and animosity. 

Though mostly, it seemed, contempt. 

"Our Care of Magical Creatures professor has decided to retire, which is regrettable – but the subject, however, must continue." 

"I am delighted to announce that taking his place will be none other than Rubeus Hagrid – he has most enthusiastically agreed to my request, in addition to his duties as Gamekeeper, to take on this teaching post for us." 

Compared to the Defence Against the Dark Arts post, everyone was more familiar with Hagrid. 

Secondly, now that Hagrid's name had been cleared, all the young witches and wizards had developed a fondness for the great man who was always so warm to everyone. 

Therefore, this round of applause was considerably heartier than before. 

Especially from the Gryffindor table, some even leapt to their feet. 

This made Hagrid, seated at the High Table for the first time, visibly nervous. His large face turned a frightening shade of red – the colour spreading from his cheeks right up to his ears. 

Hagrid couldn't help but beam, a mixture of bashful pride. 

He raised a hand the size of a dustbin lid and nervously scratched his head – making his already unruly hair even wilder. 

"Alright everyone, now, let the feast begin!" 

Dumbledore clapped his hands together. 

The goblets on the tables instantly filled with every imaginable drink. 

The golden plates before them instantly piled high with every kind of food imaginable. 

"Finally, time to eat!" 

Dylan immediately grabbed his knife and fork and began devouring the food with gusto. 

Until he could eat no more. 

Stuffed himself silly. 

Only then did he stop. 

"Though Mum's cooking is great too, nothing beats the food the house-elves whip up!" 

Dylan rubbed his stomach. 

He gave a casual flick of his wand. 

"Digero Cibus!" 

The oppressive feeling of fullness subsided slightly. 

Dylan didn't want to digest everything at once, having just finished eating. 

He didn't want to be peckish again in an hour. 

The feast drew to a close. 

Dylan stood up. 

Falling in line with the Gryffindor contingent, he slowly made his way out of the Great Hall. 

Hermione walked alongside him, leaning closer, her voice hushed. 

"Did you feel it? The sand in the hourglass... it feels almost alive!" 

Dylan nodded. 

He had noticed it the moment he'd taken hold of the Time-Turner. 

At the heart of this remarkable artefact, the golden sand within seemed to defy gravity; as it flowed, it appeared to form constantly shifting, ancient runes. 

"Remember, don't keep staring at the thing," Dylan said. "McGonagall mentioned the 'observer effect' – your mere observation has a chance of materializing temporal rifts." 

Hermione nodded, "Oh, I know. I'll be exceptionally careful." 

"Honestly, careful or not, it probably doesn't make much difference," Dylan murmured. "It's a matter of probability – in most circumstances, such extreme outcomes are unlikely." 

They were about to follow the crowd out. 

Suddenly, an older student stepped into their path, blocking their way. 

Dylan noted the House crest embroidered on the student's robes. 

—It was Slytherin. 

This senior wasn't like Malfoy, acting as though he was speaking to someone beneath him. Instead, he addressed Dylan quite plainly. 

"Professor Snape asked me to tell you he's in his office, and you should go there straight away." 

"Hmm?" Dylan raised an eyebrow slightly. 

He was just about to ask for clarification, but the student had already turned and walked away. 

Tilted his head. 

Dylan felt a prickle of curiosity. 

What did Professor Snape want with him again? 

Surely he hadn't already managed to land himself in trouble on the very first day? 

Still, it hardly warranted consulting the stars. 

Snape surely wasn't planning on hexing him the moment he walked in. 

"The Professor wants you, you should go," Hermione said. "I'll head back to the common room." 

"Alright," Dylan nodded too. "Classes start tomorrow, get a good rest tonight." He turned and peeled away from the main group. 

He made his way down to the Hogwarts dungeons. 

The air grew colder and damper down here, and the flickering torchlight cast long shadows on the walls. Water beaded on the ancient stone walls, gleaming turquoise in the torchlight. 

The air hung heavy with the faint, unmistakable scent of potions. 

He reached Professor Snape's office door. 

The door was ajar. 

He raised a hand and tapped lightly before stepping inside. 

Professor Snape was seated at his desk, swathed in his customary black robes. In the dim light, his figure seemed to melt into the shadows. 

But Dylan could still make out the familiar, grim set of his jaw. His expression was as unyielding as the dungeon stone. 

"Professor, you sent for me?" 

Snape raised a hand, his expression softening barely perceptibly upon seeing Dylan. 

Though his usual chill remained, his prominent nose casting a long, sharp shadow in the gloom.