Eccentric Wizard Chapter 14: Quirinus Quirrell (Patreon)

Not beta read.

I originally wanted this to be a double update with Broly, unfortunately, I still have things to touch up on the Broly chapter and didn't want to rush things just for a quick upload.

Though don't worry, next chapter of Broly will be out either this weekend or early next week (Monday or Tuesday)

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-Hogwarts-

My schedule was getting quite filled these last few weeks. Perhaps it was because I was now so busy with Quidditch practice five evenings a week on top of all my homeworks, magic practice, one could hardly believe it when the realization dawned on me that I'd already been at Hogwarts for two whole months.

It honestly felt like I had just arrived through the castle doors yesterday. The passage of time went by so quickly when I was so focused on my life here that it became kind of scary to me. A part of me wanted my current life to continue on this way forever, but I was well aware of its impossibility. If anything, I needed to get used to the passage of time and take action against the looming danger of Voldemort and Quirrell this year.

I hadn't done anything suspicious in his class, always doing my best to learn as much as I could from lectures on dangerous mythical creatures and the many dangers lurking deep within the woods. True, constantly hearing his stutters was getting on my nerves, I think the only students taking his lessons seriously was just Hermione and me.

Quirrel never punished or scolded any of the lazy students nor those who never did their homeworks, so everyone just stopped caring for the class and most just came to pretend to listen to the teacher while hastily finishing their homeworks given by other teachers.

'Why would he bother, his sole goal is the stone and this teaching role is nothing but a disguise.'

Credit where credit was due, Quirrel did correct and hand back the homeworks both Hermione and I handed over. He always added tons of notes, details and remarks on each line, making sure to always carefully explain each of his corrections with tons of details.

Quirrell may be a puppet controlled by one of the most dangerous and heinous persons in the wizarding world, but he was a damn good teacher.

It just grinded my nerves knowing that we would get that incompetent man, Gilderoy Lockhart. A con artist, a fake, show off and a fucking waste of time.

Maybe…

"Ma-Malf-foy?"

"Hm?"

I woke up from my deep thoughts from that familiar stuttering. Looking around, I found that in the dark and cold room of the class, there was only Quirrel and I present. The others had already left class for their third period break. If I remembered correctly, our next class would be Charm magic.

"Ah, sorry sir, I was distracted." I said sheepishly, taking all of the books on my desk and putting them in my bag hurriedly.

I liked the man as my Dark Arts teacher, he genuinely had passion about the subject. Like a true Ravenclaw, he sought knowledge but, unfortunately, got poisoned by a parasite.

"I-I ap-appreciate th-the e-ffort b-both you and G-Granger put i-in m-my class. It's not everyday I f-ind s-uch g-gifted students."

Hugh, that stutter was going to be the death of me, knowing that it was fake only made it worse. I know he wanted to showcase a weak and cowardly persona to everyone, but couldn't he have gone for something better? A fake limp, being too clumsy and airheaded worked far better than this.

"Thanks, Hermione is a natural learner and thrives to learn every bit of knowledge she can from magic. I, on the other hand, find the knowledge of Dark Arts and creatures belonging to the dark side of the Wizarding World to be important—you never know when this knowledge might come in handy. And also because I find this subject to be cool." I explained, catching the teacher by surprise with my long explanation.

"Y-You know, n-not once in a-all of my years of st-studying as a s-student and to kn-know becoming a Pr-Professor that I m-met two Sly-Slytherins like you." Was that a hint of sadness I detected in his tone? "Th-they on-only show interest in the be-beginning, but when they find out ho-how detailed and co-complex the subject can be—th-they give up."

Well yeah, they were all young children, while some take their studies seriously, many focus on other aspects at this age. Making friends, having fun, playing around with magic and so on. It was a normal behavior, and even the kids in Ravencraft had their moments. Truthfully, Hermione was one of the handful of workaholics in Hogwarts… while I on the other hand didn't even count as a child. I knew the danger that I would face in the future, despite not being Harry Potter, trouble could still find its way towards me.

Especially as a Malfoy.

"I mean, if you start including things like huge explosions and flashy spells during your classes, I guarantee that you will find many who will pay more attention."

Like a science class, if a teacher brought out the beakers and gloves, everyone would remember everything during that class for years. Bonus points if they start tossing sodium metal to water and wowing the students with the explosions.

"Hahahaha!" he laughed, "T-True, that w-would be fun to do, but not everything in Dark Arts i-is flashy like that. If they want to see the impressive pa-parts, they'll first need t-to master the basics and learn the m-many theories."

True, magic was a dangerous and complex

"And that's why they find the class boring, no offense."

Quirrell just shook his head with a smile.

"Yo-You're planning to explore the outside world one da-day? You did mention about potentially using this knowledge for y-yourself in the fu-future."

Was iti just me or was his stutter becoming less frequent the more he spoke? Did the man not realize it or was I just being too paranoid I will have the? It could be both, after all, I didn't think Quirrell would take a twelve year child too seriously or as a threat given his main target was mister four eyes.

And, it wouldn't hurt to share some things about me. Even if he was the enemy, what would he do with this information? Blackmail me with them? Ha! No, the man was probably being genuinely curious. He wasn't Voldemort, and that guy behind his head won't always be awake. It was shown quite clearly in the show of his weakened state and the constant need to consume unicorn blood to stay alive.

"I do, there is the Forbidden Forest as you may have guessed. I would like to visit the other schools as well, Durmstrang Institute, Ilvermorny, Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and wildlife in Hungary to name a few."

He gave me a suspicious look.

"Hungary?"

"The country is very beautiful, has a rich history with many nature reserves. I heard the people there are quite inviting and kind—"

"It's the Hungarian Horntail, isn't it?" Quirrell said, without stuttering.

"..."

The Hungarian Horntail was one of the most if not THE most dangerous dragons around. They were a native creature to Hungary if their name didn't reveal it enough. I wasn't trying to approach one myself, I'd end up roasted in a matter of seconds. They were notoriously territorial and aggressive creatures, with a fire breath that could easily reach me from a long distance.

"N-No n-need t-to b-be emb-barassed, y-you're n-not t-the first o-one t-to do s-so." his accent returned with vengeance, probably to compensate for his previous blunder.

I didn't give any indication of having noticed his slip up, that would be no different from potentially painting a target on my bag. And if Voldemort or even his host were the sort of people who could get extremely paranoid, they would kill me without hesitation. But if I tried to ignore them too much, then that would also look suspicious. My best option was to act like I normally do with any teacher. I was sure that these people talked within themselves about their students, and if I acted differently with only him out of everyone, then that could also bring me some trouble.

"Y-You re-remind me of m-my past s-self. I also d-dreamed of tra-traveling the wor-rld and stu-study the m-many hid-dden mysteries."

'I'm not sure whether I like that comparison or not.'

His travels unfortunately led him to become infected by Voldemort himself. Though I wasn't sure how this exactly came to be, maybe he accidentally came across the Dark Lord's remnants by accident or deliberately tried to search him out. Whether Quirrel wanted to have Voldemort attached to him or not was a question I did not have an answer to. Even if he desired freedom, how was I supposed to help him?

Better yet, why did I need to help him out in the first place?

"You've encountered such a dragon before?" I asked, feeling curious about his adventures.

The professor shivered in fright, "He-Heavens n-no! I wouldn't return a-alive if I were to encounter such a thing! And I heard rumors of nu-numerous va-va-va-vampire si-sightings in Hungary, I-I would never go there!" he said with fear evident in his voice.

Oh right, one of his so-called 'fears' was that of vampires and werewolves… or basically everything really. The latter because he apparently came across an old vampire in the forests of Albania.

"Bu-But I-I did en-encounter a-an Antipodean Opaleye. O-one of the m-most beautiful creatures out th-there."

I didn't pay any attention to it at first, but the man at some point during our conversation took a seat on a bench next to me. The smell of garlic was very pungent, almost like if he rubbed himself with crushed garlic everywhere. Why did he decide to add smelling so strongly in the first place? Didn't it attract more attention to him? I understood that his personality was based around living in fear of everything, especially vampires, but there was no need to go the extra mile with garlic smell.

It wasn't like the face behind his skull smelled of rot or anything, the man wasn't decaying as far as I knew and he didn't have the need to hide his natural scent from some sort of predator.

It was possible that he did this intentionally to have people repulsed by the scent and keep a distance away from him. But that would only give him the disadvantage of sneaking impossible as his pungent smell would just betray him in the end.

'Or more simply. The guy is a jokester and just likes to prank the Dark Lord with the constant smell while lying to him that it was his disguise.' I liked that possibility better, so I decided to think of that as the actual facts

We continued to talk about the other creatures, mysterious places across the world and forgotten magic lost by the passage of time. Of creatures thought to be extinct, magical plants with the ability to heal any wounds—some of them even rumored to boost a wizard's magic temporarily.

I could admit that this conversation was fun and informative at the same time. Despite talking and smiling at a soon to die man, there was solace knowing that he wasn't just an evil character lurking in the background rubbing his hands together with a creepy laugh. Quirrell was a real person with his own set of dreams, goals and desires in life.

"Do you have any plans as well, professor? After fulfilling your duties as a teacher, do you want to embark on another journey as well? Another reason why I want to explore the world is to also become a better wizard, you can't become one by just staying in the same place."

He smiled, I sensed some melancholy hidden behind that cheary face. "I do," he said, this time feeling like the answer was genuine. "I-I want to d-deepen m-my understanding of magic a-as well."

"You remind me of Hermione." I said, catching the man by surprise with my claim.

"H-How s-so? I-Is it b-because sh-she also likes t-to study magic a-as well?"

"That's correct, just like you said, since I remind you of your past self with my desire to explore the world, Hermione kinda falls into the same category as well. She wants to learn everything about magic as well, and that would require her to move around a lot in the future. But yeah, that's one of the reasons I'm talking about." I got comfortable, taking my boots off and using my bag as a pillow while I slept on top of the bench. Quirrell raised his eyebrows at my display but said nothing.

"You know what happens to students like her when they get sorted into houses like Gryffindor and Slytherin? The type of person who is too fixated on rules, has a black and white outlook on the world and runs in the pursuit of magic. Worst of all, coming from a Muggle family."

"They get bullied." he said calmly, those words coming from a deep place in his heart.

"Exactly, Hermione would have become the odd one of the group, either ignored and alienated by the other members. She would have been teased, bullied and made fun of for her traits. Heck, I don't need to go that far, Pansy tried to play her tricks on the girl not that long ago. Now that I think about it, I could even bring Neville into the discussion as well."

"L-Longbottom?"

"Yes, he is both timid and just a giant ball of nerves. It took both my brother and I to orchestrate a small mean joke on the kid to make him feel more fear and concern over something else to make him forget all about himself. I don't doubt that the boy wants to prove himself, to become stronger and proficient in the art of magic." I don't know what happened to him later on, but I hoped that he would grow into a stronger person.

"Th-Then st-studying about the D-Dark Arts s-should prove to be a boon to the child. Power is the only answer."

Was he even trying to hide it at this point? Maybe he just stopped caring.

"No, I don't think that power is the answer here." I felt his eyes hone in on me while I continued to lie there comfortably.

"Care to explain?"

Oh, I guess he didn't agree with my opinion.

"Power can only do so much, it would give him the strength to break down all the barriers around him and prove to his peers that he's someone not to be messed with but that wouldn't solve his problems and will bring him more trouble in the long run. When. He reaches the point of facing a wall he can't break down, how will he overcome it? He won't, and that barrier will turn into a cage and trap him inside."

I recalled my past experience and took into account the many stories I heard of people before they died. Many, if not most, pursued power as the end goal. Tearing down all obstacles and becoming so narrow minded on that singular goal that they ended up actually losing more than what they had gained.

"I know this sounds corny and super embarrassing, but in the end, the best thing one can do is to just make friends and connections. To do their best to not end up isolated and all alone at the top as they say, as in the end, friends are a form of power as well. So while I think power in general does have its importance, it should be pursued alongside the desire to connect with others, which will help us become stronger in the end. One must practice balancing both aspects and desires rather than embracing a single extreme ideal."

I heard the loud sound of bells signaling the end of the break period. Shit, I didn't even have time to eat my snacks, and Dobby made me some delicious chips with some homemade garlic mayonnaise sauce. Maybe I could be sneaky and eat them during my next classe.

I grabbed my stuff, put my boots back on and glanced at Quirrell who was staring blankly at the fireplace—lost in his own thoughts.

"Both Hermione and Neville already started on their path to become powerful wizards. The latter became friends with the oh so famous Harry Potter. While the former became friends with a mess like me and the other girls who previously ignored her because of her heritage." I boasted proudly, feeling like a proud father… or brother? Naw, a proud friend. "You'll witness their changes by the end of the year, or maybe the next. They'll eventually become truly capable wizards."

As I reached the doors, I heard him speak.

"You are quite philosophical for someone your age. No, you are a very gifted individual, Malfoy. I think that you deserve better than Hogwarts."

"..."

Was he trying to recruit me? Maybe testing me out. Good thing is, he wasn't looking at me like an enemy and instead as a tool. I was a Malfoy and our family was known for who we served in the past. Voldemort wouldn't kill me, nor would he order Quirrell to dispose of me.

I could act ignorant, or I could play his game.

"Well I wouldn't know, professor. It still hasn't been a year of me being in Hogwarts, so who knows how things might end up in the future." I left those words as I walked out of the room.

I should have felt terrified about what just happened, shaking in my boots upon catching the interest of Quirrell and possibly Voldemort. But I didn't, in fact, I felt nothing at the moment.

My mind was blank, I fully gasped what I had just brought upon myself, but I also felt like it was an important step to take.

The consequences of my actions.

It was a step in the dark, one filled with uncertainty and danger, one would expect anyone to be very wary of that first step. But I was confident, and took a large leap instead.

Whether that would help me or bring me more trouble was yet to be decided.

'Yeah… I wonder what Quirrell's next move will be.'

{Break}

I remembered that today was Halloween, as I walked to my next class, the delicious smell of baking pumpkin wafted through the corridors everywhere I walked.

Large cobwebs and jack-o'-lanterns being placed everywhere. Some of the paintings had a change of clothes, some had minor changes like holding a mask on a stick. While others just covered themselves with a drape they got from… somewhere. I wondered how these painting worlds worked.

"Happy Halloween, I guess…" I whispered to no one in particular as I walked inside the classroom.

"What took you so long?" Hermione asked. "You were almost late."

"Sorry, I was talking to a Dark Lord's puppet about the power of friendship and was invited into an alliance to rule the world. Kinda regret doing it, I didn't have time to enjoy my chips!"

Hermione rolled her eyes, thinking that I was messing with her. I wonder how she would react in the future when she would eventually find out the truth about Voldemort possessing our Dark Arts teacher.

As expected, Professor Flitwick announced in Charms that he thought that we were ready to start making objects fly, something I had all been waiting to hear as it marked a specific day in the timeline of the movie. It was kind of hard to realize that each movie spanned across an entire school year and not a few days.

"Alright children, get your wands ready and prepare for our next lesson!" Professor Flitwick put the class into pairs to practice.

On Gryffindor's side, Harry's partner was Seamus Finnigan. Ron, however, was to be working with Neville.

While In our house, I teamed up with Hermione as we sat next to each other. So why bother searching for another partner. Draco sat next to Blaise while Theodore surprised me the most as I saw him next to Crabbe. Didn't know they were friends, oh well, not that big of a deal and Daphne was hanging out with Pansy.

"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" squeaked Professor Flitwick, perched on top of his pile of books as usual. One would expect for him to fall off any second with a wrong step. "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too—never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."

What kind of magic was that man practicing to end up with a buffalo on his chest!? Did he mean that the guy levitated the animal above him and accidentally got crushed? Damn, I could already imagine the scene in my head and it wasn't pretty.

Alright, time to see if I could perform such a basic spell faster than—

Hermione rolled up the sleeves of her gown, flicked her wand, and quickly said, "Wingardium Leviosa!"

The white feather rose off the desk and hovered over me before she dropped it on my head.

"..."

"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping. "Everyone see here, Miss Granger's done it! 5 Points to your house for being the first to perform the spell flawlessly."

The kids around me were already laughing at her little stunt.

"What's up with the new look brother? You look quite fancy with that feather with that big head of yours!" Draco said, his laugh followed by Blaise's snort.

We were twins you dumbass!

I cranked my head towards Hermione, glaring at the little grinning gremlin.

"Find that funny don't you?" I asked.

"At least I didn't drop an ink bottle on your head. People would have mistook you for a metamorphmagus after class."

"I'll slip some Polyjuice in your cup when you're not looking and turn you into Snape's long lost brother which he never met nor will be pleased to meet anytime soon."

"Humph," Hermione crossed her hands. "I'd like to see you try, and thanks for that idea."

Well wasn't she acclimating to the Slytherin House really quickly.

"Alright, no more distraction." I glanced at the feather in front of me and swiftly cast the spell.

It wasn't difficult.

It was called a basic spell for beginners for a reason. The hard part came when the object in question had a weight far above that of a measly feather. Like a large boulder, because pushing oneself to lift that could even make the caster faint from too much stress. Then came the delicate control aspect of there being multiple objects with different weights to pick up, that was an even harder task. Like lifting up a collapsed roof to clear out the debris or save someone.

Harry and Seamus swished and flicked, but the feather they were supposed to be sending skyward just continued to lay on the desktop. Seamus got so impatient that he prodded it with his wand and set fire to it—Harry had to put it out with his hat.

Ah, no explosion?

Ron, at the next table, wasn't having much more luck.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" he shouted, waving his long arms like a windmill.

"He's saying it wrong," I heard Hermione whisper harshly at my side, glaring at the boy's many failed attempts.. "It's Wing- gar -dium Levi- o -sa, make the 'gar' nice and long."

"So basically pronounce it with a more… posh attitude?" I mentioned.

"I guess? Anyways, he's going to fail this class if he keeps doing so poorly."

"Does it bother you?"

"Of course not," she didn't hesitate to answer. "I like our house having the advantage, but seeing others fail for such a simple spell is very frustrating."

"Well what can you do, this is a class after all, so it's rather normal for people to not succeed on their first attempt. Students are meant to learn after all, not be over achievers like some of us." I said, making it clear who I was talking about.

"Thank you for the compliment."

Well… maybe for someone like her this was a compliment.

"Don't mention it."

By the end of the class, Ron was one of the few who couldn't properly cast the spell yet. Neville managed to do it on his fifth attempt and those who couldn't do it were given a certain assignment to hand over during the next class.

Poor guy, he didn't have Hermione to tell him how to do it.

But wait, didn't this also mean that he wouldn't make the comment about her not having friends—thus not causing Hermione to hear it run off to the girls' bathroom and cry?

Huh, tonight's dinner would definitely be very interesting.