Chapter 39: Chapter 39: The Restricted Section
Whispers of the Chamber of Secrets still rippled through the castle but Sherlock Forester dismissed them with disinterest as childish chatter. The students babbled amongst themselves, speculating who the young Slytherin heir might be, without ever pausing to consider the consequences of their suspicions landing on the wrong person.
Before even the eagerly anticipated spectacles of Halloween had commenced, as early as mid-October, Sherlock had already developed an affectionate familiarity with the library of Hogwarts.
Having encountered the sweeping expanses of written knowledge at Hogwarts, Sherlock quickly realized the book collection in the former owner's study was an insignificant speck in comparison.
The vast array of magical books here made his existing resources appear meager, akin to a grain of sand amidst the endless desert of arcane knowledge.
The intricate laces of magical knowledge were an irresistible allure for Sherlock, perpetually driven by an insatiable thirst for understanding.
These were unique laws of nature, exclusive to this parallel world, yet the process of comprehending and applying these laws was akin to the study of natural sciences in his original world.
The contrast lay in their modes of manifestation.
This was Sherlock's most profound impression of magic and science gathered within two months since his magical awakening.
A scholar, particularly one blessed with knowledge spanning numerous fields, could make considerable contributions to either world, magical or ordinary.
Consequently, apart from his imperative duties as a professor, Sherlock spent the majority of his time buried in the pages of the infinite volumes in the library.
Through their extensive seven-year sojourn at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, pupils were exposed to an extensive array of topics, bestowing upon them an immense treasure trove of information to master.
Under ordinary circumstances, reaching the expertise of a standard seventh-year graduate, let alone regaining his predecessor's magical prowess would be a distant dream, at least within a short time span.
Even if his magical aptitude was a tangible prodigy, it would still require at least a couple of years. Nevertheless, his predecessor's body had competently mastered a considerable range of spells, which meant for Sherlock, that he merely had to practice the unfamiliar incantations a few times, effortlessly sliding into mastery.
However, the vast world of magic was not merely limited to spells.
The muscle memory inherited from the former host allowed him to become swiftly adept at casting magic, but the conquest of theoretical knowledge, along with transfiguration, herbology, potions, and astronomy, necessitated a diligent commitment from Sherlock's side.
Fortunately, his academic ability and comprehension were far from deficient.
In his world, before the crossover, he was an accomplished graduate student in the field of science. Even in this magical realm, learning remained the principal method for a wizard to acquire power.
From his crossover to this magical world in July, until the onset of November, Sherlock had mastered the spells known by his predecessor within the span of four months.
There remained only a handful of challenging spells, or those which required special practice methods, such as the Disillusionment Charm and the Patronus Charm, which needed specific emotions to succeed.
Sherlock dared not attempt these advanced spells. At Hogwarts, teeming with anti-disillusionment charms, there was no opportunity for him to practice the Disillusionment Charm.
He had risked the Patronus Charm once, but his wand spit out only slender wisp-like strings of silvery light, failing to shape a full-bodied Patronus.
That said, he had reservations about even the original owner's ability to summon his Patronus.
A successful Patronus required an abundantly positive memory, and the original owner being a solitary figure, it seemed unlikely that he could call forth his patronus.
The theoretical magical subjects, potions, herbology, and astronomy, were due significant effort.
Given the choice between spells and transfiguration, the two principal types of magic for a wizard, Sherlock was certain that his skill had already reached the level of an average adult wizard.
With the support of the original body's knowledge, he was possibly better, considering not every adult wizard was acquainted with defensive spells like the Iron Armor Charm.
After verifying that he had a firm grip on most of the conventional charms, he still however refrained from extending his knowledge to potions. Having met Slughorn, at least one point was clear to him.
Regardless of the presence of the eminent Dumbledore, Hogwarts was potentially a dangerous place.
One student had already suffered an attack, indicating the Chamber of Secrets had been unsealed, unshackling the monster within.
Although Sherlock wished to defuse this crisis as swiftly as possible, he was unaware of the location of the Chamber's entrance or the identity of the Slytherin heir who had unsealed it.
If he had the information, he would immediately concoct a plausible reason, and unveil everything to Dumbledore.
Dumbledore could wrestle with the details, while Sherlock should be on guard, preparing to address the looming "crisis" headed towards his Defense Against the Dark Arts class, shouldn't he?
Regrettably, he hadn't viewed the actual Chamber of Secrets book or film, and his understanding of the plot was hazy, based on a snippets of a movie review he once saw, leaving him with no useful information.
Therefore, his safety rested solely in his hands.
Even if Sherlock was a half-blood, unpredictability lay within the monster's actions. Perhaps at some point, it found him unpleasing to the eye, with a potential culinary appeal, and decided to attack.
This reinforced Sherlock's belief, safety was assured only when one could protect themselves.
So, Sherlock continued to prioritize practical spells and enhanced his transfiguration skills.
But the standard magical capability of a regular adult wizard was not comforting in such a perilous atmosphere. To escalate matters, Sherlock's focus wouldn't confine to ordinary magic.
Post-Halloween, he planned to officially delve into the enigma of the restricted section.
The books in the restricted section of Hogwarts library were not exclusively associated with dark magic. These were volumes the school deemed excessively perilous and esoteric for lower and middle-grade students.
Yes, inappropriate for middle or junior level students. Once a student progressed to the fifth level, the restricted section was partially opened to them.
As a professor, Sherlock had the privilege to access all books in the library, including those discreetly locked away in the restricted section.
On a chilly Saturday morning in November, Sherlock made his first trek into the forbidden depth of the restricted section.
The librarian Madame Pince naturally didn't object. It was unusual, as professors generally sent a written request with a student when the need to borrow a book arose, but she didn't pay it much heed.
As he stepped into the restricted section, his gaze was immediately drawn to the books about dark magic. From the perspective of strength and effect, dark magic undeniably held superior potency, especially the three unforgivable curses.
If swift protection skills and potent strength were the targets, the most direct route would be to train in the shadowy domain of dark magic.
However, Sherlock's standpoint towards dark magic mirrored his declarations at the teacher's meeting. The curse was but an exterior, the true essence resided within an individual's heart.
Before assuring his will could resist the insidious creep of dark magic, Sherlock wasn't prepared to interact with such alluring yet uncontrollable forces.
Of course, abstaining from usage didn't imply ignorance.
Much like Dumbledore, no one ever witnessed him use Avada Kedavra, but could one confidently claim he was unacquainted with it?
As Sherlock was starting to select his introductory read from the variety in the restricted section, the crescent-shaped scar on his left arm initiated a sudden burning sensation again!
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