Chapter 35: Multiple Personalities

Allen really wanted to refute Professor Quirrell, but he suddenly realized that Professor Quirrell had no need to deceive him on such matters.

He could only say helplessly, "The magical materials you need must be extremely precious; I estimate I lack the ability to obtain them. Why don't you ask Hagrid directly?"

"I don't need you to find the magical materials; I just need you to tell me about your observations from your work-study!" Professor Quirrell said very understandingly.

Allen hesitated for a moment, feeling there seemed to be no problem, and agreed to Professor Quirrell's request.

The two finally reached an agreement.

Allen picked up his Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook again and gently placed it before Professor Quirrell.

Professor Quirrell's fingers tapped on the textbook as he asked carelessly, "What do you most want to learn? Ancient Runes? More powerful offensive spells? Or these weak spells in this book?"

Allen thought for a moment and replied, "The spells in the book are already quite difficult for me now, so I want to prioritize learning them; I am very interested in Ancient Runes, so I want to learn those too; powerful offensive spells must be difficult to learn and very dangerous!"

Professor Quirrell looked straight at Allen and said, somewhat disappointed, "Very well! I understand. However, my powerful offensive spells only require pure and intense emotions to drive them; they are actually not difficult to learn."

Allen calmly said to Professor Quirrell, "Professor, I am only eleven years old now; it is better to learn things step by step."

Professor Quirrell snorted disdainfully, neither confirming nor denying the statement.

He picked up Allen's Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook and pointed with his long, pale fingers at an Ancient Rune on it, saying, "Then let us begin! This Ancient Rune means 'Destination'!"

Allen quickly memorized this and then looked at Professor Quirrell expectantly.

Professor Quirrell closed the textbook and handed it to Allen.

Allen dazedly took his textbook back, feeling somewhat bewildered.

Professor Quirrell explained, "You have already been here for over an hour; if you stay any longer, you will be caught by Filch when you return, and my body cannot support a long conversation."

Allen then realized he had already been here for over an hour; although somewhat reluctant, there was nothing more he could do for today.

Looking at Professor Quirrell, whose spirit seemed somewhat depressed, he asked cautiously, "Then in the future...?"

"In the future, come find me once every Saturday night!" Professor Quirrell seemed to grow even weaker.

Allen could only politely take his leave.

Just as Allen was about to push the door open and go out, Professor Quirrell called him back.

"Are you on very good terms with the famous Harry Potter?" Although his body felt very weak, Professor Quirrell's eyes were very sharp as he stared intently at Allen.

Allen suddenly froze, unable to figure out Professor Quirrell's single-minded approach, and stammered, "W-well... it's okay!"

Professor Quirrell slowly approached Allen and whispered in his ear with a seductive voice, "Are you not at all curious about how Harry Potter defeated the Dark Lord?"

Allen stared dazedly at Professor Quirrell and said cautiously, "I was curious!"

Professor Quirrell gently patted Allen's shoulder and continued to tempt him, "That is the power most worth pursuing; perhaps we can research it together..."

Allen was somewhat stunned by this sudden invitation and didn't know what to say for a moment.

Professor Quirrell, however, didn't seem to care and whispered, "Just a joke; don't take it to heart."

Then, as if he had changed into a different person, Professor Quirrell stammered at Allen, "Al... Allen, y-you... h-hurry... g-go... go back!"

Allen was driven out the door, completely confused.

He stood bewildered at the door of Professor Quirrell's office.

A cold wind blew past, and Allen only then realized that his back and head were covered in cold sweat; the pressure brought by Professor Quirrell just now was simply too great, forcing him to deal with it with all his might.

Allen quickly tightened his robes; this eleven-year-old body could easily fall ill, and then he walked toward the Gryffindor Tower.

As he walked, he fell into deep thought...

The cold night wind made his previously somewhat heated mind even clearer.

He felt that Professor Quirrell was very different today, seeming like a completely different person, but since he had relatively little information about Professor Quirrell before, he couldn't say exactly what was wrong.

Professor Quirrell's behavior today seemed like that of a great villain! This thought suddenly popped into Allen's mind.

But then he remembered Hermione and Ron mentioning many times that Hogwarts is the safest place in the world; even when Voldemort's arrogance was at its peak, he never managed to lay a hand on Hogwarts. If he thought this way, then the main threat should come from outside Hogwarts.

Thinking of this, Allen began to hate himself again for not knowing the plot.

Moreover, Professor Quirrell is under Professor Dumbledore's nose every day; Dumbledore is so powerful; if he were a villain, wouldn't Professor Dumbledore have discovered it long ago? Allen shook his head, rejecting his own idea that Professor Quirrell was a villain.

If Professor Quirrell is not a villain, then why did he ask him to pay attention to the magical materials in the Forbidden Forest? Could it be for smuggling? That also seems to make sense.

But it still cannot explain Professor Quirrell's villainous behavior today.

Then what is the reason for Professor Quirrell's behavior?

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck his heart: "Could Professor Quirrell suffer from dissociative identity disorder?"

After this thought emerged, Allen suddenly felt that everything made sense.

In his previous life, he had watched many movies about dissociative identity disorder, so he was quite familiar with the concept of multiple personalities; he felt that Professor Quirrell's appearance was very much like multiple personalities.

Allen felt that there were at least three personalities inside Professor Quirrell's body:

First, the personality from before, full of spirit and talent;

Second, the personality split off after encountering something terrible during the holidays; this personality is cowardly, helpless, neurotic, stutters, and has a very strong sense of self-protection;

Third, the ambitious personality hidden deep within the heart; this personality feels that the pursuit of power is by any means necessary and seems very dangerous;

Thinking of this, Allen felt a headache; he was unsure how many personalities were still inside Professor Quirrell's body, but in the movies he watched in his previous life, patients with multiple personalities had at least seven or eight personalities inside them, with the most having even twenty-six.

So the personalities inside Professor Quirrell's body must be more than three; there must be other hidden personalities.

Allen couldn't help but regret his agreement with Professor Quirrell today.

If he spends time with such a mental patient every week in the future, he will always feel a bit scared! Maybe he should just pretend today never happened! Allen thought secretly in his heart.

But the knowledge and strength Professor Quirrell displayed today were also very powerful! And since he now wants to quickly enhance his own strength, Professor Quirrell is the best candidate; besides, he also showed kindness to him today and greatly appreciated his talent; there is no more suitable candidate to be found in Hogwarts.

Allen thought, torn in his heart.

Then he thought of those powerful spells mentioned by Professor Quirrell; to say Allen wasn't envious would be false.

"It is truly a difficult choice!" Allen sighed in his heart.

Finally, what tipped the balance in Allen's heart was the knowledge of Ancient Runes possessed by Professor Quirrell.

This is something Allen has long dreamed of; it is also knowledge for exploring the fundamental mysteries of this world; the more of this, the better!

If he could "improve" a few powerful spells, his debts would likely cease to be a problem. Allen's heart was deeply conflicted.

Moreover, Allen had no way to explain the source of the vast quantity of precise yet unknown ancient runes he had recorded. Although Professor Quirrell had only seen a small portion of them today, using his knowledge of ancient runes merely as leverage to tempt Allen into doing his bidding, and though Quirrell would not suspect him at this stage, as time passed, he would certainly begin to doubt this.

By then, he would just make up an excuse to stall; if Quirrell still harbored doubts, he would stop immediately! Allen thought silently.

At that moment, Allen suddenly remembered the meaning of the ancient rune that Professor Quirrell had taught last.

He quickly found that ancient rune in his textbook, then, to his delight, discovered that this rune could translate the key of a key-value pair with an empty value in the Scouring Charm, sending a surge of wild joy through his heart.

Then he realized that his current location was not far from the abandoned girls' bathroom where he had stayed before...

This time he hesitated for a moment, but still could not resist the temptation; he turned his direction and strode purposefully toward that place...

Girls' toilets! Your Emperor has returned!