Liam Hale didn't immediately expose the parasite hiding on the back of Quirrell's head.
Although he was confident that, with his current magical abilities, he could defeat Voldemort, confidence and certainty were two very different things. Voldemort had been the nightmare of the wizarding world, the idol of countless Death Eaters, and one of the most dangerous dark wizards in history. There was always the possibility that he possessed some secret method of survival Liam didn't know about.
More importantly, the classroom was full of first-year students.
Cassandra had received years of magical training before arriving at Hogwarts and could protect herself to some extent. The other children, however, were practically hostages. If a fight broke out inside the classroom, Voldemort or Quirrell could easily use them as shields.
A single Cruciatus Curse cast at random could ruin someone's life.
So what was the proper response when the professor teaching your class happened to have Voldemort attached to the back of his head?
The answer was simple.
Report it.
After all, this was Dumbledore's territory.
"Professor Quirrell."
Having made his decision, Liam raised his hand and interrupted the stammering Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.
Quirrell visibly flinched. "W-what is it, M-Mr. Hale?"
"My stomach hurts. I need to use the bathroom."
"O-of course. Go ahead."
The answer came so quickly that several Hufflepuff students couldn't help laughing quietly.
Cassandra shot them a cold glare. The laughter died immediately.
Liam stood, stepped past her desk, and left the classroom. The moment he exited, he casually placed an improved confinement spell on the door. The magic settled silently into place, ensuring Quirrell wouldn't suddenly decide to flee while he was gone.
Then Liam took off at a run.
His destination was the Transfiguration classroom.
Professor McGonagall was inside grading assignments from an earlier lesson. The stern witch looked up as the door burst open.
"Professor McGonagall."
She adjusted her glasses and frowned immediately.
"Mr. Hale? This is currently class time. If you are skipping lessons without permission, I may have to deduct points from Slytherin."
"I have something urgent to report."
Liam's expression remained completely serious.
"I need you to take me to Headmaster Dumbledore."
McGonagall's brows drew together.
The reason Liam hadn't gone looking for Snape was simple. He had no idea where the Potions professor currently was. Snape wasn't teaching today, and finding him would require large-scale detection magic.
Using something that noticeable might alert Quirrell.
Going through McGonagall was far safer. Quirrell was currently teaching a class full of students. He couldn't simply abandon his lesson and disappear without attracting suspicion.
"Mr. Hale," McGonagall said carefully, "you understand that Professor Dumbledore is a very busy man."
"I know."
Liam met her eyes directly.
"But if you don't take me to him right now, you'll regret it for the next year. I can guarantee that."
The certainty in his voice made her pause.
McGonagall had always regarded Liam as unusually mature and responsible for his age. Under normal circumstances, she would have already deducted points and sent him back to class.
Instead, she slowly put down her grading quill.
"Very well. Come with me."
Without another word, she rose from her chair, locked the classroom, and led Liam through the corridors toward the Headmaster's office.
A few minutes later, they stepped inside.
"Albus," McGonagall said, "Mr. Hale claims he has something extremely urgent to discuss with you."
Dumbledore looked up from behind his desk. His blue eyes twinkled with curiosity.
"Ah, Liam. What seems to be the matter?"
Liam skipped all introductions and went straight to the point.
"I found Voldemort."
The room became instantly silent.
"He's attached to the back of Professor Quirrell's head. He's using a form of soul parasitism to survive and is drawing on Quirrell's magic to maintain himself. Quirrell is currently teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts."
The smile vanished from Dumbledore's face.
McGonagall stared at Liam.
Then she and Dumbledore exchanged a brief look.
Neither questioned him.
Whether the claim was likely or not no longer mattered. The moment Voldemort's name entered the conversation, even the smallest possibility demanded immediate investigation.
The two professors moved at once.
Liam cast a speed-enhancement charm on himself and hurried after them. Without it, his shorter legs had no chance of keeping pace with two fully grown wizards moving at top speed.
Meanwhile, in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, Voldemort had completely lowered his guard.
Earlier, he had sensed a trace of magic touching Quirrell. The source had been Liam. But after a brief glance in his direction, the boy had simply gone back to chatting with the girl beside him.
That had reassured him.
After all, what threat could a nine-year-old child possibly pose?
The boy had even left class to use the bathroom.
Clearly, he was still just a child.
Then the classroom door slammed open.
Creak.
The sudden sound drew every eye in the room.
"Vanishing Spell."
Liam's voice rang out instantly.
The scarf wrapped around Quirrell's head disappeared without warning.
The ugly face growing from the back of Quirrell's skull was suddenly exposed to the entire room.
Voldemort blinked.
Then he saw Dumbledore.
And McGonagall.
And Liam standing beside them.
For a moment, his mind went completely blank.
McGonagall wasn't the issue.
The problem was Dumbledore.
Even at the height of his power, Voldemort had feared the old wizard.
His eyes snapped toward Liam.
The realization hit him immediately.
This little brat had gone to get help.
He hadn't tried to fight.
He hadn't tried to be brave.
He had simply run straight to Dumbledore.
"You shameless little brat!"
Voldemort roared with fury.
Then his twisted face dissolved into black smoke and burst from Quirrell's head, shooting toward the door in an attempt to escape.
Unfortunately for him, Dumbledore had arrived fully prepared.
"The Ultimate Binding."
A brilliant white light erupted from Dumbledore's wand.
Countless strands of glowing magic spread through the air, weaving together into a flawless net.
The black smoke slammed into it.
Voldemort struggled violently.
It made no difference.
The web contracted rapidly, compressing the dark soul fragment tighter and tighter until it finally shrank into a small bottle of light that flew neatly back into Dumbledore's hand.
At the same time, Quirrell's expression twisted with rage.
His master had been captured.
Everything was over.
Desperation filled his eyes as he yanked out his wand and pointed it directly at Liam.
"Avada Kedavra!"
A jet of green light exploded forward.
"Expelliarmus!"
Professor McGonagall reacted instantly.
A blazing red beam shot from her wand and smashed into the Killing Curse.
The red light overwhelmed the green spell completely.
The magical collision detonated in front of Quirrell.
The explosion blasted him backward and slammed him hard against the wall.
Before he could recover, McGonagall flicked her wand again.
"Stupefy."
The Stunning Spell struck him squarely in the chest.
Quirrell collapsed unconscious.
Only then did McGonagall turn around.
"Are you alright, child?"
There was genuine concern in her voice.
Liam was Hogwarts' most extraordinary student. If anything happened to him, the loss would be enormous.
To her surprise, Liam appeared perfectly calm.
His expression hadn't changed in the slightest during the attack.
It almost looked as though a Killing Curse aimed at him was no more threatening than someone offering him a cup of tea.
McGonagall mistakenly assumed he simply didn't understand the terrifying nature of the curse. After all, children his age shouldn't know much about dark magic.
What she didn't know was that Liam was extremely familiar with the Killing Curse.
In fact, he understood it better than Quirrell did.
His own version had already been improved far beyond the original.
The reason he hadn't been afraid was simple.
He hadn't needed to dodge at all.
"I'm fine, Professor McGonagall."
Liam smiled politely.
"Your support was incredibly reliable. I wasn't hurt in the slightest."
....
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