Chapter 40: The Unforgivable Curse

Hearing Ivan's words, Ron stood up and glared at him.

"You say I cast a curse on purpose that I've never heard of," Ron exclaimed angrily.

Ivan said as he pulled out his wand and pointed it at Ron, "Funny, you just used a powerful corrosion curse on me and you're telling me you've never heard of it. Unfortunately, I've seen this spell in a book on dark magic before and the description is exactly the same as the one you used."

"Ivan, calm down!" the others said quickly as they stood up.

Ron, as he unsheathed his wand, said, "Haha, that's hilarious, I finally understand, it must have been that book that gave you the illusion that I was attacking you with dark magic."

Ivan said calmly, "I'm calm and I know what I'm doing, now surrender, Ron, yes I'm going to get Dumbledore...."

Ron shouted stiffly, "No!"

Ron then stepped back, hiding in the shadows as he said, "I don't know what you're talking about, no matter what, I'm not going with you. I'm going to bed."

They all watched Ron lower his wand and head for his room.

He had barely taken two steps when he suddenly stopped where he stood, wand in hand waving gently as if making up his mind. Not far away, the fireplace reflected his shadow on the floor, creating an eerie aura in the common room.

"Ron, are you okay?" asked Harry, concerned.

There was no answer, just an eerie silence.

Harry tried to calm Ron by saying, "I don't think what Ivan said meant anything, he just..."

Before Hermione could finish her sentence, Ron turned and pointed his wand at Ivan, from the tip of which a green glow emerged. But Ivan was faster than him, and before the green glow came out, he fired a spell, interrupting him.

Ron slowly fell down, leaving the others stunned.

After a few seconds, Ginny's scream echoed through the common room, rushing quickly towards Ron.

Harry panicked as he said, "Ivan, what did you do? You attacked Ron."

Ivan, looking at Ron on the floor, said seriously, "He attacked me first, you should have seen the green light his wand was producing."

"What was it?" asked Hermione eagerly.

"If I'm not mistaken, it was the Killing Curse, he was trying to kill me," Ivan said as he remembered the green light which made him think of the Avada Kedavra curse.

"An unforgivable curse, that's impossible!", Hermione gasped, as the others were confused.

Harry looked confused and asked, "Hermione, what do you mean by an unforgivable curse?"

Hermione explained, "I've read in the books that there are three unforgivable curses: the Killing Curse, the Cruciatus Curse, and the Imperius Curse. They are all extremely evil and cruel dark magic and, once used, you will get a lifetime ticket to Azkaban."

Colin said in a shaky voice, "Imprisoned for life? But Ivan said Ron was about to strike with the Killing Curse."

Ivan shook his head as he said, "I don't think it was Ron, something must have been controlling him!"

Ever since he had been attacked by Ron in the Great Dining Hall with the corrosive spell, Ivan knew that this was not a spell that a second year could master, especially one with a broken wand.

Was it a coincidence?

But even if there was a mutation in the spell, there should be a limit.

I think of Ron's spells in the past, except for setting some things on fire or making slugs vomit for a week, he couldn't do much.

It would be too suspicious to suddenly send powerful dark magic while dueling with himself. But if Tom Riddle had taken control of Ron, then everything would have a perfect explanation.

As a student, Voldemort must have read countless books on dark magic.

This also explained why Ginny knew nothing about the diary.

Ivan was relieved that, if all went well, the Chamber of Secrets incident would soon be resolved.

There would be no more attacks, and Riddle would not control Ron in front of Dumbledore. When he wakes up he will know where the diary is hidden. Once the Mandrakes matured, Snape would use them to prepare the antidote.

Harry said cautiously, "But I don't understand who would control Ron, and what is his relationship to the chamber?"

Hermione asked nervously; "That doesn't matter, the question now is, what do we do now?"

Hermione looked at the door anxiously. Ivan was holding his wand, Ron lay on the floor like a corpse, and Ginny was crying next to Ron. If anyone else saw this, how would she explain it to them?

Ivan made up his mind and said, "Let's go to Professor McGonagall or Dumbledore, they'll know what to do."

...

In the school infirmary, Dumbledore stood in front of Ron's bed with an unusually serious face.

Beside him stood Professor McGonagall and Snape, who were bending down to examine Ron carefully.

"Albus, Weasley is..." said Professor McGonagall, worried.

"A powerful curse hangs over his soul, poor boy, he must not have known what he was doing," said Dumbledore as he looked at Ron, who was still at rest.

Snape looked at Ron in disgust as he said, "Obviously, that's why Weasley with his empty head was able to cast such a powerful corrosive curse. But fortunately he hasn't been cursed 'long enough to become an idiot who doesn't know any better."

Snape then pulled a vial of potion from his chest and poured it down Ron's throat.

Not long after, Ron woke up quietly, with a blank stare and a confused expression and said, "Where am I?"

Ron then turned his attention to the professors next to him and, with a startled tone, said, "How are you, professors....?

"Thank goodness you woke up, Weasley, you've been under the control of the Imperius Curse," said Professor McGonagall.

Ron's face turned pale as he repeated, "Imperius Curse?"

Professor McGonagall nodded as she said, "Yes, it is a very wicked dark magic, people who are put under this curse lose their free will, allowing one to control the minds of others."

"But I don't remember anything, what did I do?" asked Ron as he shook his head.

Snape said with a slight sneer, "You used a corrosive curse on Mason, and then tried to kill him with the Death Curse. But you obviously didn't succeed, with your poor magical strength, even if you did hit him, I suspect you'd only give him a bit of a bloody nose."

Ron stammered, "But I..."

Dumbledore said with a dignified expression as he looked at Ron and gently said, "Mr. Weasley, it's not your fault, even some powerful wizards are susceptible to the Imperius Curse. But I must ask you, do you have something you want to tell me?"

Ron's face paled, not knowing what to say, and he hesitated for a long time before stammering under his breath, "No, no, I don't remember anything, Professor!"