"Professor Quirrell, this is a very safe, win-win experiment, isn't it?"

Aylin whispered with a smile, her fingers unconsciously tapping on the table.

"Whether it's deciphering the Hogwarts magnetic field, changing the existing energy system of the magical world, or helping wizards understand the essence of their own power... you should easily see the significance and greatness of these things, right?"

Quirinus Quirrell opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

Aylin didn't explain too much. In this slow-paced era, even the concept of the internet was just an unformed semi-finished product, let alone the more distant concepts of communication base stations and mobile hotspots.

But even the casual descriptions she gave were enough to make Quirinus Quirrell's back start to sweat.

Quirrell froze, unsure how to respond.

Aylin could freely imagine the future because she understood the trajectory of the next few decades. But for Quirinus Quirrell, he could only have a vague, abstract outline of what Aylin called the "Hogwarts magical magnetic field." He had always had a strange fear of this young Dark Lord.

In fact, this was a common feeling that most wizards had when facing Aylin.

After all, unlike Dumbledore and Grindelwald, wizards who had risen to the sky gradually and predictably, Aylin Kaslana was like a shooting star that suddenly broke into the magical world, without any signs or past growth.

In less than a year, she had directly defeated the goblins in Gringotts' most skilled area.

Besides this, the Goblin Queen, the Chosen Young Miss, the SCP Foundation's "Fool" Miss... She was surrounded by too many dazzling auras that normal people couldn't hope to reach. And she was not even twelve years old yet. The thought of "how terrible she would be when she grew up" filled Quirinus Quirrell with fear.

No wizard had ever suppressed Voldemort upon first entering school, not even Merlin could have.

During the encounter in the Forbidden Forest, Quirinus Quirrell had clearly seen the trembling indifference in the little witch's eyes. It wasn't the sinister look of a black wizard who had killed countless people without hesitation, but a more terrifying expression - the indifference of a god overlooking ants, and that... condescending playfulness.

Apart from the now-missing Voldemort and Quirrell, no one else had seen that expression.

Without a doubt, a terrifying demon god resided in that small body.

And the most terrifying thing was that neither Albus Dumbledore, nor so many other wizards in the school, seemed to realize the little witch's inhuman mindset. Quirrell didn't dare to speak, nor did he dare to ask too much.

If Hogwarts had fallen, then he had to try to live long enough to send the information out.

"You seem to be very afraid of me? Never mind..."

After a few seconds, Aylin glanced at Quirrell, whose forehead was starting to sweat, and sighed softly.

"In any case, even for the sake of your magic, please cooperate with Ms. Arkhipovna's research. This largely depends on your own willingness... it's also one of the... values of you still being alive..."

In this extremely unfamiliar era, no one would understand the future world she spoke of.

No matter how she described it, it would mostly be supplemented by the old concepts in people's minds beyond recognition. The easiest way, of course, was to put on the cloak of a demon king and use the ancient methods of threats to promote all changes.

Faced with Aylin's threat, Quirrell nodded solemnly, as if he had finally broken free from his constraints.

"...Why...am I clearly so cute..."

Looking at Quirrell's reaction, which resembled a masochist, Aylin pouted with some frustration and said.

"In addition to the experiments here, come to my office tonight. Professor Lockhart will be with you as well. In the coming school year, in order to break down the academy barriers of Hogwarts, you need to debut as idols..."

"I… idol…? Become a… false god?!"

"...Eh?! False god?!"

Aylin looked at Quirinus Quirrell, who looked bewildered, paused for half a second, and then suddenly realized.

Oh right!

In this era, it seemed that the word "idol" was not yet widely used.

Especially in the magical world, where social civilization was relatively disconnected, most wizards' understanding of words still remained at the initial meaning from hundreds of years ago - perhaps even older due to the language of magic.

As Hogwarts' former Muggle Studies professor, Quirrell was quite knowledgeable besides being magically talented.

However…

Did the word "idol" originally have such a high level of sophistication? That was a bit beyond her expectations.

In that case, if her next explanation was too superficial, would it cause cracks in the majestic image of the demon king in Quirrell's mind?

After all, this was pretty much all the majesty she had left in Hogwarts.

Quirinus Quirrell looked at Aylin, who was silent, and said softly.

"By the way, uh... is this my employment test, Ms. Kaslana?"

During the employment training last night, Gilderoy Lockhart told him a lot about the changes at Hogwarts, especially about the "new curriculum standards" educational reform that was currently being promoted.

Unlike the Hogwarts that Quirrell was familiar with, the requirements for Hogwarts professors were now much higher than before.

Even seasoned professors like Horace Slughorn had undergone a series of assessments and selections before becoming Potions Master, unless the subjects that didn't have a formal professor yet, then the conditions would be slightly more lenient.

Unfortunately, the Muggle Studies class he was about to teach was not in the range of vacancies.

Ever since he resigned as Muggle Studies professor two years ago and took over as Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, the Muggle Studies professor at Hogwarts had been Charity Burbage. According to the current subject division at Hogwarts, Quirinus Quirrell's employment process was clearly a bit flawed.

Even if Quirrell had previously been a professor of this course, there would still be some problems involving a second change of majors.

As for who the main promoters of this "new curriculum" were, Quirinus Quirrell, who had signed a contract in the hospital ward, was naturally well aware - the little witch in front of him was one of the proctors hiding behind the scenes.

"Employment… test? Oh, it seems you already know..."

A little question mark popped out of Aylin's cowlick, and she nodded with a perfectly natural look.

"Don't be too nervous. It's just a routine record and inquiry process. Just give us a general idea, so we can explain it to the Hogwarts Board of Governors and the Ministry of Magic later. Hogwarts can't be special, after all."

"Okay, I understand. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten that knowledge."

Quirinus Quirrell showed an expression that said "as expected" and thought for a moment before continuing.

"Well, idol, this is a very old word, derived from ancient Greece - its earliest meaning is apparition, phantom, that is, the demons and ghosts that people imagine."

Imaginary monsters?

So, Luna's Crumple-Horned Snorkacks were also "idols?"

Aylin nodded with a smile, thinking wildly in her mind, while signaling Quirrell to continue.

As a little demon king who was good at fabricating stories, she was most accustomed not to creating lies out of thin air, but to appropriately guide some interesting directions of brainstorming based on people's perceptions and understanding.

"In that ancient period, Muggles, based on the wizards' oral descriptions and their own imaginations, created sculptures of those invisible phantom species and gods that could be seen, and also became the symbol of early magical worship."

"Around the time Hogwarts was established, due to the increasing conflict between the non-magical world and the magical world, the Muggle Church began to oppose magical worship. So, sculpting wizards and magical creatures was treating wizards and magical creatures as gods, which in the eyes of many Muggles was a great act of disrespect and blasphemy - from then on, its meaning became false god."

Then, Quirinus Quirrell shrugged and said with some disapproval.

"When the conflict between the magical world and the non-magical world was at its most intense, this word was directly extended to the objects of faith of all those defined as 'heretics' by Muggles - naturally, for quite a period, idol almost referred to wizards, or more precisely, those wizards who had many Muggle followers."

Hmm, I see, this is very much in line with the thinking logic of some religions.

Aylin nodded thoughtfully, seriously evaluating in her heart very calmly.

"So, Ms. Kaslana, what you just said..."

Quirinus Quirrell swallowed nervously, looking solemnly at Aylin, who nodded slightly, and couldn't help but take a deep breath, as if he was telling some terrible conspiracy, and said softly and carefully.

"You plan to let Lockhart and me become idols of the new era. Does this mean that we are preparing to re-enter that other world and recast the glory that those wizards abandoned hundreds of years ago under the coercion of the Muggle Church..."

"Yes, yes, that's right, we're going to enter - eh?!"

Aylin nodded subconsciously, her face slightly stiffening.

Wait!

The script has changed!

If the meaning of the word idol in the magical world is not simply an idol, but a wizard leader who leads a group of people without magical talent, then the meaning of this advance has become a real advance, right?!

In normal times, Aylin would most likely acquiesce without thinking and strengthen her own demon king aura.

But Quirinus Quirrell and Gilderoy Lockhart are two dangerous elements!

If she really continued to say that, then maybe in a few months, what would greet her would not be the Hogwarts school popularity contest, but thousands of brainwashed fanatics clamoring to declare war on the Ministry of Magic and the non-magical church.

Of course, before that, maybe this wicked creature would be "one-for-one" by Dumbledore first.

"Professor Quirrell, you may have misunderstood my meaning..."

Aylin thought for a moment, coughed lightly, and explained helplessly.

"Actually, what I meant just now was that I hope you and Professor Lockhart can package yourselves a little and become popular among the students at Hogwarts, becoming the kind of stars that people admire and love - oh, yes, a bit like the Weird Sisters band, but more commercialized and traffic-oriented - not just pure artistic workers."

"I understand, I understand... It's not the time yet, we need to try slowly."

Quirinus Quirrell nodded quickly, and said with a serious face.

Ever since he woke up in the magical hospital ward in Salzburg, and after facing Gellert Grindelwald, he had been thinking about such a question - what kind of grand cause would require so many top wizards to gather.

And now, he finally gradually understood everything.

The war has already begun. Grindelwald, Dumbledore, and even more top wizards, these wizards who symbolize the civilization of the magical world and stand at the top of the pyramid, have not forgotten the glory of magic because of hundreds of years of dormancy.

???

Evil creature, what did you understand again?!

"Ah this--"

Aylin glanced at the solemn expression on Quirinus Quirrell's face, and held her forehead with her right hand with some headache.

Aylin suddenly began to think back.

Speaking of which, whether Quirinus Quirrell had recognized Tom Riddle or not was still a mystery that could never be solved in the original work.

Even if he may not have submitted to Voldemort, what about the influence?

After all, his symbiotic relationship with Voldemort lasted for more than a year, and it was obviously impossible for there to be no influence at all.

Perhaps Quirrell would not completely agree with the kind of almost morbid pure-blood theory promoted by Tom Riddle, and the illogical pure-blood wizard supremacist theory.

But…

If it was just wizard supremacy, or restoring magical glory, then it might not be so good to say.

Why did she have to use "idol" just now instead of "superstar?"

Judging from Quirinus Quirrell's current eyes, it was possible that whatever she said would be useless.

After all, before that, there was also the great villain Gellert Grindelwald who took the initiative to drop his vest. If it was another person, they would not believe that she was not trying to subvert the world!

"Okay, Professor Quirrell, your assessment results - probation, not fully qualified for the time being! Go and check the latest Muggle information. As a Muggle Studies professor, your knowledge reserve is too outdated!"

Aylin pushed Quirrell back to Arkhipovna's side and walked out of the room expressionlessly.

"...I really don't want to be a great demon king."

Forget it, don't think so much.

Being misunderstood is the fate of the expresser, just like she had been constantly misunderstanding Dumbledore's words some time ago, and now it was finally her turn.