Chapter 180: Fear Curse
A heavy silence settled over the restricted area. Dumbledore appeared deep in thought, his head lowered, while Hagrid instinctively touched his chest, as if to reassure himself that he was indeed still alive.
"You're saying... Fluffy thought I was dead, and that's why he went berserk?" Hagrid asked, scratching his head in confusion.
"Yes, that seems likely," Kyle replied, then turned to Dumbledore. "Professor, could it be that someone used the Confundus Charm on Fluffy?"
Given the Three-Headed Dog's high resistance to magic, a typical charm would be as effective as a tickle. But it all depended on the caster. For instance, under Dumbledore's magic, Fluffy was no stronger than a rag doll—a simple Stunning Spell had easily put him to sleep.
"It's possible," Dumbledore replied after a pause. "But I don't think it's a simple Confundus Charm."
Kyle frowned. "You mean there's another charm on Fluffy besides the Confundus Charm?"
"Yes—and it's dark magic," Dumbledore confirmed, stepping forward to examine Fluffy more closely, his nose almost brushing the dog's fur. Then he tapped his wand gently on Fluffy's middle head, muttering, "Just as I thought... the Fear Curse."
"The Fear Curse?" Hagrid gasped, clearly unfamiliar with the term.
"Yes. Technically, it's not considered classic dark magic; it only appeared about fifty years ago, so it's understandable that you haven't heard of it." Straightening up, Dumbledore asked, "Kyle, do you know what a Boggart is?"