Chapter 17: Open Class (Part 1)
Chapter 17: Open Class (Part 1)
Soon, Professor Snape strode in, waving his wand to close the windows and draw the curtains, enveloping the classroom in a somber, eerie atmosphere. The young wizards fell silent instantly.
Hermione immediately closed her book and focused on the lesson.
After the first Herbology class in the afternoon, all three of them were exhausted. They hurried to the Great Hall for the Open Class. The Great Hall had been completely transformed, with the four long tables moved to the corners and a circular platform, about twenty feet in diameter and three feet high, in the center.
"What is that?" Ron asked.
"It might be where the professor stands. There are quite a few people here today." Harry looked around, and sure enough, most of the school's students were present, including many first and second-year wizards.
So popular, huh? Could this be another Lockhart? Harry mused to himself.
Harry only thought it, but Ron voiced it aloud, muttering, "Could this be another Lockhart?"
"It's not, I've met Professor Hup. His Silent Spell is very impressive! And Professor Lockhart, he, he..." Hermione stammered.
"What spell?" Harry didn't catch it.
"Silent Spell. Some very powerful wizards can cast spells without speaking the incantation, making it especially convenient to curse people", Ron explained.
Both of them ignored Hermione's comment about Lockhart.
Is this even worth discussing?
Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron.
Harry, however, thought a bit deeper. If this professor is so skilled, he might not be so bad after all. His anticipation for the Open Class grew.
Neither Harry nor Ron wanted to be there. What did this have to do with them? They were dragged along by Hermione, who insisted, "We're choosing our electives next year, isn't it important to get a feel for one of them?"
Hermione also wanted to assess Felix's teaching abilities. She had already read Felix's book, Exploring Ancient Runes, which gave her a lot of confidence in the new professor.
Hmm, just like her confidence in Professor Lockhart.
Another ten minutes passed, with more students and a few professors arriving, making it seem more like a grand party than a class.
Harry caught sight of Lockhart and quickly lowered his head to avoid the controversial professor's gaze.
Nothing good ever comes from encountering him!
Lately, he had been suffering from three sources of misery: Quidditch practice, Lockhart, and the first-year student named Colin Creevey.
While Quidditch practice was a mix of pain and pleasure, the other two were best avoided at all costs!
At the appointed time, Felix appeared. He wore a light blue robe that matched his eyes, his hair slightly tousled, and a smile on his face, looking to be around seventeen or eighteen.
He really does look like Lockhart!
Many of the younger students whispered to themselves, truly frightened by the resemblance.
Felix made his way through the crowd and lightly leaped onto the platform. Wand in hand, he surveyed the room, and the crowd gradually fell silent.
In Harry's eyes, the professor drew a mysterious symbol with his wand. The next moment, his voice reached Harry's ears, clear and distinct, as if the professor were speaking right next to him.
"We are now beginning the class."
Felix looked at the young wizards below him. "I am Felix Hep, currently the professor of Ancient Runes." He waved his wand, sketching his name in the air.
He then posed the first question.
"Who knows what Ancient Runes are?"
Swish!
Hermione instinctively raised her hand, her body moving before she could fully process it.
"Miss Granger", Felix nodded at her.
Hermione opened her mouth and said, "Ancient Runes, also known as ancient runes, are a form of writing used by Wizards hundreds of years ago. Ancient Wizards used them to record magic, and thus, modern Wizards primarily focus on translating these magical manuscripts. However, Ancient Runes are also one of the sources of power for ancient Wizards."
She had added the last part after reading Exploring Ancient Runes.
"Very good, five points to Gryffindor."
Felix began to introduce the history and evolution of Ancient Runes, quickly moving through the material. He didn't think these details were important, and he was right—little Wizards wouldn't remember them anyway.
"You only need to remember one thing: Ancient Runes are a bridge, connecting Ancient Magic to modern magic, and Ancient Alchemy to modern alchemy."
Seeing the murmurs of the young Wizards in the audience, Felix nodded in satisfaction.
"Professor, why do we only learn how to translate Ancient Runes?" a high-year Ravenclaw girl raised her hand to ask.
Felix looked at her. "There are two main reasons."
"The first reason is that translation is the mainstream approach in the current magical world."
"In my view, Ancient Runes can be divided into two parts: ancient script and Runic Script. The former is the writing used by ancient Wizards, while the latter is a form of power they mastered—although, over the long course of history, they have become intertwined, making it difficult for later generations to distinguish between them."
"The mainstream approach focuses on the ancient script, with the goal of inheriting and studying ancient magical texts. This is indeed very useful, as most of our knowledge about ancient Wizards comes from these efforts."
"This path is relatively easy to start, even for someone like you now."
"However, if you want to directly master the power of ancient Wizards through Ancient Runes, it is very, very difficult. You need not only outstanding magical abilities but also exceptional research skills."
The young Wizards listened with a mix of understanding and confusion. They grasped the general idea: studying Ancient Runes has two branches. The translation-focused branch is easy to start and doesn't require much personal aptitude, even Squibs can do it. However, it takes a lot of time to make sense of it all. Many old Wizards have spent decades on this and ended up thoroughly confused.
The other branch focuses on mastering the power of ancient Wizards, which is difficult to enter. If you're not an elite and a top student, it's best to give up this idea early.
Felix paused for a moment, allowing everyone to digest the information, then smiled. "To answer your earlier question, the second reason is—because it won't be on the exam."
The young Wizards were momentarily speechless. It was a powerful reason indeed.
"However, I personally believe..." Felix continued, "that giving you a taste of the practical applications of Ancient Runes will effectively spark your enthusiasm for this course."
"Are you going to teach us Ancient Magic?" one of the twins shouted.
Felix shook his head. "No, Ancient Magic is known for its immense power and difficulty to control. I don't plan to teach you that knowledge. Besides, my research in this area is just beginning."
"Alright! We'll end the theoretical part here. As an Open Class, I won't go into too much technical detail—"
"Next, it's demonstration time."
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(End of Chapter)
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