Chapter 19: Open Class (Part 3)
Chapter 19: Open Class (Part 3)
In the school hall, all the students were silent, their eyes fixed on the high platform, afraid to miss a single detail.
An intense battle was taking place there.
The Palm-Sized Puppets moved like the wind, their agile figures accompanied by bursts of fire and sprays of ice crystals with every punch and kick. Occasionally, one of them would use a "Special Move", such as Fire Man's massive fireball or Ice Woman's ice spear, raising the excitement to new heights.
After three minutes, Fire Man's fiery combo, followed by his "Hidden Magic: Transform into Phoenix", brought Ice Woman to her knees.
Many of the young Wizards sighed in unison.
They had wanted to see the adorable Ice Woman...
Felix's explanation came just in time. "This is another branch that evolved from the original Ancient Runes, known as Alchemy."
"What you are seeing is a relatively simple Alchemy Artifact, the Magical Automaton. The outer shell is not the key; the crucial part is the Ancient Runes Circuit inside."
"An Ancient Runes Circuit, in essence, is a combination game of Runic Scripts."
"Your Final Exam's practical section will be this."
The previously enthusiastic young Wizards were a bit taken aback. Were they supposed to do this? Professor, aren't you overestimating us?
You just got here and might not be familiar with our actual situation...
A struggling student quickly stepped forward to show the professor their skills.
"Of course, the Magical Automaton is still too complex for you. However, the Ancient Runes involved in making a Magical Automaton cover the content of all five years, and I will divide the difficulty levels according to the different grades."
"I will provide detailed requirements in subsequent classes."
The young Wizards breathed a sigh of relief.
"But Professor!" a Hufflepuff girl raised her hand to ask.
"I'm a fifth-year student, but most of the Ancient Runes I've learned so far have been focused on translation. Do I need to relearn new knowledge? I have my Owls Exam this year..."
"I understand", Felix said calmly. "Firstly, you don't need to relearn new knowledge. I've reviewed your textbooks; please have some confidence in your professors."
Felix made a joke.
"Moreover, I must mention that Professor Babbling is an excellent Ancient Runes expert. The textbooks she chose are very appropriate. They not only cover theoretical translations but also include a small amount of practical Runic Script—although Professor Babbling might have considered that Ancient Runes Class is not an Alchemy course and didn't elaborate on that part."
"However, this serves as an introduction. If you aspire to study more advanced content in the future, these materials will help you overcome the initial hurdles."
Many young Wizards felt reassured.
"Secondly, at least for this year, the practical exam will primarily be for bonus points, and I will focus more on theoretical teaching for fifth and seventh years."
The young Wizards in the audience reacted with a mix of joy and disappointed groans.
"Lastly, some of you might worry that practical work will take up too much time, but the two are complementary. You might find yourself learning more knowledge without even realizing it, especially through hands-on activities."
"That is my answer." Felix bowed.
The audience erupted into applause.
"Next, we have about half an hour left. Is there anyone who wants to try controlling these Magical Automatons in a battle?" Felix asked.
It wasn't really a question.
The young Wizards' excited shouts could have lifted the ceiling off.
"Oh, you might not be able to control the puppets accurately with your wands, so you'll need this!" Felix waved his wand, and twelve odd devices flew out of the suitcase—essentially, Game Controllers.
"You can use these to control the puppets. I'll demonstrate first..."
Before long, the students started to operate the controls. Felix used Transfiguration to create six platforms, but with hundreds of students present, not everyone could get a turn.
Among them, Ron and Harry were lucky enough to draw a chance. They quickly engaged in a clumsy battle, occasionally releasing a "Special Move" and shouting excitedly.
But no one laughed at them; even the young witches were entranced, screaming in exaggerated delight.
Felix stood to the side, discussing the Open Class with Professor Flitwick.
"Absolutely fantastic!" That was Flitwick's assessment.
Professor Snape had already quietly slipped away, and no one knew when he left, just as no one knew when he arrived.
Professor Lockhart, on the other hand, looked deep in thought, lost in his own mind.
Time flies when you're having fun, and the class was drawing to a close. Some students, timing their arrival for dinner, entered the Great Hall and saw the intense duel scene. They glanced briefly, quickly forgetting their initial purpose, and joined the crowd watching the spectacle.
This delayed the dinner time by half an hour, and Felix had to forcibly end the class and restore the Great Hall to its original state.
Throughout dinner, the young Wizards continued to enthusiastically discuss the Open Class, especially those who had been lucky enough to participate in the battles. They spoke animatedly, recounting their "experiences" with great excitement, their forks and knives flying as if they were part of the action.
It was clear that the young Wizards' entertainment options were quite limited.
At the Gryffindor table, Ron was still excitedly recounting his "epic battle" with Harry, despite losing by a very narrow margin. This did little to dampen his enthusiasm.
"Harry, the Fire Man I used was just so cool, whoosh! Bang!" Ron waved his fork and knife, sending a piece of pumpkin pie flying and landing on Neville's head.
While Harry wasn't as exuberant as Ron, he was equally thrilled.
However, he had a vague feeling that, rather than controlling a Magical Automaton, he would rather be on the field himself, participating in the battle...
Hermione, on the other hand, was a bit disappointed. She hadn't gotten a turn. She really liked the Ice Woman, which was very cute and reminded her of a doll she had as a child.
But there was still a chance!
If she could become Professor Hup's assistant, she would definitely get to interact with that doll.
Hermione encouraged herself.
She could even make her own Magical Automaton, using herself as a template, but with smaller teeth and smoother hair...
This unique Open Class was undoubtedly a success, and Felix had become an instant celebrity, the talk of the hour!
The discussions about the Open Class would likely continue for a long time, perhaps even becoming a school legend, like countless other rumors, morphing into something entirely different by the end.
Clap for yourself!
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
