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Chapter 20: The Popular Professor
Chapter 20: The Popular Professor
Friday.
A new day began, and the young wizards were still buzzing with excitement over yesterday's Open Class. The enthusiasm surged like a wave, invigorating the otherwise mundane school life with a burst of energy.
What had they been talking about a few days ago?
The perfectly handsome Professor Lockhart?
But that topic had been washed away by the rain and wind, not only because Lockhart's performance in class was truly disappointing—so disappointing that even the term "disappointing" was a result of his die-hard fans trying to control the narrative.
More importantly, Professor Hup had become the new idol, quietly surpassing the "people's favorite" Professor Lockhart.
This made a certain Defense Against the Dark Arts professor extremely frustrated.
Lockhart paced back and forth in his office, his once lustrous golden hair now looking a bit limp. The dozen portraits hanging on the walls wore the same vexed expressions.
"I need to come up with a plan, yes, a plan... Good heavens! He's a real showman, isn't he?"
Before coming to Hogwarts, he had thought the only person who could compete with him for the front page of the Daily Prophet was the famous Harry Potter. He had been prepared for that. But now, he had to admit he had a formidable rival.
This reminded him of the detestable Rita Skeeter. A few years ago, he had been competing with Skeeter for the title of best-selling author. Although he had lost, it was because that woman cheated, exposing his dark past in the newspaper!
But he wasn't someone to be trifled with. Did Skeeter not know how badly he was disliked in school?
Professor Lockhart loosened the tight collar of his robe. That really had been a passionate and fiery time! He felt his fighting spirit returning.
"A tough opponent, huh?" He stopped in front of a full-length mirror, trying to boost his morale. "Gilderoy, you're facing a battle now. Someone is trying to outshine you! You need to do something!"
Seeing his reflection, he relaxed a bit. With such a handsome face, how could he possibly lose?
Leaving aside the drama in this small office, Felix's popularity among the young wizards had reached new heights. Everyone was eagerly awaiting his official classes.
"Maybe he'll continue the Magical Automaton battles in class? After all, many people didn't get a turn yesterday", Ron said, his left hand holding a beef pie and his right hand spearing a potato with a fork, while his mouth was already full.
"Perhaps, but we're only in second year, remember, Ron? We'll have to wait at least a year to take his class", Harry said more rationally.
Ron's eyes widened, "Harry, you've ruined my first dream of the year." He nudged him with his elbow, "Do you know what I was thinking? I was imagining using a Magical Automaton to beat Malfoy until he was rolling in the dirt..."
Ron closed his eyes, adopting a dreamy expression, "Malfoy's robe would catch fire from a big fireball, and he'd try to dodge, but it wouldn't work because my Magical Automaton is too fast! He'd try to cast a curse, but it wouldn't matter because the Magical Automaton is too small for him to aim accurately!"
Harry silently ate his pie, thinking that only Ron would miss, given that his wand was broken in half.
Hermione, who was reading a book while eating breakfast, looked up and corrected him, "Ron, I have to remind you that Professor Hup mentioned in the Open Class that, for the safety of the young wizards, the Magical Automatons only release the most basic fire, which is less powerful than the Fiendfyre Spell we can cast ourselves."
Ron seemed to choke on his beef pie, unable to speak. He didn't remember Professor Hup saying that, but Hermione was always right about these things. He mumbled, "It's your Fiendfyre Spell, Hermione. Harry and I don't know it. I think you forgot."
Hermione huffed.
"Are you still reading that book, and you haven't finished it yet?"
“I believe I told you yesterday that I have twenty books on my reading list!”
Ron fell silent.
Hearing Hermione’s words, Harry became curious and couldn’t help but ask her, “Hermione, how much do you know about this professor? Ron and I missed the Opening Feast.” He was referring to the incident where he and Ron had driven Mr. Weasley’s car across half of Britain.
Because of that, they had to nervously wait in Snape’s basement, fearing expulsion. Fortunately, they were neither expelled nor did they lose points for their house. Professor Mcgonagall even provided them with food.
However, given what had happened, it was impossible for them to return to the feast with any dignity. Ron missed his sister Ginny’s Sorting Ceremony as a result.
Hermione quickly and fluently relayed the information she had gathered at the feast, “Professor Hup graduated from Hogwarts’ Slytherin House—”
“Slytherin!” Ron suddenly exclaimed, but Hermione gave him a stern glare, and he lowered his head to gnaw on his pie.
“Yes, Slytherin. He is nine years older than us and graduated three years ago. However, he is quite famous, and the older students at the school all know him. Professor Hup is skilled in Ancient Runes, Spells, Transfiguration, and Muggle Studies, and, of course, dueling.”
“Dueling?” Harry was somewhat taken aback. In his impression, Professor Hup was clearly not a fraud like Lockhart, but he seemed rather gentle and refined, much like one of his teachers from Muggle school.
He found it hard to associate Professor Hup with dueling.
“That’s right.” Hermione glanced around and lowered her voice cautiously, “It’s said that he is a Muggle-born. When he started school, the Dark Lord had just fallen, and the Slytherin students weren’t very friendly to him. However, he retaliated with spells, and now the older Slytherin students are afraid of him because they’ve been taught a lesson.”
Harry and Ron’s faces lit up with admiration.
Honestly, they also wanted to teach a few Slytherins a lesson.
However, the rumors Hermione had heard were clearly off. The current seventh-year students were in fifth grade when Felix started, so he wouldn’t have needed to teach them a lesson. Someone else would have done that for him.
In Potions class, the young wizards were still discussing yesterday’s Open Class. Harry clearly saw Malfoy boasting to the Slytherin students about his “connection” to Professor Hup, claiming that his cousin and the professor were close friends.
Harry couldn’t help but think that it might have been a “fought-out” friendship.
Ron was also dramatically recounting his battle with the Magical Automaton during the Open Class, making it sound like he and Harry had engaged in a real-life duel.
“Quiet!”
Snape’s voice echoed from the back of the classroom, and the young wizards fell silent instantly. The professor strode in with a gust of wind, his black wizard robes billowing, adding a +10 to his intimidating presence.
He surveyed the room, his gaze settling on Harry Potter, making Harry tense up. However, Snape shifted his gaze to Ron, his deep, raspy voice dripping with sarcasm, “Ron Weasley… yes, you’ve certainly been in the spotlight these past few days. But you should focus on improving your abysmal Potions grades. I don’t want to see another T on your final exam.”
The Slytherin students burst into laughter.
Ron’s face turned beet red, his broken wand, taped together, clutched tightly in his hand. He wished he could cast a nasty curse at Snape.
“And Hermione Granger, put away that extracurricular book. This is Potions class, not Ancient Runes. You still have a year before you can take that as an elective.”
Hermione huffed and packed away her book.
(End of Chapter)
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