Chapter 24: Defensive Magic
Chapter 24: Defensive Magic
The morning sun slowly rose along the outer walls of Hogwarts Castle.
Sherlock got out of bed promptly at six, ready to give his teaching plan one final check before today's classes began. This plan had been simulated countless times already.
From the moment he met Professor Mcgonagall, through his encounters with the Weasley couple, and finally arriving at Hogwarts to formally meet Dumbledore, Sherlock had not shown any noticeable flaws or peculiarities.
However, all of this was just a prelude to the real test.
Once he entered Hogwarts, his Defense Against the Dark Arts class would be the most scrutinized.
At last night's opening banquet, Dumbledore made it very clear that while he had admitted Sherlock to Hogwarts, he still had reservations about his teaching abilities.
The so-called probation period meant that Sherlock would be under increased scrutiny in the coming days.
Sherlock didn't care if his poor performance in class led to Dumbledore expelling him in a fit of anger.
In fact, that would suit him just fine.
But a poor classroom performance wouldn't mean that Sherlock was ignorant of magic, or more specifically, the defensive magic he had studied for years.
A person who studied at Hogwarts for seven years, graduated with top honors, worked as an Auror for over a year, and then spent two years researching defensive magic and writing books, would not suddenly perform poorly in their area of expertise unless they had developed dementia.
Dumbledore would certainly be suspicious if that were the case.
So, during the past two months, Sherlock focused on familiarizing himself with basic spells and spent most of his time rereading the two books on defensive magic written by the original owner. He also developed a detailed teaching plan based on the research in those books.
Today was the day to put his efforts to the test.
After preparing the materials he would need for the first-year class, Sherlock went to the Great Hall for breakfast. He then carried his books and a tied-up cloth bag into the classroom.
Several students were already in the classroom, including Ginny, who had just started her first year and was sorted into Gryffindor.
Yesterday, her only reliable-seeming brother, Percy, had reminded her to arrive early to avoid the castle's tricky staircases that might cause first-years to be late for their first class.
When she saw Sherlock enter the classroom, the young girl looked visibly excited. She blushed and shuffled to the front of the room, bowing respectfully to Sherlock.
"Thank you for the new textbook, Professor Forrest. I didn't have a chance to thank you before you left last time. Mom said I should say thank you when I see you at school."
Sherlock raised an eyebrow slightly.
The Weasleys' upbringing was actually quite good, despite the mischief of George and Fred.
Even the Weasley Twins weren't inherently bad.
"There's no need to thank me for that, given my relationship with your parents", Sherlock said coolly.
After the incident in Diagon Alley, Ginny knew about Sherlock's seemingly aloof personality. She earnestly promised to study hard and then ran back to her seat.
More students filled the classroom until the bell rang. Sherlock tapped the edge of his wand on the podium to quiet the chattering first-years, then picked up the attendance sheet and began calling names.
This is the first class for the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor first-year students this year.
Most of the students were still unfamiliar with the magical wonders of Hogwarts Castle. Despite trying to arrive as early as possible, three students still ended up being late.
"Having a good sense of time is not directly related to whether you will become a successful wizard, but it does determine whether you will be a reliable person."
"Before we start the class, I want to emphasize that I detest students who are always late. Since this is your first class at Hogwarts, I will not punish those who are late today, but I do not want this to happen again."
With Sherlock's warning, the three Gryffindor first-years who had been playing around in the castle and arrived late dared not even breathe loudly. They carefully found empty seats under the watchful eyes of the other students from both houses.
Once all the students were seated, the class officially began.
Sherlock did not have them open their textbooks. Instead, he looked at all the young wizards and delivered his opening remarks for the first class.
"Defence Against the Dark Arts, as the name suggests, primarily teaches you how to defend against Dark Magic."
"Defensive magic, or the concept of defending against magic, is a broad term. Any spell or technique that provides protection against Dark Magic or evil magical creatures can be considered defensive magic."
"So, defensive magic is not a specific category of magic. Even a well-known household cleaning spell like 'Scourgify' can be considered a form of defensive magic if used appropriately."
This broad definition of defensive magic was not something Sherlock came up with on his own. It was clearly supported in the original owner's book on defensive magic.
The proponent of this view was a wizard who had passed away over three hundred years ago, and it has since become the mainstream view in the magical community.
"Defence Against the Dark Arts may not be very useful in your daily lives, but when it is needed, it can save your life."
"This is precisely why it is one of the main courses at Hogwarts and involves the most theoretical knowledge, spells, and practical training."
"Perhaps each professor has their own perspective, but I believe Defence Against the Dark Arts will be the most challenging and interesting course you will take at Hogwarts."
"In this class, you will learn offensive and defensive spells beyond Charms, as well as a wealth of knowledge about Dark Magic creatures. You will need to master and apply every spell you learn with proficiency."
"Since you are just beginning your magical education at Hogwarts today, we will not be engaging in practical exercises yet. We will start with the theoretical aspects of Dark Magic creatures."
With that, Sherlock opened his bag and took out a small, model-like object, placing it on the desk.
"Red Cap, the Dark Magic creature we will study in our first class."
(End of Chapter)
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