Chapter 392: Changes in the Study Group
Chapter 392: Changes in the Study Group
The first Saturday of the school year arrived, and after a week of continuous rain, the sun finally came out. When Liam and Hermione finished their practice and stepped out of the Room of Requirement, the sun was already high in the sky. As they walked down the corridor, sunlight streamed through the gaps in the walls, where there were no windows, blinding them for a moment. Through these gaps, they could see the treetops of the Forbidden Forest swaying gently in the breeze, bringing fresh air to their faces. It was a beautiful day.
"Any news that concerns us?" Liam asked as Hermione picked up a copy of the Daily Prophet. They had practiced for quite a while that morning, so most people had already finished lunch and gone back to their common rooms to rest. Only a few students were still sitting at the long tables, finishing their meals.
"There is", Hermione said, pointing to a small article and handing it to Liam. The article, less than an inch long, was titled: "Illegal Intrusion at the Ministry of Magic." Sturgis Podmore, aged thirty-eight and residing at 2 Goldenglow Park, Clapham, was recently tried in the Wizengamot for illegally entering the Ministry of Magic and attempting to commit robbery on August 31. Podmore was apprehended by Ministry of Magic guard Eric Munch, who found him trying to breach a Level One security door at one o'clock in the morning. Podmore refused to defend himself and was found guilty on both charges, receiving a six-month sentence in Azkaban.
"I remember this guy", Liam said in a low voice. "When we took the train to school, he was one of the guards who escorted us to King's Cross Station. His absence really upset Mad-Eye Moody."
"He must be a member of the Order of the Phoenix", Hermione whispered, leaning in. "This means the conflict between Fudge and Dumbledore has escalated. Fudge is now openly and ruthlessly trying to remove Dumbledore's supporters from the Ministry."
"That sounds bad", Liam said, tossing the newspaper onto the table and taking a piece of bread. He placed a slice of roast beef on it and stuffed it into his mouth. "But that's something Dumbledore needs to worry about. Our job is to try not to make things worse for him."
However, by the weekend, Liam was about to do something that might cause trouble for Dumbledore. The Study Group was meeting again.
This year, no freshmen were joining the Study Group, mainly because the situation was quite dire. Even worse, someone had decided to leave.
"Main chose to leave because his family has a long history of working for the Ministry of Magic. He said it wasn't appropriate for him to be too close to us. This morning, he sent me an owl and even wrote a very formal farewell letter", Hermione said, sounding a bit upset.
"Sometimes, the environment shapes people's decisions. It's normal for him to distance himself from us due to his family's influence. You shouldn't feel bad about it", Liam said to Hermione. "Just like Percy mentioned in his letter this week, Fudge is forcing everyone to make a clear choice between him and Dumbledore."
"I hope Percy is doing well", Hermione sighed, thinking of the contents of Percy's letter. "Fudge has assigned their entire team to the most dangerous place just because they privately criticized his actions and someone reported them. It's a despicable move."
Fortunately, only one person chose to leave. By seven-thirty in the evening, everyone else had gathered.
After the long summer break, the first thing they did was catch up on what everyone had been doing over the summer. Then, they started complaining about the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.
"Why did the Ministry of Magic send that toad to our school? I think this year, our class is going to be a total waste", Celia complained.
"At least you're only in your first year. It's not a big deal if you waste a year. But for those of us facing important exams, it's the worst", Justin said, sounding angry. "Why would a high-ranking official from the Ministry of Magic suddenly decide to become a professor this year?"
"Because Professor Dumbledore spoke the truth, he and Fudge had a major falling out", Cho Chang's voice rang out. "My mother heard from her contacts at the Ministry of Magic that Fudge doesn't want us to undergo Combat Training. He's worried that Professor Dumbledore might form his own secret army and use it to challenge the Ministry."
"If Dumbledore wanted to control the Ministry of Magic, he wouldn't need to form his own army. He could handle Fudge and his lackeys on his own. No wonder the quality of Ministry staff has plummeted since Fudge took office; he picks people based on whether they can be beaten by him", Fred leaned back in his chair and said.
"But for us, this is a good thing", George suddenly draped his arm over Fred's shoulder. "Because their skills are so poor, we can sell more defensive gear."
He stood up and addressed the other members, "Weasley's Joke Shop now offers magical defensive sets that can protect against Stunning Spells. I can give each Study Group member a 30% discount—"
"Stop it. This isn't the place for you to sell your products", Hermione stood up and interrupted the Weasley Twins. "I think our main task today is to plan out our schedule for this semester."
"The most important subject is Defense Against the Dark Arts", Zhang Qiu said. "I don't believe that just reading the book will help us cast spells smoothly during exams. I have N.E.W.T. exams next year, and if I waste this year, I'm finished."
"Then let's practice on our own", Hermione suggested. "We have a president who can take down a dragon, and last year, Mad-Eye Moody praised Liam multiple times, saying he could match some new Aurors. I think with his level, he can teach us."
Everyone nodded in agreement after hearing Hermione's words, and Liam announced that he would dedicate some time during each meeting to practical Defense Against the Dark Arts exercises, as well as share some of his own tips. The group seemed quite enthusiastic about this.
In summary, after discussing the semester's plan, the meeting immediately shifted to practical spell practice. The first spell they chose was the Armor Charm, as they had already learned the Disarming Charm. Liam selected a practical and safe spell for them to learn.
The practice method involved one person using the Disarming Charm to attack while another used the Armor Charm to defend. Initially, the group's grasp of the Armor Charm was poor, and wands would occasionally fly out of their hands. However, after an hour of practice, many had begun to master the Armor Charm and could successfully defend against a Disarming Charm.
"Alright, you can practice this spell on your own. Next week, I'll adjust the learning plan based on your progress", Liam said as the curfew approached. They needed to return to their dorms quickly to avoid being caught by Filch.
"Understood." "Got it." "No problem." The students responded in a chorus. Liam nodded, "If everyone does well, I can teach you some more effective spells next week. See you then."
"The meeting went well today, but the thought that it's because of an incompetent Defense Against the Dark Arts professor makes me feel uneasy. I wish we had a better professor!" Hermione looked up at Liam as they walked toward the Gryffindor Common Room.
"Unfortunately, that's not something we can decide. The best we can do is help those who trust us", Liam sighed. In the midst of these changing circumstances, the only choice he had was to support those in need and preserve their strength for the future.
(End of Chapter)
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