https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-458-Delius-s-Information-and-the-Warning-Bird/13461232/
Chapter 457: Unofficial Examiner
Chapter 457: Unofficial Examiner
"There's one more thing", Dobby said, holding the envelope and looking at Felix with his large round eyes, hesitating. "It's about Winky..."
Felix was taken aback; he had almost forgotten about Winky.
"What's wrong with her? The magical bindings on her should have disappeared."
"You're right, sir", Dobby's body began to sway, his thin arms entwining. "She wants to be with her master. Dobby told her that Mr. Crouch was imprisoned, and she... she fell ill."
"I understand", Felix said calmly.
Dobby looked at him, puzzled. Felix pulled out a slip of paper and wrote something on it. Dobby tiptoed to see, but he was too short, and Valen was blocking his view, so he could only see the back of Valen's head.
"Do you know Ludo Bagman?" Felix asked, his head lowered as the quill moved swiftly.
"Dobby knows him!"
"Good", Felix handed the note to him. "Bagman owes me a favor. I think he won't mind helping me out with a small request."
"You don't have to do this!" Dobby squeaked, looking startled. "Dobby didn't mean to ask Mr. Hep for help!"
"Take it. Have him take you to Azkaban; he has the authority to do so." Felix said. "Bring something to Mr. Crouch. You and Winky can decide what to buy. As for where Winky wants to go after that, it's up to her."
Dobby bowed deeply, pressing his nose to the floor, his whole body trembling with excitement like a salmon jumping out of water.
Valen watched as Dobby disappeared, then turned to look at Felix. "Chirp?"
Felix picked him up. "There's a lesson here: magic can't trap a person, but love can. Tsk! Dumbledore should have said that... Do you want some midnight snacks, Valen?"
"Chirp!"
...
The next day in the seventh-year Ancient Runes class, Professor Marchbanks and Old Vera appeared again.
The old man clearly hadn't slept well; the dark circles under his eyes were as noticeable as his double chin.
When he saw Felix standing at the lectern, his expression was a mix of excitement and disappointment.
He was excited because the Hogwarts Library had a rich collection, and he had found many Runic Script notes that even the Ancient Runes Association didn't have. These notes, donated by former students and translated and organized by Bathsheda Babbling, were a treasure trove for him.
His disappointment stemmed from the fact that he had completed the verification work last night and found no errors. That boy... Felix Hep seemed to have memorized all the materials, even the page numbers.
Felix looked calmly at the students, his eyes sharp. He was wearing a blue shirt, his hands in his pockets.
"Today is an advanced class", he announced.
The students murmured with low cheers, but Professor Marchbanks and Old Vera were confused. Weren't seventh-year classes already advanced?
Felix explained softly, "To help the two guests who are not familiar with the situation, I will briefly explain the meaning of 'advanced class.' " He smiled and pulled out his wand, which appeared as if by magic. With a gentle wave, clear writing appeared on the blackboard behind him.
"We have completed the first round of review. According to the plan, we have two more rounds. To make the next three months less tedious, I will intentionally prepare some advanced courses to explain more profound content. This content is not part of the exam, but it will be beneficial to you, especially after you graduate and can use Ancient Runes for your own enjoyment..."
"The advanced class will use the Thought Classroom. There's no need to worry about danger; just relax your mind—let's begin."
Felix snapped his fingers lightly. To help Professor Marchbanks and Old Vera adapt, he made the gesture more obvious: a golden ripple blossomed from his fingertips, spreading out from him and quickly turning the entire classroom a pale gold.
Professor Marchbanks and Old Vera looked around in amazement. Professor Marchbanks blinked, as if she had noticed something. A few seconds later, everything returned to normal.
Ancient and mysterious magical notes fell from the air...
Amidst the clear chirping of birds, Felix leaned against the trunk of an ancient brown tree and said to the group, "I've said it more than once, but I want to emphasize it again: compared to knowledge, training your minds is more important. After all, your graduation essay is to complete a Runic Script note."
Have the students complete a Runic Script notebook?
Professor Marchbanks' eyes widened as she quickly scanned the room. No student raised any objections, clearly indicating that this was not a last-minute decision.
Her mood became complicated. If this was true, did their exams still have any meaning?
A low groan came from beside her. Old Vera looked as if he were ill, shivering continuously. His hand was pressing down on the magical notebook that had landed in front of him.
...
In the last few minutes of class, the students were quickly taking down notes in silence. The petite Professor Marchbanks wandered through the gaps between the desks, occasionally stopping to watch the students’ quills smoothly write down Runic Script sentences. To be honest, the complexity far exceeded the standards of the N.E.W.Ts exam.
Old Vera sat in his seat, looking dispirited. He was the one who understood best the gap between him and Felix. At that moment, he felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles.
The bell finally rang, and he almost immediately jumped up from his seat, ready to leave.
“Mr. Vera,” Felix called out from behind him. “About that report…” He had mentioned the report yesterday, and Old Vera had readily agreed at the time. It wasn’t until now that he realized how deep a hole he had dug for himself.
How was he supposed to write this report, lavishly praising Felix Hep?
The old man’s face turned red, and he covered his face as he fled.
“Mr. Vera! Mr. Vera!” Felix called out urgently, though his body remained rooted in place. “What’s wrong with him?” he muttered to himself.
Professor Marchbanks gave him a strange look. She hadn’t realized the little guy could hold a grudge!
“Don’t bother shouting,” she said. “He’s busy.”
Felix looked at her with a probing gaze.
“Probably busy finding a place to bury himself!” Professor Marchbanks said. “I won’t be coming over this afternoon.”
“Are you leaving?” Felix asked.
“Not exactly,” Professor Marchbanks said with a sigh. “I just won’t be coming here anymore. I think I’ve figured out the reason behind the students’ sudden improvement in the past two years. I’ll stay for a few more days to observe other classes… I can’t leave without a purpose.”
Felix nodded in understanding.
“There’s one more thing,” Professor Marchbanks said, a smile spreading across her wrinkled face. “Would you be interested in becoming an external examiner?”
“An external examiner…?”
“You would only be responsible for the practical part of the Ancient Runes exam,” Professor Marchbanks said, sighing as she watched the students slowly file out of the classroom. “I can’t have the past two years’ graduates handling this!”
“Are you planning to add a practical component to the Ancient Runes exam? To assess practical runes?” Felix asked, delighted.
“Yes,” she said. “I’ll advocate for it when I return to the Ministry. I want to split the Ancient Runes exam into two tracks—translation and practical. Of course, you’ll have to write this report. You know best… and the employment prospects for practical runes. If you make it sound appealing enough, the Ministry might hire a few people this year.”
“Why is that?” Felix asked, still a bit confused.
Professor Marchbanks rolled her eyes. “I suspect that, apart from your company, the entire magical world doesn’t know what to do with practical runes. In such cases, it’s usually the Ministry of Magic’s responsibility to hire a few people to research the direction and potential of new professions.”
“Are there any similar examples?” Felix asked, intrigued.
“The Name Seer, for instance, was split off from the Seers. They predict the future of newborns and offer naming suggestions, of course, for a substantial fee. I remember Sybill Trelawney worked as a Name Seer for a while… it must have been a long time ago.”
Professor Trelawney… Felix was genuinely impressed.
“Sounds good,” he said with a smile. “I’ll do it.”
---
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
