Faced with everyone's gaze, Pansy and the others' first reaction was to glare back.
Although they trusted Draco just as much, they did not want him taking that risk, even if it might not be much of a problem for him.
Only...
At this point, even if Draco did nothing, it seemed there was no way out.
Because Amycus Carrow on the platform had already noticed what was happening below.
More precisely, his attention had never truly left Draco.
After all... whether it was Malfoy or Young Malfoy, they were the Death Eaters' greatest enemies, traitors in the eyes of the great Dark Lord!
Thump, thump!
Amycus Carrow tapped his wand and looked toward Draco, his voice tinged with excitement. "It seems you have already chosen a volunteer. Very good!"
"..."
The young wizards below froze.
They had looked at Draco, but not because they meant to push him forward as a volunteer.
But faced with the professor on the platform, who had frightened them into submission from the very beginning, all the young wizards could do was remain silent and avoid Pansy and the others' angry glares.
They really had not meant to...
Compared with the wizards who were worried about Draco, however, there were still a few exceptions.
For example, Ron Weasley was staring fixedly at Draco with a mocking look in his eyes.
It was as if he wanted nothing more than to see Draco get thoroughly taught a lesson by the new professor.
What he did not know was that although Amycus Carrow had a cold smile on his face, his attention and magical fluctuations had already been raised to their highest level.
Because as long as someone was a Death Eater, they could never forget the final outcome of that previous battle.
After all, the casualty count taken after that battle had ended had given them a brutal shock.
That aerial battle alone had cost them many comrades...
...
Come to think of it, there had actually been a similar scene in a previous Defence Against the Dark Arts class.
If he remembered correctly, the one teaching at the time had been Barty Crouch Jr., who had taken Polyjuice Potion and disguised himself as Professor Moody.
If there was any difference, it was probably that the Amycus Carrow before them was even more unrestrained...
However.
That was only toward other people.
After a brief pause, everyone who thought Draco was about to be in trouble suddenly saw Amycus Carrow, who had just been cruel enough to attack a student with dark magic, shift his gaze away from Draco.
It was as if nothing had happened.
No one knew the reason.
But everyone could sense that Amycus Carrow was definitely wary of Draco...
They just did not know why he had suddenly changed his mind.
"However, before that, I must first let you understand the charm of dark magic."
The abrupt change nearly left the young wizards below unable to react.
Could he have been afraid?
The quick-witted wizards immediately remembered the report about Draco from before.
"Did we all forget that Draco has killed quite a few Death Eaters?"
"I remember that too."
"So that's why it turned out like this..."
Naturally, none of these words were spoken aloud. They were exchanged only through looks.
At the same time, their fear of Amycus Carrow was no longer as strong as it had been at the beginning.
Amycus Carrow, who did not notice these changes, simply began teaching as if nothing had happened.
"Dark magic. These are spells that are easy to master and capable of immediately displaying tremendous destructive power. The most representative among them are the Killing Curse, the Cruciatus Curse, and the Imperius Curse."
"Yes, in your eyes, this is extremely evil and cruel dark magic, but..."
Amycus Carrow spread his arms, and a fanatical look appeared on his face.
That almost devout expression made the pupils of the young wizards below contract.
"When I was young, I thought the same. Until the Great Master made me understand what power a wizard should truly possess!"
"..."
"The powerful force that can control life and death!"
They swallowed.
If they had still been confused at first, then the instant they heard Amycus Carrow say the words "Great Master," they understood.
That was the symbol of dark magic.
The Dark Lord, one of the most powerful dark wizards in history!
...
How should it be put?
Although his madness at the start had terrified everyone to the point their scalps went numb, Amycus Carrow's normal teaching afterward actually caught everyone by surprise.
Although everything he taught was related to dark magic, it had to be said that if Amycus Carrow went to Durmstrang Wizarding School as a professor, there would probably be no problem at all...
Hermione had just walked out of the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom.
Still looking dazed, she stared blankly at Draco. "So these Death Eaters really are seriously acting as professors?"
"It seems so, though everything they teach is about dark magic."
"But what is the point of doing this? They can't possibly have come here just to share their thoughts on casting dark magic..."
"Probably because they want to turn all these students into Death Eaters."
"...How is that possible?!"
Draco's words made Hermione laugh in disbelief.
Only when she saw the serious expression on Draco's face did the smile slowly vanish from her own.
Although she did not know what Draco was basing that judgment on, he must have had his reasons.
So these Death Eaters who had entered Hogwarts had all come here with that goal in mind?
What a joke...