His first contact with Lupin at the feast gave Sherlock the impression that the man was quite decent.
Logically speaking, if he hadn't appeared, Lupin should have been this year's Defence Against the Dark Arts professor.
From their current interactions, Sherlock saw no ulterior motives in Lupin's presence at Hogwarts.
He also couldn't quite figure out why someone with such a seemingly good personality would end up unable to continue teaching.
But considering those things now was, naturally, meaningless.
The feast concluded normally, and after the first night of the term, classes officially began.
Lupin's arrival had helped Sherlock offload two-thirds of his workload.
Among the fifth, sixth, and seventh years, the fifth years faced the most exam pressure because everyone had to take the Ordinary Wizarding Level Examinations, and every student felt the weight of it.
Upon entering the sixth year, although they would face the N.E.W.T.s—which were harder and more stressful than the O.W.L.s—those exams allowed for choices.
Students could independently choose to take the exams for the subjects they were best at.
Therefore, the Defence Against the Dark Arts classes for the sixth and seventh years were large lectures, meaning students from all four houses attended together.
Combined with the two sessions per week for the fifth years, Sherlock's workload this term was only four classes a week, which was undoubtedly much easier than last term.
Moreover, the higher the grade level, the easier the classes were to teach.
Sixteen and seventeen-year-olds already understood many things, making them easier to manage than younger children.(TN: Younger children obey you more though. Less ruckus in the class in my experience.)
On the first day of school, Sherlock had a large lecture for the seventh years.
A large lecture in every sense of the word.
Because every graduate who took Defence Against the Dark Arts last term had successfully passed their N.E.W.T.s with an exceptionally high rate of top marks, the vast majority of the newly promoted sixth and seventh-year students had chosen his elective this year.
When Sherlock arrived at the classroom, it was already packed with people, creating a dark mass of students.
Sherlock looked at the back row, where two or three students were even squeezed onto a single desk to listen, and couldn't help but shake his head.
"It looks like I'll have to apply to Professor Dumbledore to switch to a larger classroom for the next lesson."
The people sitting here had already attended a year of Defence Against the Dark Arts with Sherlock, and many students were quite close to him.
"I think you could apply to Professor Dumbledore to hold class in the Great Hall, Professor," a student chimed in.
The students below burst into laughter, and Sherlock laughed along with them before tapping the blackboard with his wand.
"Alright, enough joking. Since this class has already started, we'll just make do for now."
"Students who were already in the elective in the sixth year, after class, hand over the twelve sets of exam papers I assigned you over the summer to Percy. He will collect them so I can see the results of your holiday studies."
"As for those newly enrolled in this class this year, come to me after class to register your names. You must also complete these twelve sets of papers after class. I'll give you plenty of time; just hand them in before Halloween."
"I hope you don't just rush through them to get it over with. These are new questions I've compiled based on classic examples from past N.E.W.T.s."
"The owner of Flourish and Blotts offered me a thousand Galleons to buy the copyright for these questions, and I thought he was lowballing me. So remember, no plagiarism and no half-hearted efforts. After Halloween, I will dedicate six class sessions to going over these questions."
"If you can master every question in these twelve sets of papers, then basically no question in the theoretical portion of the Defence Against the Dark Arts N.E.W.T. will be able to stump you."
The students below listened very intently.
The students who had reached the seventh year had chosen this class specifically because they truly intended to pass their N.E.W.T.s.
Furthermore, N.E.W.T. results for Defence Against the Dark Arts were particularly important in the Wizarding World, as many professions placed high value on the grade for this specific subject.
To apply to be an Auror for the Ministry of Magic, a minimum grade of 'O' was required.
Sherlock lightly tapped the podium with his wand, transforming it into a chair and moving it aside to clear a larger space for himself.
"We'll leave the theoretical knowledge for concentrated explanations later. For the very first lessons of the term, let's first talk about the practical exam."
"Unlike the O.W.L.s, where examiners randomly select a not-too-dangerous Dark creature for you to deal with using magic, the practical assessment for the N.E.W.T.s focuses on duels between Wizards, rather than Wizards and magical creatures."
"After all, more advanced and dangerous magical creatures aren't suitable for an exam setting; a slight oversight could easily lead to an accident. As for who your opponents in the practical assessment will be, I imagine most of you have already heard."
"Every year, the Ministry of Magic assigns two to three Aurors to serve as examiners for the N.E.W.T.s. The content of the exam is to have you engage in a Wizarding duel with them."
"Listen closely: it's a confrontation, not a formal Wizard's duel. Combat scenes like a Wizard's duel, which take place under ideal conditions, generally don't occur in normal conflicts. Therefore, your assessment will be in a large area, engaging in a Wizarding confrontation with an experienced Auror."
"In this confrontation, there are no civilized duelling etiquettes. Once the examiner announces the start, you are in a state of combat. In that area, you can use any means you've learned to try and defeat your examiner."
"Of course, basically no one can defeat a well-trained Auror in a practical exam. So, these Auror examiners won't duel you with full seriousness; they will mostly use various spells to test your reaction capabilities, as well as your understanding and coordination of charms."
Since it was a practical class, there would naturally be a hands-on portion.
But because there were too many students and the classroom was too small, Sherlock could only pick one student to come up and perform a demonstration duel with him.
"Unfortunately, no records are left of the practical exams each year for us to use as effective references."
Sherlock called up a Hufflepuff student named Wilson, had him stand opposite him, and then continued to address the students in the classroom.
"However, during last year's exams, I made a point of observing several sessions. Over this summer, I also asked an Auror friend who has served as an examiner several times about specific details of the exam. So, I've still summarized some little tricks that can be used in the test."
He looked at his opponent, the Hufflepuff student named Wilson.
"First of all, if you want to get a high score on the practical exam, there's one spell you must learn—the Shield Charm. I remember you took my elective last term, so you should be able to use this spell, right, Mr. Wilson?"
The student with a few freckles on his face, Wilson, looked very nervous, but upon hearing Sherlock's question, he still nodded. At the same time, he pointed his wand at his own body and recited the incantation.
"Protego!"
A layer of colourless light rippled, wrapping around his body.
Sherlock said appreciatively,
"Very good. Being able to use a Shield Charm of this level is enough to prove the effort you usually spend on defensive magic."
"Just like Mr. Wilson, if you successfully use a Shield Charm to protect yourself at the very beginning of the exam, you've already completed the first step toward a high score."
"The Shield Charm isn't a common spell for Wizards; even among most employees in the Ministry of Magic, not everyone can use it. But it is a spell that every Auror must know."
"So remember the first key point: in the practical assessment, the first spell you cast must be the Shield Charm. If anyone still can't use this spell, come find me privately after class, and I will guide you. Since I already taught it in the sixth-year classes last term, we won't take up class time to learn it again."
As he spoke, Sherlock also raised his wand and looked at Wilson opposite him.
"If a candidate doesn't immediately use a Shield Charm for protection, the examiner will usually first use an Expelliarmus as a probing attack. But if you do use a Shield Charm, you will generally face a test like this first."
Sherlock lightly tapped his wand, without uttering any incantation.
Wilson's attention was fixed entirely on him, completely failing to notice that at his feet, numerous vines transformed from chairs were creeping toward him from all sides.
Because it wasn't a spell, the entanglement of the vines didn't trigger the Shield Charm's defensive mechanism; instead, they crept directly up to Wilson's waist.
Finally, under his horrified gaze as he just realised what was happening, they suddenly tightened, binding him firmly!
Exclamations from the students below rang out along with applause.
Sherlock released Wilson and continued his explanation.
"This is the second key to getting a high score: never neglect Transfiguration!"
"I know the vast majority of you value Charms far more than Transfiguration. I won't say that's wrong, but no matter the time, never forget Transfiguration."
"Whether it's using it during a duel or detecting an examiner's Transfiguration in time, either point will add marks to your practical exam."
The class passed quickly. In this first seventh-year lesson of the new term, Sherlock only covered the two points of the Shield Charm and Transfiguration, yet every student who attended felt they had gained a lot.
Teaching a class specifically targeted at exam content was still very novel to them.
The students didn't know what the seventh-year Defence Against the Dark Arts Class was usually like.
But in other subjects, the things Professors taught were very miscellaneous, as if they wanted to cram all knowledge into their heads, even though only a small part would actually be tested in the level examinations.
Most students found attending classes quite painful, often full of doubt while learning, constantly wondering in their hearts if what they were currently studying would actually be on the exam.
So generally, those who could eventually get an 'O' in many subjects were the top scholars among scholars.
These people basically memorised all the knowledge they could learn, so whatever questions were on the exam was easy for them.
But such people were, after all, a minority. Most students didn't have enough energy or brainpower to remember so much knowledge and could only rely on luck during exams.
Then, a few days after the exam, they would forget most of the knowledge, and only a very small part could actually be used in their future work and life.
Sherlock's purely exam-oriented teaching method was a godsend for those with mediocre talent.
You didn't need a brilliant mind; as long as you were willing to put in the effort to learn, you could basically achieve good results.(TN: Very true. Especially for subjects where rote learning is required.)
When class ended, Sherlock packed his things and instructed Percy to bring the collected holiday assignments directly to his office once they were all gathered.
Returning to his office, he put his things away and went to the Great Hall for lunch.
Quite a few students had already arrived in the Great Hall. Sherlock was chatting with Hagrid at the staff table; Hagrid was excitedly telling Sherlock about his preparations for the first class this afternoon.
At that moment, most of the students eating lunch suddenly went quiet, their eyes all turning toward one place in unison.
It was a Witch walking in through the Great Hall doors. She wore a black robe different from those of the normal students, with a large hood over her head, revealing only the lower half of an exquisite face and long, greyish-white hair.
The students had never seen her in the Castle before. The aura she exuded clearly meant she couldn't be a student, yet no such person had ever appeared among the Professors at Hogwarts.
Under the gaze of the vast majority of students, Hilke walked up to Sherlock and said coldly,
"I saw something. I'm preparing to head to Hogsmeade now."
Hearing her words, Sherlock was first stunned for a moment, then stuffed the remaining sausage into his mouth in two or three bites and stood up from the dining table.
"Let's go then."
Thus, under the watchful eyes of everyone, Sherlock and Hilke left the Great Hall together.
After a brief silence, a much more heated discussion than before erupted in the Great Hall.
The most discussed topic was, naturally, who that hooded Witch was.
"Who is that woman?" Ron asked Harry, blinking.
Although Harry had spent nearly a month with Sherlock over the summer, he hadn't seen Hilke either.
"I don't know, I've never heard Professor Cavendish mention this person either."
Hermione's attention had just shifted from the terrible Divination Class this morning, and she mused,
"Professor Dumbledore said Professor Cavendish has other matters to attend to this year; it might be related to this woman."
While they were making various guesses, Harry suddenly remembered something important, and he lowered his voice to say to Hermione and Ron,
"For a period during the summer, Professor Cavendish's jinx suddenly stopped working!"