Straw seems to be the killer's mark.
Wherever this thing drops, it must have been here.
"A bar's backyard, what is it doing here?" Sherlock frowned and said.
Hilke did not answer his question but began to inspect the yard. However, there was too much clutter piled up, making it difficult to find anything at a glance.
She drew her wand and gently tapped the air, using a Silent Charm.
The next moment, all the surrounding broken wooden barrels, tables, and chairs floated into mid-air, revealing the original scene of the entire yard before them.
There seemed to be nothing special about the surroundings. Sherlock led Sirius around but found nothing strange.
Just then, the back door leading from the backyard to the bar's main hall was suddenly opened.
An old man, dirty and with a long, messy beard, glared at them.
"What are you doing!"
This was the bar owner and part-time bartender. He was clearly startled by the commotion caused by Hilke's earlier spell.
"Excuse me, sir. Regarding the attack a few days ago, we have made some discoveries in your yard."
Faced with this situation, Sherlock and the others had no good excuse. The old man, smelling strongly of mutton, didn't listen to a word they said and drew his wand while shouting at them.
"Are you Aurors from the Ministry of Magic? If not, then now! Immediately! Get out of my yard!"
"Alright, don't get agitated. We're leaving now."
Sherlock led Sirius and Hilke away from the bar's backyard. They stood in a small alley, looking at the dilapidated and filthy bar from afar.
Sherlock stroked his chin, staring at the bar and thinking about other things.
Hilke was also looking at the building. They seemed to have reached the same conclusion, and Sherlock spoke first.
"If there's nothing wrong with that backyard, then the bar itself must be the problem."
"This town seems to have been occupied by Goblins."
Hilke's words made Sherlock recall something, and he spoke with sudden realization.
"I remember now. One of Hogsmeade's most famous events was during the Goblin Rebellion, when they occupied the village and set up their headquarters here. The location of that headquarters seems to be right in this bar!"
The killer came to the backyard of the Hogs Head Inn, and this bar just happened to be the former Goblin command post.
The coincidence was too great; one couldn't help but link the two events.
Sherlock pondered.
"Perhaps what it's looking for is related to the Goblin occupation of Hogsmeade back then."
Hilke took one last, long look at the building and said softly.
"I will find someone to verify these matters."
The sky had completely darkened. They decided not to stay any longer and prepared to return to Hogwarts.
Before leaving, Sherlock stared at the large black dog on the leash. He thought the dog was very smart and felt like taking it home as a pet.
"If you don't want to keep roaming, you can follow me from now on."
Sirius thought about it for only a moment before decisively rejecting the idea internally.
Following Sherlock into Hogwarts seemed convenient, allowing him to move openly within the Castle.
But in reality, he didn't need this convenience at all.
He knew every secret passage leading from Hogsmeade to Hogwarts like the back of his hand.
On the contrary, if he followed Sherlock, all his movements would be restricted, and he might expose himself if he wasn't careful. Therefore, Sirius showed resistance.
Seeing that he was unwilling to follow, Sherlock didn't insist. He canceled the Transfiguration on the leash, returning Sirius to freedom.
Released from his restraint, Sirius immediately took off running, afraid that Sherlock might suddenly change his mind and capture him again.
But since Sherlock had let him go, he naturally wouldn't force the dog.
Under the cover of night, they returned to Hogwarts.
While having dinner in the Great Hall, Sherlock heard about the accident that happened in Hagrid's first Care of Magical Creatures Class today.
Out of concern for his friend, Sherlock went specifically to Hagrid's Hut to visit him.
When he entered, Hagrid looked like he had just been crying, his eyes were red, and he was blowing his nose into a tissue.
"Don't be sad, Hagrid. Everyone has a first time. Nobody is born knowing how to teach students," Sherlock comforted.
But Hagrid was not comforted by this. He said gloomily.
"I prepared for a long time and thought everyone would like those little guys. But I didn't expect Malfoy to get scratched in the first class. His father is a School Governor and has always hated me. His family definitely won't let me off!"
Sherlock already knew the full story.
To be honest, Malfoy certainly bore some responsibility, but Hagrid, as a Professor, was clearly more at fault for letting third-year students interact with Hippogriffs—Magical Creatures of that level—without any protective measures.
However, as a friend, Sherlock couldn't directly point this out, especially since Hagrid had helped him acquire quite a few Dark Arts Creatures for teaching examples last semester.
He could only say tactfully.
"In future classes, you could select some less dangerous Magical Creatures for teaching. I think as long as the class is interesting enough, students won't care much about whether the animal is powerful or not."
That was all Sherlock could say. Whether Hagrid took the advice to heart was not something he could decide.
A week quickly passed.
During this first week of the new term, the classes taught by Sherlock's assistant, Professor Lupin, also received a good response among the lower years. Students found that his teaching was no worse than Sherlock's, and they quickly accepted him.
This news would likely make Hagrid sadder for a while. Of the two new Professors hired this year, Lupin was highly praised, while he had injured a student in his very first class.
After Hilke returned from Hogsmeade that day, she retreated back into the room on the fifth floor. He didn't know how she was gathering information about the Goblin command post established at the Hogs Head Inn back then.
And with the start of the new week, the seventh-year students' second class also arrived.
Dumbledore agreed to Sherlock's request and moved him to the largest classroom in the Castle.
This seemed to be a disused Potion Class classroom, three times the size of a normal one, fully capable of accommodating all the seventh-year students and leaving enough space for Sherlock to conduct his teaching.
"I know some of you are impatient, but I hope you still remember the two key points I emphasized last class."
"Shield Charm and Transfiguration—these are the focuses of the practical assessment. In my class, everyone must master the Shield Charm. Regarding the use of Transfiguration, I will correct your casting operations during subsequent practical exercises, trying to get you into the habit of using Transfiguration frequently."
Having said this, he cleared the front half of the classroom floor, then asked the students below.
"So, who wants to come up and join me for a duel demonstration?"
The students uniformly raised their hands; naturally, none of them wanted to miss such an opportunity.
Most people in the school knew that Sherlock had previously worked at the Auror Office. Since he was very familiar with the practical assessment procedures, having a duel demonstration with him was equivalent to taking the practical assessment early.
Ultimately, Sherlock chose Percy, which served as a small reward for helping him collect homework and distribute notices.
The other students stood against the walls in the corners, leaving them sufficient space.
Sherlock and Percy each drew their wands and held them ready in front of themselves.
"Are you ready, Weasley?"
Percy's wand-holding hand was slightly sweaty; facing Sherlock naturally put him under immense pressure.
"I'm ready, Professor."
"Then I will count down three, two, one. We will start when the countdown ends."
"Three, two, one!"
The second Sherlock finished the countdown, Percy and he simultaneously raised their wands and aimed them at themselves.
"Protego!" x2.
Invisible shields enveloped and protected both Sherlock and Percy.
Actually, in a formal battle, Sherlock could have tried to strike Percy down the moment he cast the Shield Charm, but since this was an assessment, he had to follow the rules of the practical assessment.
After both of them had used the Shield Charm on themselves, Percy immediately aimed his wand back at Sherlock.
"Expelliarmus!"
His initial attack was still a Spell.
Sherlock, however, was unhurried. He waved his wand, casting another Shield Charm.
"Protego."
But this time, the Shield Charm did not form a protective layer around his body; instead, it formed a transparent barrier directly centered on the tip of his wand.
Percy's Expelliarmus was precisely blocked by this Shield Charm. At the same time, the originally colorless barrier turned blood red upon contact with the red Expelliarmus spell.
The next second, that spell bounced right back!
Fortunately, Percy was prepared. Sherlock had taught them about the Advanced Shield Charm's ability to reflect the caster's spell back in the sixth-year class (though it should have been taught in the fifth year, but the fifth-year Professor was Quirrell).
Before his own spell rebounded, Percy performed a clumsy somersault on the ground, successfully dodging the returning Expelliarmus.
While rolling, Percy used the large movement of his body as cover and subtly and skillfully flicked his wand.
A chair behind Sherlock suddenly underwent Transfiguration!
Five slender venomous snakes, flicking their tongues, began creeping up his ankles, growing longer and longer. Just as they were about to turn into five ropes, Sherlock gently tapped his wand.
"Finite Incantatem."
The snakes instantly reverted to their original form, turning back into a chair and falling onto the ground.
The moment after he used the General Counter-Charm, his wand suddenly flicked again, but no incantation was spoken aloud.
Seeing this, Percy's heart immediately tightened. He quickly looked around, trying to see what Sherlock had Transfigured.
However, there was nothing around him—nothing suitable for Transfiguration!
At this moment, Percy realized he had been tricked, but it was too late when he noticed, because Sherlock's spell had already been cast.
"Expelliarmus."
The red spell sliced through the narrow space and hit the Shield Charm on Percy head-on, giving him no chance to dodge!
Invisible ripples spread out in front of him, followed by a sudden sound like shattering glass!
Percy's Shield Charm successfully blocked the Expelliarmus, but Sherlock had successfully broken his shield.
Just as Percy was preparing to reorganize his offence and find a chance to recast his shield, two chains silently wrapped around his legs!
Percy had just reacted, but before he could raise his wand, the two chains had already wrapped around his arms, binding him fast to the spot!
The duel ended here.
All the other students watching erupted in sincere applause.
The duel was very exciting. Although Percy lost, no one expected him to win in the first place, and the fact that he lasted this long against Sherlock was already beyond many people's expectations.
Sherlock's effortless spellcasting and counter-spelling left an extremely profound impression on the students.
Every time he waved his wand, it didn't look like combat, but rather like an artist carving the most exquisite masterpiece—stunningly beautiful!(TN: The description would make anyone think they are witnessing something as beautiful as Federer playing tennis.)
"Very good, Weasley."
Sherlock canceled the Transfiguration on Percy. Only then did Percy realize that the objects used for the Transfiguration were also chairs.
It was just that this chair had been far away from him, and he hadn't paid attention to it.
Sherlock's silent wand flick was not a trick; rather, the target of the Transfiguration was far away from Percy, causing him not to notice it immediately and assume it was a feint. He was then completely distracted by the shield-breaking Expelliarmus.(TN: Expelliarmus does not break a Shield Charm.)
By the time he realized it, it was already too late.
"Your performance was quite perfect. Apart from lacking some experience, you are no worse than any adult Wizard. If this were the real practical assessment, I would give you the highest score."
Sherlock was generous with his praise for Percy.
Because his performance truly stood out among the students. The Weasley family children were never short on talent, and Percy was undoubtedly one of them.
It was just that his ambition and desire for power were a bit too strong compared to his other brothers.
Just like how he was easily manipulated by Tom last semester, his psychological issues pose a risk of him going down the wrong path in the future.
But since this was a practical class, Sherlock naturally wouldn't delve into his psychological issues.
Sherlock's praise made Percy blush, and he walked back among the students with his chest puffed out and his head held high.
Afterward, Sherlock began analyzing the entire duel demonstration for the students.
"The most important aspect of magical combat is mastering the rhythm—or more broadly, mastering the rhythm of spellcasting and counter-spelling."