Chapter 18: Professor Holmes Is a Good Man
The teaching style Douglas used was very different from the traditional approach at Hogwarts.
The students would need time to adjust.
When he returned to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, all the Gryffindor second-years were already seated.
A few of them were even still panting, clearly having run all the way there.
But the moment Douglas spotted Ron's smug expression—and noticed several students glancing back and forth between him and Ron—he understood immediately.
Ron must have spent the morning telling his classmates all about how close the Holmes and Weasley families were.
Harry and Hermione's expressions confirmed it.
Douglas smiled.
"Since everyone seems to know me already, I won't bother introducing myself again…"
As he said it, he noticed Hermione turn and glare hard at Ron.
Douglas's smile deepened.
So.
Since Ron had so generously explained the connection between their families, then in that case, Douglas would simply have to honor Mrs. Weasley's request and take especially good care of him.
He folded his arms behind his back and asked,
"Does anyone know what to do if you encounter a Boggart?"
The moment he finished speaking, Hermione shot her hand into the air so quickly it was almost startling.
At Hogwarts, classes below third year were mostly devoted to common magical creatures.
The exams were largely based on memorization, with very little actual spellwork involved.
Only in fourth year did students begin learning curse-breaking, defensive spells, and certain forms of dark magic in more practical terms.
Douglas looked around.
Only Hermione had raised her hand.
A few students exchanged glances with Ron and Harry, their expressions practically saying, Didn't you say this professor was kind and easy to get along with?
Ron waved a hand casually at the students around him and winked.
"Standard first-class stuff," he whispered. "Every professor lays down rules in the first lesson."
Harry nodded in agreement.
Then Douglas's cold voice cut through the room.
"Then Mr. Weasley will answer."
Ron froze.
He stared up at Douglas blankly.
Several students nearby immediately burst into laughter.
Ron swallowed and said shakily,
"Professor, I don't know… but I think Hermione definitely does!"
Having said that, he started reaching for his stool, intending to sit back down.
Douglas's expression did not soften.
"Did I tell you to sit down?"
Then he turned.
"Mr. Potter. You answer."
Harry had not expected to be dragged into it.
He quickly adjusted his glasses and stared at Douglas with deep suspicion, as though trying to determine whether this was actually Snape in disguise.
The last time he had been treated like this, it had been in Potions.
By now Hermione's hand was raised even higher.
Douglas glanced at Ron and Harry with obvious displeasure.
That very morning, he had received a letter from Mrs. Weasley urging him to teach the two troublemakers a proper lesson.
The letter had also mentioned that Mr. Weasley was now under Ministry investigation.
That left Douglas feeling a little awkward.
After all, the entire flying-car business had begun with one of his own suggestions.
When he had read the original story in his previous life, Ron and Harry's actions had seemed daring and impressive.
Now, seeing them in real life, they were simply two naughty twelve-year-old boys.
At last Douglas looked toward Hermione.
"It appears Miss Granger is the only one in this class who knows the answer."
He gestured for her to stand.
"So, Miss Granger, please explain it to your classmates."
Hermione rose at once and recited the answer almost word for word from the text.
"A Boggart is a magical creature that can see into your heart and transform into whatever you fear most."
"The spell used against a Boggart is the Boggart-banishing spell, Riddikulus. It forces the Boggart into the funniest form you can imagine."
"The more people there are, the easier a Boggart is to deal with, because it does not know what shape to take."
"What truly destroys a Boggart is laughter. If people laugh loudly enough, it bursts into smoke and vanishes."
She paused only briefly.
"As for the exact wand movement and spell-casting method, the textbook does not provide one."
Douglas looked at her in genuine surprise.
Then he began applauding.
He had heard often enough that Hermione Granger was exceptional in this area.
He simply had not expected her to be this exceptional.
After all, Boggarts appeared near the back of the book, not the front.
And strictly speaking, they were not creatures second-year students were expected to handle at all.
Chapter 19: Gryffindor's Double Homework
Because Douglas had started the applause, the rest of the class joined in with scattered clapping of their own.
"Please sit down, Miss Granger."
He nodded approvingly.
"I think Gryffindor deserves five points."
Then his expression changed as he looked back at Ron and Harry.
"I heard about your little achievement yesterday, and for a moment I assumed the two of you must have had plenty of time to study your textbooks while you were on your way to heaven."
His tone remained cool.
"Clearly, that was not the case."
Harry flushed bright red and opened his mouth to explain, but Douglas cut him off at once.
"There is no need to explain. I know everything that happened."
He looked around at the rest of the class.
"And I imagine everyone here knows what happened as well."
A whisper came at once from somewhere in the room.
"Of course we know. Ron came back to the common room last night and told everyone all about it."
Another voice muttered,
"If that Howler hadn't arrived this morning, I'd have thought it was brilliant."
Douglas silenced them with a look.
"Good. Since everyone knows, that makes this easy."
He turned back toward the front of the classroom.
"Then here is the first homework assignment for this class."
He spoke clearly.
"The topic is: What Should You Do If the Entrance to the Magical World Is Maliciously Sealed Off?"
He paused just long enough for dread to begin spreading through the room.
"Using your current abilities and knowledge, each of you will write an essay no shorter than ten inches."
The reaction was immediate.
A groan rose from the class.
More than one student turned to look at Ron and Harry with open resentment.
Once the damage had been done, Douglas finally allowed the two miserable boys to sit down.
Ron and Harry exchanged looks and quietly let out matching sighs of relief.
At least he had not taken points.
Then, with a smile that made several students instantly uneasy, Douglas asked,
"Class, would you like to study Defense Against the Dark Arts with your wands?"
That changed everything.
The whole class lit up.
Last year they had spent an entire term listening to Professor Quirrell drone on.
Of course they wanted to use their wands.
The answer came back in a loud chorus.
"Yes!"
Douglas stepped down from the platform and moved among the desks, raising a hand to calm them.
"Personally, I would also like to get you started immediately."
He sighed, sounding almost regretful.
"But unfortunately, according to the Ministry of Magic's curriculum requirements, students below third year are meant to focus mainly on dark creatures listed in the textbooks."
The excitement drained from the room at once.
Two more years.
That was what they heard.
But then Douglas's tone shifted.
"However…"
He let the word hang just long enough to catch everyone's attention again.
"If you complete the material in your textbook ahead of schedule, then I do not mind using the remaining time to teach you how to apply whatever spells you already know in an actual fight."
Now every face in the room was fixed on him.
"You must understand," Douglas continued, "that Defense Against the Dark Arts is not only for dealing with dark creatures."
His voice sharpened slightly.
"When necessary, you must also know how to fight wizards."
Before he had fully finished, Hermione's hand was already up again.
Douglas glanced toward her.
"Yes, Miss Granger?"
Hermione stood, visibly excited.
"Professor, I've memorized the entire textbook. You may test me on any part of it."
She drew a quick breath.
"If I pass, may I begin learning new material early?"
Douglas turned and walked slowly back toward the podium.
"Obviously not, Miss Granger."
There was no unkindness in his tone, only firm amusement.
"You are one person. Everyone will move on when everyone knows how to properly deal with banshees, ghouls, hags, trolls, vampires, werewolves, and the like…"
As soon as he said it, the younger students began murmuring among themselves.
Ron leaned toward Harry and whispered,
"Harry, do you remember I told you there's a ghoul in our attic?"
Harry shook his head.
"No. I haven't actually been into your attic yet."
Neville Longbottom, who had remained silent until now, suddenly spoke up with enthusiasm.
"Ron, we've got a ghoul too. It lives in our barn. It likes eating spiders and moths."
Ron visibly shuddered at the word spiders.
Among the Muggle-born students, reactions were mixed.
Some sounded fascinated.
Others looked horrified that wizarding families apparently kept ghouls around so casually.
From the front of the room, Douglas listened to the chatter and could not help reflecting that young people really were frighteningly easy to assimilate.
As an ordinary Muggle in his previous life, he had never been able to understand the wizarding world's love of bizarre pets.
At one point, he himself had considered getting an owl.
That idea had died instantly after watching a dormmate's owl repeatedly bring back dead mice.
Douglas had abandoned the dream of owning a wizarding pet on the spot.
"Quiet!"
His voice cut across the room once more, ending the discussion immediately.
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