Sherlock Holmes at Hogwarts.

Chapter 321 The Shadow Behind the Curtain
The atmosphere in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom was relaxed, with everyone discussing the upcoming lesson and speculating about what new and fun things Professor Lupin would bring them today.

As time went on, Professor Lupin reclaimed the title of "Most Popular Teacher" from Professor Hagrid.

This is also related to the content of the two courses.

The course on protecting magical creatures primarily focuses on familiarizing students with the living habits of various magical creatures. In class, students will learn how to feed, protect, care for, and treat these creatures.

Defense Against the Dark Arts is a subject that teaches students defensive magic to protect them from dark magic and dark creatures.

Even if the same teacher were to teach both courses, Defense Against the Dark Arts would definitely be more popular than Protecting Magical Creatures.

Professor Hagrid's ability to win the title of "Most Popular Teacher" at the beginning of the semester was truly all thanks to his financial resources.

As the content of these two courses was continuously updated, Professor Lu Ping ultimately won everyone's praise with his personal charm and edutainment teaching philosophy.

The good news is that Hagrid heeded Sherlock's advice.

Therefore, although the course "Protection of Fantastic Beasts" is no longer as popular, it still surpasses Divination, Arithmetic Divination, Muggle Studies, and Ancient Runes Studies to become the most popular of the five elective courses.

Even among compulsory courses, it was more popular than courses like the history of magic and astronomy.

This already satisfied Hagrid.

"It seems they don't know yet that Snape is going to substitute for Professor Lupin."

Ron looked at his chattering classmates with a sorrowful gaze, feeling sorrow for them and for himself.

Harry and Hermione remained silent.

Sherlock's gaze swept across the classroom with interest: "Interesting. Professor Snape is planning to teach in a completely new way."

"What do you mean?"

Harry had barely finished speaking when there was a loud bang and the door was flung open.

Professor Snape slid in like a bat.

Amidst the astonished gazes of the entire class, he strode towards the podium, waving his magic wand as he did so.

As he moved, one window after another was closed, plunging the entire classroom into darkness.

Before he reached the podium, he reached out and pulled, and a white curtain slid down.

At that moment, Harry and Hermione looked at each other in bewilderment.

They all understood the meaning of Sherlock's words.

This completely new approach is just... way too Muggle!

Ignoring the surprised looks of the entire class, Professor Snape spoke slowly in his deep voice:
Turn to page 394.

"Excuse me, sir, where is Professor Lupin?"

Someone mustered up the courage to ask.

He's supposed to be a Potions professor, yet he's been teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts for three years in a row, which inevitably raises suspicions.

Snape looked at the dark-skinned Dean Thomas with a cold gaze, a hint of impatience in his eyes:
"He is not feeling well today, so he cannot come to teach you."

"What's up with him?"

Although Harry already knew from Cho Chang that Snape would be taking Lupin's place in class, he couldn't help but ask again after hearing Snape's answer to Dean.

"There is no danger to your life."

Snape twitched the corners of his mouth, a smile more painful than a grimace, as if to say it was a real shame he hadn't lived to see that day.

He looked at Harry with an even greater look of disgust than when he had looked at Dean:

“This is not something you should worry about, Potter.”

Because you interrupted the professor's lecture without permission, Gryffindor has deducted five points!

After saying that, Snape ignored Harry and walked straight to the back of the classroom.

Turn to page 394.

Snape spoke again, and at the same time tapped a machine lightly with his wand, which immediately lit up.

Ron was leisurely turning the pages of his book when Snape, who was standing at the back of the classroom fiddling with a machine, suddenly changed his expression and swiftly waved his wand forward.

A rustling sound rang out, and Ron's book immediately flipped to page 394, startling him.

However, when he saw the contents of the book clearly, he couldn't help but exclaim, "Werewolf!"

Ignoring Ron's shocked expression, Snape said slowly in an icy tone, "Professor Lupin left no record of what you have learned—"

“Sir, we learned about Boggart, Red Hat, Kaba, and Grindelwald…” Hermione said immediately.

"Quiet."

Snape looked at Hermione. "I didn't ask any questions, Granger. I was just criticizing Professor Lupin's teaching for lacking structure."

"He was the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we ever had."

Simon Finigan mustered the courage to say a good word for Professor Lupin.

As soon as he spoke, many classmates immediately chimed in.

This made Snape's face turn ugly immediately.

"That's because you're too easily satisfied, or rather, Professor Lupin didn't add any burden to you."

In my opinion, first-year students should be able to handle Red Hat and Greendylow.

"Now, all of you turn to page 394, everyone, quick!" Faced with the domineering Snape, the students could only resentfully comply.

You're just a substitute teacher, what makes you so great!
After turning on the machine, Snape slowly walked to the curtain of the podium and asked the first question.

"Can anyone tell me the difference between a werewolf and a wolf that transforms through the Animagus?"

Hermione immediately raised her hand high.

Just then, the students were surprised to find that a picture of a werewolf had appeared on the screen.

It's not the animated portraits of the magical world, but rather still images that can be switched one after another.

The young wizards from pure-blood families had no idea what this meant; they simply found it very novel.

But the Muggle-born and half-blood wizard knew all too well.

Sherlock gave a wide smile.

It is obvious that Snape was the only person in the entire Hogwarts who stood up in his robes and used a projector to give lectures.

"Does nobody know?"

On the other hand, Snape ignored Hermione's raised hand, a mocking look on his face, and commented bluntly:

"It seems Professor Lu Ping never actually told you the fundamental difference between the two; his teaching method is truly haphazard..."

Upon hearing Snape begin criticizing Lupin again, the students couldn't help but speak up for him:
"Sir, we haven't learned about werewolves yet!"

"It will be several more weeks before the nocturnal creatures are around!"

"We are learning now..."

"Quiet!"

Snape uttered the word a second time.

His gaze swept coldly over the entire class, and he spoke in a tone filled with contempt:
"That's not a reason. I don't expect you to deal with a real werewolf, but I didn't expect to encounter a group of third-year students who can't even recognize werewolves!"
It seems I must mention to Professor Dumbledore that the teaching progress of Defense Against the Dark Arts is far too slow.

"Please, sir!"

Hermione's nails almost dug into her palms.

She watched Snape describe Professor Lupin's individualized instruction as lacking in structure, and watched him belittle those courses that had kept her up all night researching in the library.

When the word Animagus came to her lips, she could no longer restrain herself and, with her hand still raised high, said:
“Animagus are wizards who can choose to transform into wolves, while werewolves do not have such a choice; they—”

“This is the second time you have spoken without permission, Miss Granger.”

Snape interrupted Hermione abruptly, his gaze cold and undisguised as he stared at her flushed face.
"Do you lack self-control, or are you proud of being an intolerable 'know-it-all'?"

Ron, standing nearby, whispered to Harry, "What he said makes a lot of sense."

Harry: ￣△￣
"Because of your unilateral decision, Gryffindor has lost another five points."

Hermione blushed and slowly lowered her hand.

She looked at the ground with teary eyes, forcing herself not to think about it.

Almost everyone glared at Snape with resentment, which was enough to show how much they hated him.

Even Ron, who had just made a sarcastic remark, couldn't help but want to retort, but Harry, who was next to him, quickly covered his mouth.

He gestured to his good friend with his eyes—a wise man doesn't fight a losing battle; just bear with it.

The little incident ended there, but just when everyone thought the matter was over, Snape suddenly turned to Sherlock:
"Then... Mr. Sherlock Holmes, you answer this question."

The anger of the entire class turned into surprise at that moment.

what's the situation?
It's not surprising that Snape asked questions in class.

It's not surprising that Hermione, who knew the answer, was ignored and points were deducted from her score.

It's not surprising that he would say "the great detective Sherlock Holmes" in a sarcastic tone.

But it's really strange to mention Sherlock Holmes while directly calling on him to answer questions.

It's important to know that ever since Sherlock perfectly answered Snape's question in the very first lesson of first year, Snape has never asked Sherlock to answer any more questions.

The reason is simple: apart from Hermione, who is known as the know-it-all, there is only one person who can definitely answer the teacher's questions.

That was Sherlock Holmes, whom Snape called the Great Detective.

The difference between the two is that one will always take the initiative to speak.

Sherlock hadn't expected Snape to ask him to answer a question.

Of course, he considered things more than his classmates.

Ever since before the start of second year, he had Hermione write to Snape for help with Dobby the house-elf's problem, and the professor had been deliberately avoiding contact with him.

Sherlock knew perfectly well that this was because the other party didn't want him to see his secret.

As Professor Flitwick once said, everyone at Hogwarts has their own secrets.

But Snape was the first person to care so much about his secrets.

But today, he, who usually avoids others, acted out of character and took the initiative to contact me.

As the saying goes, when things go wrong, there must be a monster.

Sherlock looked at Snape, his gray eyes sparkling with curiosity.

(End of this chapter)