Hogwarts: This professor is too Muggle.

Chapter 185 Classroom
In late February, spring rains are approaching, and the air is damp.

Percy ran up the steps in twos and threes, stomped his feet at the entrance to the hall, leaving the mud and grass on his feet outside the castle.

Upon entering the hall, I paused briefly, my gaze instinctively drawn to the four academy hourglasses. Academy points are counted using gems, and the hourglasses of different academies often contain gems of different colors.

The Gryffindor rubies, Ravenclaw sapphires, Slytherin emeralds, and Hufflepuff yellow diamonds were piled together, and when night fell, the various gems reflected the torches and candlelight, making them exceptionally dazzling.

But now, the hourglasses of all four houses are empty, without any gems of any color inside.

The last notice on the bulletin board stated that because many students were sleeping in class and disrupting the normal teaching order, the four deans and professors of various subjects jointly signed a notice to deduct all of the more than 200 points they had accumulated in the previous semester, and to cancel their weekend access to the Feilu Network.

He still remembered Professor McGonagall's expression when she talked about it; her brows were furrowed, her lips were pursed, and her face was solemn but not angry.

Professor McGonagall stated that Professor Levent had issued a warning long before the Mirror Link was established, but she did not heed the advice. Therefore, she also bears some responsibility for this collective mistake. She does not blame the students, so she only deducts the corresponding college points from the students who violated the rules, without imposing detention.

Percy could imagine Professor Levent's enigmatic smile.

Percy shook his head. In fact, he thought the mirror itself was not wrong. Students like George and Fred violated school rules and dragged others down with them. They were unscrupulous, disregarded school rules, and had an extremely bad influence. They should be severely punished!

Cleaning the washroom, handling dragon manure compost, and wiping Mr. Filch's trophies were all assigned to them, to punish them until they dared not do it again!
"The papers I submitted last week were rated as excellent, which should earn me extra points..."

Percy sighed at the empty hourglass, didn't linger long, and hurried upstairs.

He hadn't understood some parts of the Potions class, so he asked Professor Sprout for help after class, which took a while. The next class is Muggle Studies, and the bell is about to ring, so he doesn't want to be late.

For someone as image-conscious as him, Professor Levent's public execution was far too cruel, almost as brutal as the Crucifixion's repeated torture.

"Ahem... Last week we assigned a ten-foot-long essay on the topic of exploring the negative effects of mirroring. Actually, I assigned the same topic to the fourth graders as well. Some of their insights impressed me, such as Mr. Burst. I wonder if any of you have read his essay?"

Professor Levent's gentle voice flowed through the classroom.

Percy heard a burst of cheerful laughter around him as the boys discussed the aesthetics of pure-blood wizards, from pointed hats adorned with vulture specimens to various bizarre robes, and the classroom atmosphere quickly became lively.

Before anyone knew it, the girls had shifted the conversation to Professor Levent's outfit: a light brown shirt with dark white checks, a champagne gold solid-color striped tie, and a perfectly placed bright blue handkerchief.

The girl sitting next to me turned a page in her notebook and wrote down the visual effect of this color combination: calm, intelligent, like a Ravenclaw sapphire.

Percy remembered that his girlfriend Penelope had made a similar comparison, and he thought to himself: When I work at the Ministry of Magic in the future, I will also have a suit made like this.

"Don't laugh, Mr. Burst's perspective is actually quite novel. He explores wizarding and Muggle culture from an aesthetic point of view. There are many things worth pondering here. Mysterious and wonderful magic influences the way wizards think, while Muggles attempt to analyze everything with science, yet they are both interconnected and mutually exclusive. We can discuss this in detail another time."

Melvin tapped his fingers lightly on the table, silencing the students' chatter. This was an unusual lesson plan he'd prepared; after warming up the atmosphere, he needed to get to the point quickly.

I reviewed the papers assigned last week, analyzed the negative effects of the shadow mirror, and explained to the students the positioning and correct use of the shadow mirror.

"When Muggle society first transitioned from text-based information in newspapers to image-based information, the lifestyles of its residents were greatly impacted, and publishing houses, newspapers, and the printing industry were severely shaken..."

Melvin didn't go into too much detail, avoiding obscure technical terms as much as possible. "For individuals, the rapid transmission of excessive information impacts their way of thinking. Individuals with immature minds can hardly bear it. It's like a small boat sailing into the deep sea. It can't find its way or navigate to the right destination. It either drifts with the current or is capsized by the waves."

Students with a Muggle background can quickly understand and follow the professor's train of thought, but some purebred students still cannot grasp it intuitively, staring blankly at the professor with empty eyes and a wooden expression.

"..."

They say the eyes are the windows to the mind, and Melvin could see through those windows into their hollow brains, the kind that make a cracking sound when you tap them.

“Let me put it another way that’s easier for you to understand…” Melvin paused for a moment, then suddenly asked, “You’re all sixth-year students now. Professor Flitwick has already explained the definition of Dark Magic to you, do you all remember it?”

Percy nodded, puzzled as to why the topic had suddenly shifted to dark magic.

"Magic primarily used to control, harm, or even kill, possesses immense power but is difficult to control and can lure people into the abyss..."

Melvin asked himself the question and then looked around the classroom. "Who among you thinks they can resist the temptation of dark magic, wield great power, and not be influenced by darkness? Raise your hand so I can see."

Percy silently raised his hand, and not only him, but most of the students in the classroom raised their hands.

Needless to say, not to mention the infamous Malfoy, even the lesser-known Parkinson, Greengrass, and Nott, every pure-blood family has a few forbidden magic books in their study or attic storage box, which students can easily pull out and practice at home.

Some students in Gryffindor and Hufflepuff know several evil curses and spells.

Not to mention that professors sometimes unleash a few dark spells, as exemplified by Levent and Professor Snape in Duel Class.

Since the fall of Voldemort and the Death Eaters, the wizarding world has been at peace for over a decade. For those who have never actually come into contact with dark wizards, dark magic is not actually that evil.

Melvin waved for them to put down and said casually, "There's a magic school in Northern Europe called Durmstrang, famous for its dark magic courses. The ice and snow forge a resolute and unyielding character, producing many truly great wizards. However, many students also become withdrawn and extreme, not to mention some who can't resist the temptation of powerful magic, becoming addicted to the world of dark magic and falling into darkness. Since its founding, it has been controversial because it was once the darkest of all 11 magic schools."

The classroom was completely silent.

"The mirror is like black magic; it makes information transmission faster and more convenient. You can stay in front of the fireplace and learn about news from as far away as London or even Albania, see amazing animals from the African continent, and see the same scenes that reporters see, with every detail crystal clear. You have never experienced this feeling before; it is more interesting than reading a book, effortless, like a wonderful black magic that knows everything."

Melvin said calmly, "But this is all an illusion. What you see is merely what the wizard behind the scenes wants you to see. It's like dark magic, silent and insidious, subtly influencing you, wasting your precious time, making you withdrawn, and reducing truly meaningful activities..."

"Isn't that a bit of an exaggeration?" someone muttered under their breath.

“Oliver Wood,” Melvin suddenly called out the name of the Gryffindor Quidditch captain.

"I'm here, Professor."

"If I remember correctly, your team has special training every weekend, right?"

"Yes."

"What about last week?" "Last week we were watching the Scottish national team's tactics." Wood told the truth. Last Sunday, the whole team was watching the game on the screen. George and Fred suggested postponing training for a week, and the players unanimously agreed.

"Can the tactics you observed and learned be applied in the school competition?"

"..."

Wood froze on the spot.

The students looked thoughtful, their eyes showing a hint of curiosity.

Percy also calmed down, finding it difficult to summarize the theme of Professor Levent's lecture. It seemed to be an exploration of the influence of mirrors, or perhaps a form of moral education aimed at correcting their misconceptions.

Professor Levent cleverly linked dark magic with the mirror image, and combined it with the paper he wrote last week, which gave them a deeper understanding of technological creations. It turns out that Muggle creations can also devour their energy and time like a dark magic curse, and that they give them away willingly.

This also made some students ask themselves: if they can't resist the allure of the mirror, how can they resist the allure of black magic?

……

After class, the classroom became quiet.

The door was half-open, and Melvin stood on the podium waving his wand. The magic acted on the desks and chairs in the classroom, and the hard oak suddenly came to life, becoming soft and light. It hopped and skipped to the wall, stacking itself up like a human pyramid, making room for others.

Not long after, Neville and Marietta pushed open the classroom door, somewhat surprised: "Professor Levent, did you wait here especially for us?"

"I've heard your production is outstanding, and I'd like to see it for myself," Melvin said with a soft laugh.

Over the next half hour, members of the drama club arrived one after another. After a long period of rehearsal, they had developed a set of fixed work processes. The backstage staff set up the stage in an orderly manner, and the actors checked the problems found in the last rehearsal and exchanged corresponding solutions.

“Cedric, slow down when you charge on horseback later, and let the props team control the dragon to swallow you whole.”

"Make sure they watch out for the dragon's tongue. I don't know who's controlling it, but every time it closes its mouth, it goes out of control and hits me on the head. Last time it swallowed me, it almost knocked my helmet off... Even though the armor is going to be damaged, can you please not damage my head too...?"

"Okay, okay." Neville nodded hurriedly, his face flushed with embarrassment.

Cedric immediately understood who was behind it, sighed, and looked melancholy.

Longbottom is a very reliable student. He actively solves problems whenever he discovers them, but he is too young. As a second-year wizard, he is always struggling to control both Polymorph and Levitate. He can only try his best to pray that he won't make mistakes in his haste.

Melvin's gaze lingered on Marietta.

She moved around the classroom with light steps, seemingly familiar with everyone's work, talking to each student, and showing some resemblance to her mother, Mrs. Eckmore. The other students did not show any disrespect when talking to this person in charge.

The preparations lasted for more than ten minutes until Neville and Marietta came closer to report.

"Professor, you may begin!"

Melvin's gaze softened, and he waved for them to begin their performance, then found a quiet spot to watch.

"Marieta, do you think you're ready to perform on stage?"

“No problem, Professor.” The girl explained to him earnestly and patiently, “We consulted Sir Nicholas, incorporated the Ghost Theatre Company’s performance experience from previous years, and the script is based on Sir Cadogan. We all worked together to choreograph and adjust it. We also consulted Headmaster Dumbledore, who thought our performance was excellent!”

"..."

Melvin had no doubt that this was something Dumbledore would do.

As they spoke, a scene of knights charging at dragons began to be rehearsed on the field, with villagers feigning panic and fleeing in all directions, warriors in armor wielding spears, and a two-legged dragon breathing fire...

Actually, compared to a few months ago, the progress is very obvious. However, from the perspective of a stage effects artist, it still seems immature. The props and special effects conceived by the students themselves are still somewhat rough.

However, if one is sincere enough, one can reach a bigger stage.

……

The weekend is almost here again.

A pleasant breeze was blowing gently, and the weather was neither too hot nor too cold—perfect weather for a Quidditch match.

An hour before the match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, the stands were already packed with spectators.

Unlike the neighboring Slytherin and Ravenclaw teams, whose loyal fans at every match are students from the same house, the Gryphon and Hound teams each have a star player, both of whom are starting Seekers. The presence of Harry and Cedric makes students from many other houses willing to cheer for them.

At this moment, appearance and fame translated into momentum, and the atmosphere was extremely enthusiastic.

Melvin was not present, but he stood at the window of the castle tower and could hear their cheers from a great distance.

With a whistle from Mrs. Hodge, both teams took to the air simultaneously. Their faces were obscured, and they could only be identified by their colors: Gryffindor wore bright red robes, while Hufflepuff wore bright yellow robes. The two colors flashed across the air, creating a striking visual effect.

The batters and chasers are all mixed up, while the seekers are those who remain on the periphery of the battlefield.

Harry's somewhat thin figure streaked through the air, with Cedric close behind. A series of high-speed ascents and sudden stops and turns unfolded, and the flashy and complex flight performance dazzled the eyes.

Indeed, matches between players of similar skill levels are the most entertaining.

"..."

Melvin withdrew his gaze, looked down at the two house-elves beside him, and softly called out, "Let's go, Dobby, Skripal."

(End of this chapter)