Hogwarts Study Panel

Chapter 566, Page 564: Wizard in Practice... (4k)

The fat walrus strode in through the door.

"Who is this?"

"The new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?"

"I heard Snape went to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"No to that kind of thing..."

The young wizards were buzzing with discussion.

In accordance with Slughorn's tradition, he would certainly examine each of the young wizards one by one, like a bee examining a flower in a flowerbed.

But now, Slughorn just kept walking until he stopped in front of the dark-haired little wizard.

And extended his hand:
"How wonderful it is to see you again, child."

Sheehan hadn't expected Professor Slughorn to overlook Headmaster Dumbledore.

He stood up and shook hands with Professor Slughorn.

Dumbledore was not surprised at all; he twitched his mustache and chuckled.

Professor Trelawney, on the other hand, let out a low gasp.

"Ah, before everyone begins the dinner, I think it's necessary for me to make some introductions,"

After Professor Slughorn sat down, Dumbledore stood up.
"Professor Lupin left Hogwarts due to unforeseen circumstances..."

The wizards were in an uproar, and the hall was filled with whispers.

"Therefore, we are delighted to welcome a new teacher today. Professor Slughorn,"

Slughorn stood up, his bald head gleaming in the candlelight, his large belly, clad in a vest, casting a deep shadow on the table.

“He was a former colleague of mine, and he agreed to return to his old job as a Potions teacher.”

Potions class?

Potions class?

The word echoed throughout the auditorium, and everyone wondered if they had misheard.

Sheen saw Professor Slughorn wink at him.

"Then who will teach us defense against dark magic..."

On the long table, Harry muttered to himself absentmindedly.

He finally fell in love with Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"Meanwhile, Professor Snape,"

Dumbledore raised his voice, drowning out the murmurs of the crowd.

"Will be the instructor for Defense Against the Dark Arts class."

"No!"

Harry's voice was so loud that many heads turned toward him.

But he didn't care; he just glared at the faculty dining table in embarrassment and anger.

Why did Snape end up being given the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor?
Where is Professor Lupin? Where are his father's friends?
Where did he go?
He's their best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher!

Harry wasn't the only one with the same question; almost the entire Great Hall was buzzing with discussion.

Dumbledore seemed unaware of the sensational nature of his announcement. He didn't mention the teaching position again, but waited a few seconds to make sure everyone was completely quiet before continuing.

That's all I wanted to say. Let's begin the banquet!

He sat down.

Professor Snape was sitting to Dumbledore's right. When he heard Dumbledore mention his name, he didn't stand up, but lazily raised one hand to indicate that he had heard the cheers from the Slytherin table.

"When I retired, Severus had just joined Hogwarts... Oh, he was a good kid, just had some problems with his love life."

Professor Slughorn sat next to Sheehan, conversing with him in a low and leisurely voice.

"Oh, by the way, I used to be the Head of Slytherin House. Child, which house are you from?"

"Ravenclaw".

Sheehan chatted with Professor Slughorn, but his heart had already flown to Hope Lodge.

Headmaster Dumbledore's notes were burning hot in his arms. If he didn't take them out and carefully compare them with the books he had borrowed from the Hogwarts library, they would practically burn through his abdomen.

“Ravenclaw, oh Ravenclaw, I happen to know some excellent Ravenclaws, some work at the Ministry of Magic, some are editors at the Daily Prophet…”

Professor Slughorn smiled kindly.

Suddenly, a cunning glint flashed in his eyes, and then he said to Sheen:
"Dumbledore told me that we have an unusually young Potions teaching assistant this year?"

Snape's languid expression suddenly changed; he stared at the old walrus with cold eyes, but the fat old walrus seemed oblivious to everything.

"Yes, Professor Slughorn."

Sheen nodded in agreement.

His eyes darted around, and his mind was already replaying the contents of Dumbledore's notes.

"That's absolutely wonderful."

Professor Slughorn's joy was palpable.

"I think... he can't do it."

Suddenly, Snape, who had been keeping a cold expression, spoke up.

"Ah, Severus, it's been a long time. How have you been?"

The old walrus paid no attention to his cold, deliberate tone, and instead greeted him warmly.

"……good."

Snape seemed to choke.

"That's good. You know, I'm very sorry about that, very sorry... You were all my favorite students."

Professor Slughorn looked at Snape with teary eyes, and Snape lowered his head slightly, looking quite awkward.

“My dear child, I must say, your Potions professor, Professor Snape, is a genius at potion making—I’m not surprised you haven’t learned the knack of potions from him,”

Professor Slughorn enthusiastically introduced the situation to Sheehan.

Snape's expression became even more unnatural.

“When I taught him, he was just a little kid, but he had already filled his textbooks with all sorts of improved recipes—he’s not the kind of person who just reads everything by heart, is he?”

Sheen, finally snapping out of his daze, nodded.

He did indeed learn a lot of "unorthodox" knowledge from Professor Snape, who also helped him improve his willpower manipulation techniques.

"See, I told you we could always conspire together—"

The old walrus was even happier, and he said proudly...
"Severus, he's so good at even choosing assistant coaches."

Snape seemed speechless.

After a while, he finally managed to utter a few words through gritted teeth:
"His potion-making skills are still not good enough...he needs more practice..."

“Of course, of course, no castle is built on high ground… I will teach him, just as I taught you back then…”

The old walrus couldn't stop smiling; his plump body was trembling slightly.
"Oh, as my teaching assistant, I'll have to be more demanding of you. But I assure you, you'll achieve great things in potions too..."

Snape was unusually unable to refute anything.

In the end, he could only give the old walrus a cold look, revealing a hint of annoyance.

The dinner party passed in this strange and peculiar atmosphere.

After Professor Slughorn mentioned the Slug Club for the third time, Sheehan finally saw the first student leave the Great Hall.

He quickly stood up, politely bid farewell to the professors, and strode towards the Hope Hut.

Even after Sheen left, the auditorium remained incredibly noisy.

It's all because of several major events that have happened recently.

The first one is Professor Lupin's sudden resignation. The young wizards are already arguing fiercely about the reasons for his resignation;

The second one is tomorrow's Quidditch match between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Ravenclaw has a new Seeker, as has Hufflepuff.

Tomorrow's game will be the first showdown between the two rookies.

In the room where the owl portrait was no longer present, Sheehan paid no attention to the wizards' commotion. He held his wand, and Dumbledore's old notebooks were spread out beside him, the tip of his black wand emitting a faint light.

"Element activation—"

Sheen said in a low voice.

Hope Cottage began to change.

First, there were the floating candles, which turned into flames and swayed aimlessly around the room; then came the giant pumpkin bookstore, which stood up—yes, literally stood up—it grew two legs and an arm; and finally, there was Sheen's bookshelf, which slowly reassembled itself into a giant spherical creature with a mouth full of sharp teeth and eyes burning with flames.

[You have practiced a special transformation spell (Elemental Activation) to expert standards. Matter Transformation Proficiency +50, Magic Transformation Proficiency +50]

[Elemental Activation: Beginner Level (140/300)] "As expected, it can be limited even further..."

Sheen muttered to himself.

Headmaster Dumbledore told him that by restraining his magic and concentrating the power of his belief, magic could accomplish more.

Sheen subconsciously believed that time and distance were the only constraints.

Later he thought about it and wondered why it couldn't be quantity.
The difference between activating everything within a ten-meter radius and activating just two or three items within a ten-meter radius is enormous.

Naturally, the amount of magical power consumed also varies greatly.

Now, assessing his physical condition, Sheen realized he still had plenty of room for improvement—proving his guess was correct, but…

His face began to turn pale again.

Restraining the power of belief can naturally save magic power, but the restraint itself also consumes willpower.

Fortunately, Sheen knew a solution.

That is, constant practice.

Practice brings results; could there be anything better?

Sheen's lips curled up; he simply couldn't imagine it.

In the last second before the elemental activation disappeared, Shin planted both the "chaotic flames" and the "pumpkin monster" into the body of the "wooden giant".

Then a wooden monster with a pumpkin head and flames all over its body stood up in the hut.

Ron, who had just entered the room, was so frightened that his vision went black and he collapsed straight into Harry's arms.

"Ron!"

Harry gasped.

Then he also saw the wooden monster.

So he opened his mouth wide and froze in shock.

"Bang"--

The door was closed.

Outside the door, Hermione stared at the two of them with annoyance, seemingly suspecting them of some kind of trick.

"Halloween monster!"

Ron suddenly woke up and shouted exaggeratedly.

"Halloween is long gone, and today isn't April Fool's Day, Ron!"

Hermione said angrily, and she was about to open the door when Ron held her back tightly.

"Seriously! A pumpkin head, and eyes shooting fire!"

Harry hurriedly added, while grabbing Hermione's other hand.

I don't believe it!

Hermione remained skeptical.

"Let her go, what else can you do to stop a donkey... unless you lasso it... Ouch—"

Ron muttered to himself, and Hermione pinched his arm hard.

"I'll be with you—"

Justin cautiously looked around the door before entering the room with Hermione.

Inside the Hope Hut, all was quiet, with only Sheen engrossed in a book.

"Hmm...it looks like Sheen has taken care of the Halloween monster."

Justin spoke in a low voice, reminding everyone not to make too much noise, as the young wizard was reading a book.

"Ha—terrible acting—"

Hermione strode to her seat and immediately opened the moon chart.

Two heads then appeared behind her.

Where are the Halloween monsters?

Ron cautiously looked at Harry.

"Sheen took care of it?"

Harry's mind raced as he met Ron's gaze.

"Good evening--"

"what!"

"Green!"

The two cried out in alarm before realizing it was Sheen approaching.

He held the old books—neither of them knew where Sheen had gotten so many old books from—and looked somewhat apologetic.

"I was just practicing Transfiguration, maybe it scared you..."

Sheen explained.

"what?!"

Harry and Ron said in unison,
"Is that your shapeshifting magic?!"

"Could that be Transfiguration?"

Ron's eyes widened.

"Next time I'll go to the hidden room..."

Sheen said.

After Mr. Owl reveals the true nature of Hope Cottage, many rooms are added to the cottage.

Sheehan believed that Hope Cottage was making use of the empty rooms, just as the Room of Requirement always collected items left behind by wizards; Hogwarts Castle had magic to deal with clutter.

Naturally, the young wizards each had their own private room.

Moreover, each has its own unique characteristics.

Sheehan and Hermione's rooms are full of books, Justin's room is half books and half kitchen, Neville's room is a botanical garden, and Ron's room is full of strange wizard chess pieces and Transfiguration teaching aids.

As for Harry's room, Sheehan hadn't been there, so he didn't know.

"No, no, no—"

Ron quickly denied it.

"Can you do it again, Sheehan?"

Sheen gave Ron a strange look and nodded.

Soon, gasps of surprise echoed through Hope Hut.

and also--

[You have practiced a special transformation spell (Elemental Activation) to expert standards. Matter Transformation Proficiency +50, Magic Transformation Proficiency +50]

【Element Activation: Beginner Level (190/300)】

……

In late November, the weather was freezing cold, with a layer of frost every morning and the icy wind cutting into hands and cheeks.

The sky and the ceiling of the Great Hall turned a pale blue-gray, the mountains surrounding Hogwarts were covered in snow, and the temperature inside the castle had dropped so much that many students were wrapped in thick scarves when they rested in the corridors during breaks.

In this frigid weather, the second Quidditch match is about to begin.

The auditorium was almost empty by now, and everyone had rushed into the outdoor area.

"Sheen, are you really not going?"

The Hope Hut, with its sturdy stained-glass windows, protected it from the fierce winds and snow.

Justin asked, somewhat disappointed.

"Ah."

Sheen nodded.

He was completely absorbed in the magical practice of elemental activation all day long.

"But……"

Justin looked very troubled.
"Bruce asked me to tell you that this is his first game..."

"go."

Sheen said.

(End of this chapter)