My Hogwarts has a serious problem.

Chapter 214, Section 211: Lynn's Defense Against the Dark Arts Class (Part 2)

"Your academic performance is truly appalling."

Lynn flipped through their exam papers on the podium and spoke bluntly.

Most young wizards still have a sense of shame. At Hogwarts, no professor has ever said to his students, "You are the worst class I have ever taught." Lynn's merciless criticism had already made many people in the audience lower their heads in shame.

"Of course, it can't be entirely your fault. I have a general understanding of what happened last year. Professor Quirrell, who was arrested and sent to Azkaban, really didn't teach you anything." Lynn knew that he could put pressure on his students, but he couldn't put too much pressure on them. He could let them relax, but he also had to maintain some pressure while they were relaxing.

"But that's precisely why our studies this year will be even more intense, so that while we complete your studies this year, we can also make up for what you missed last year."

He tapped the blackboard with his wand, signaling the young wizards below to look at him.

"We have one defense class a week, and I plan to alternate between them. One class will teach theory, and the next class will be about practice. Our class now is a theory class. First, put away all the books on your desks and take out your parchment and quills. We don't use textbooks in class, but we do need to take notes."

Lynn used a magic wand instead of chalk to write a question on the blackboard.

"So, you've all probably seen last year's Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook, 'Dark Magic: A Guide to Self-Defense.' Can someone explain to me what we'll be learning in Defense Against the Dark Arts class?"

As soon as he asked the question, an arm shot up in the classroom as if by reflex. Lynn smiled and said to the owner of the arm.

"Miss Granger, please share your insights."

"In the Defense Against the Dark Arts course, we will learn how to use magic to protect ourselves from dark creatures and dark magic, and we will also learn some offensive magic," Hermione said without hesitation.

Lynn praised without reservation: "A textbook answer. I think you've probably memorized the entire self-defense guide. Five points for Gryffindor."

Lynn did not hesitate to give extra points to other houses. The most important thing for a teacher is fairness. Slytherin already had Snape's favoritism, so there was no need for him to deliberately suppress other houses. Besides, his current body was Ravenclaw's. If he suppressed Eagle House to help Slytherin, he would really look like a despicable traitor.

"But this is a summary from the book, compiled by someone else. If you hadn't seen this sentence, what would your own understanding of the Defense Against the Dark Arts course be?"

After Lynn asked his question, Hermione didn't raise her hand again, or rather, the young wizards below all looked blank and had no idea what Lynn's question was.

This is actually quite normal. Although they had been studying Defense Against the Dark Arts for a year, Lynn had also experienced Quirrell's teaching method, which was simply reading from the textbook for a whole lesson without any interaction or practice with the students. These young wizards had studied for a year but hadn't learned anything.

"Since you don't have any understanding of it, I will share my own understanding with you." He wrote two words on the blackboard.

actual combat

"At Hogwarts, you can learn Transfiguration, you can learn Charms, you can learn how to make potions, and you can learn how to grow plants and understand their effects, but these are all skills and knowledge that you will learn. Our Defense Against the Dark Arts class, on the other hand, teaches practical skills."

This is a highly practical course. You will not only learn offensive magic in class, but you will also integrate the knowledge you have learned in other classes and apply it flexibly in order to defeat your enemy, which may be a dark wizard or other dark magical creatures.

Simply put, other subjects teach you how to make a fist, while our defense class teaches you how to throw that fist and hit your enemy in the face.

Lynn explained it very clearly, and the young wizards below understood it immediately.

"Practice is practice, and I agree with the saying that practice makes perfect. But as magic has developed to this point, most of the knowledge has been summarized by our predecessors through practice. So theory is also indispensable. The purpose of both theory and practice classes is to thoroughly learn the theory and then apply it reasonably in practice."

After explaining the Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson clearly, Lynn didn't waste any more words and started directly from the first dark magic creature.

"Corndine elves are not particularly dangerous to adult wizards, but they are a rather troublesome species."

The two classes passed quickly. After the bell rang, Lynn ended the lesson that was not yet finished and reminded the young wizards who were about to leave that they would have a practical class next time, in a classroom with a larger space.

"Wasn't it great?" Harry exclaimed excitedly to Ron and Hermione as they stepped out of the classroom. "Professor Lockhart is very interesting. He didn't spend the whole class bragging about his titles and achievements like we expected. I'm already looking forward to the next practical lesson!"

"Yeah, it's not bad. It would be even better if he didn't give us so much homework," Ron complained listlessly.

Hermione was very unhappy with what he said and lectured him, "Professor Lockhart was right in class. We have fallen behind in too much knowledge from last semester, and we need to work harder this year to catch up."

Ron didn't argue this time because there were a lot of notes to take in class, and neither he nor Harry had finished copying them. They would definitely have to borrow Hermione's notes in the end, so it was best not to upset her before that happened.

After finishing her second-year classes, Lynn didn't linger but went straight into another classroom.

He has two classes this afternoon, one for second grade and one for first grade.

Teaching lower grades was easy for Lynn, not difficult at all, and teaching fourth grade and above was something he excelled at.

By the fourth grade, students are already beginning to explore the most profound aspects of dark magic, including the three Unforgivable Curses. This was Lynn's learning progress in his second year. Thanks to the spellbooks Rozier sent him, the study left to him by Professor Fox, and his extensive practice in the Soviet Union, Lynn had become the most proficient in this area.

Therefore, Lynn's teaching work at Hogwarts did not encounter any difficulties and proceeded in an orderly manner.

A week after the start of the school year, during Harry's second Defense Against the Dark Arts class.

A cage covered with a cloth was placed in front of the podium, and many excited Gryffindors were craning their necks to look in this direction.

"What kind of dark magical creature do you think Professor Lockhart will have us deal with in this combat practice class?" Harry's eyes shone with excitement; it was his first combat practice class, and he was extremely excited.

Ron was nervously checking his wand. Lynn had promised to give everyone the money for the returned books, but buying a new wand would take time. His new wand hadn't arrived yet, so he had to make do with the old one for now. But ever since it broke, the magic it produced had been unreliable.

"A werewolf? Or a vampire? Or perhaps a resurrected zombie?"

Hermione rolled her eyes: "Unless Professor Lockhart goes mad, none of this stuff you're talking about will ever appear at Hogwarts."

Their questions didn't last long, because after class started, Lynn simply lifted the red cloth covering the cage, revealing to them what they were going to deal with that day.

It was the Cornish elf they had learned about in the previous lesson.

These little sprites are dark blue, about eight inches tall, with small, pointed faces and very sharp, piercing voices, like a bunch of budgerigars arguing.

As soon as Lynn removed the red cloth, they started chattering, jumping around, shaking the cage, and making all sorts of strange faces at the people nearby.

A burst of laughter erupted from below the podium; the young wizards clearly didn't take these little guys seriously.

"I know what you're thinking right now." Lynn tapped the cage containing the elves with his wand, and the elves immediately fell silent, their mouths agape but unable to utter a sound.

"You're thinking, these little guys don't have magic, they're short, and they're not very strong, what danger could they pose?" he said with a smile. "It seems some of you have forgotten what we taught in the last lesson. Even though you've filled several feet long with the homework I assigned, you haven't memorized it."

"Symour Finnigan," Lynn called out the name of the young wizard who had just laughed the loudest.

"They are indeed not dangerous, Professor."

Simo stood up from his seat and looked at Lynn innocently.

"These little sprites are indeed not difficult to deal with, and I already taught you how to deal with them in the last lesson. So today's practical lesson will start with you. Let's see how you do."

Seamus showed no fear and walked to the front of the stage with his wand in hand.

There was a large open space there, enough room for him to show off his skills.

Lynn used a petrification spell on the other elves in the cage, leaving only one still lying in the cage making faces at the little wizard.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

Seamus stood five meters away from the cage, holding his wand up to it. The young wizards below were all watching him, making him both excited and nervous.

"I'm ready."

After receiving his confirmation, Lynn opened the cage, and the small, fanged elf that hadn't been petrified immediately darted out.

"Full speed ahead!"

Seamus wasn't stupid either. He seized the opportunity and used a knockback spell the moment Lynn opened the cage.

However, the little sprite was much more agile than he had imagined. Before he could even utter his spell, the sprite had already rushed out of its cage like a rhinoceros to his side.

As expected, Seamus's knockback spell missed, and the little elf rammed its head into his leg, knocking him to the ground. Then, laughing, it climbed onto his face and tugged at his ears.

Seamus waved his wand wildly, yelling for help, while the young wizards below the stage laughed so hard they almost fell over.

Lynn didn't let him suffer for long; instead, he used a silent petrification spell to save him from under the elf's legs.

"I hope you haven't learned this lesson in vain. Underestimating your enemy is a big no-no at any time. If you didn't take your enemy seriously from the beginning, then you've already lost half the battle."

Lynn helped him brush the dust off his clothes and gave him a serious warning.

"Understood, Professor." Seamus, having failed to impress, became a laughingstock and said with his head hanging low.

"Go back and copy my homework again, then sit quietly in your seat and see how others deal with it."

Simo slunk back to his seat and watched as Lynn called on the next person.

"Harry Potter".

Harry stood up immediately upon hearing his name called and eagerly walked to the front of the class.

"Mr. Potter, do you remember what I taught in the last lesson about how to deal with these agile, short creatures?"

Harry nodded. "I remember, Professor, our homework also included a description of how to deal with this type of dark magical creature."

"Then I think you should be ready."

Harry took a deep breath: "Yes, Professor."

As soon as he finished speaking, Lynn released the petrification spell from the little elf. Seeing that it had a new target to play with, it immediately rushed towards Harry with its short legs and unusually fast movements.

Harry didn't hesitate and waved his wand, chanting the spell.

However, the target of his wand was not the sprite itself, but a long wooden plank that Lynn had placed next to it beforehand.

Without any light or warning, the magic took effect directly on the wooden board, turning it into a flexible vine that stretched straight across the elf's front. The elf couldn't dodge in time and was tripped by the vine, falling to the ground. Harry then took advantage of this opening to cast a Freezing Charm on him.

Lynn clapped softly, and inspired the other young wizards in the classroom to join in.

"Perfect performance, very good, Potter. It seems you've remembered what I taught last lesson. Five points for Gryffindor."

Harry's face flushed red because of the scar on his head. He had received a lot of praise at Hogwarts. At the beginning of this year, there was even a freshman named Colin Crevey who was a big fan of his and kept pestering him to take pictures and get autographs.

But the attention he received from that was nowhere near as gratifying as the recognition he earns through his own performance.

Harry bowed to Lynn, then jogged off the stage.

"Well done, Harry." Ron stared at the little house-elf who was frozen again, imagining himself shining on top of it.

"Well done," Hermione praised.

Harry's eyes lit up as he watched Lockhart on the podium preparing to call on the next student for a practical demonstration. He felt that this Defense Against the Dark Arts class was the most interesting class he had ever taken at Hogwarts.

Yes, it would be even better if there were less to write for homework and class notes.

(End of this chapter)