Chapter 451
Boggart
Chapter 451 Boggart
Early the next morning, Wade went to Professor McGonagall's office and got back the time-turner he had been longing for.
"I've heard about you." Professor McGonagall smiled approvingly and encouragingly, and said in a gentle tone, "Welcome back, Wade."
"Thank you, Professor." Wade hung the golden converter back around his neck and tucked it into his clothes. He smiled and said, "Also, I want to thank you for exempting me from last week's paper."
"I believe that you already have all the knowledge about how inanimate objects can be transformed into living things in your head. There is no need to write it down."
Professor McGonagall looked at Wade and asked, "Wade, I suppose you have received your new timetable?"
"Yes," Wade said, "the course schedule is basically the same as last semester."
"Oh, because this was written with a magic feather pen, it can't think about too complicated problems. For example, the course schedules of some students need to be adjusted appropriately to be more efficient."
Professor McGonagall pulled her wand out of her sleeve and tapped the parchment on the table, lines of text appearing out of thin air.
"I know that most of the third-year courses don't mean much to you. This is the content and time of the classes I teach to other grades this semester, Wade. You can choose the appropriate time to take the courses you need."
Wade took it in surprise, looking at the class schedule on the paper that was detailed down to the minute, his eyes filled with disbelief.
Professor McGonagall didn't say anything else. After checking the time, she said, "Well, the first class is about to start. You should go to class. Remember, even if you have a time turner, don't waste time."
……
The first class in the morning was still three elective classes with overlapping time. However, for Wade, the content of the class was not too difficult.
Professor Trelawney's Divination class, if you ignore her self-aggrandizing content, is just a matter of flipping through the book.
Wade is quite talented in this area. Even without looking at the knowledge points summarized by predecessors in the books, his divination results are much more accurate than those of other students.
Not to mention Muggle Studies, he had ample experience with Muggles, and even Professor Bubbage, who taught this course, should have learned from him. Wade heard at least five mistakes she made in one class.
Of course, compared to other wizards, Professor Burbage is a rare Muggle studies expert who is proficient in Muggle knowledge and sympathetic to non-magical people.
Not to mention arithmetic and divination, Wade's math level is enough to crush everyone in Hogwarts. This course that gives most people a headache is just a relaxing number game for him.
I don't know if the professors had discussed it in advance, but except for Defense Against the Dark Arts and Potions, the professors of other required courses made exceptions and allowed Wade to skip those courses for which he had already mastered all the knowledge and spend his time on more meaningful things.
When he met Professor Snape in the corridor, although he had a sullen look on his face, he still patiently explained why he could not give him the privilege of skipping class:
"Potions is an extremely in-depth and rigorous subject that does not allow for any carelessness."
"It requires extreme precision, care and skill on the part of the maker. Every detail is crucial - details are the key to the success of the potion."
"Even if you have made the same potion a thousand times, when you make it for the thousand and first time, you still need to concentrate and maintain the same focus and awe as the first time."
"So I will never allow any student to be absent from class without reason." Snape concluded coldly, his eyes as sharp as a knife, and said: "You are no exception, Wade."
Vader: "...Okay, Professor."
Well, actually he wasn't that surprised... although Vader hadn't intended to skip Professor Snape's class in the first place.
Although most of the professors' teaching content can be found in books, and they occasionally make small mistakes, Professor Snape does not.
He required his students to be rigorous, and he himself was more rigorous than anyone else. He would write down every step of brewing potions in detail on the blackboard, and occasionally share some small tricks he had summarized over the years, like little diamonds hidden in the boring courses.
However, except for students like Hermione who wanted to memorize every punctuation mark, most of Wade's classmates started busying themselves as soon as they read the beginning.
During this period, they fooled around a little here and a little there, and had to rack their brains just to correct various small mistakes. They didn't even bother to listen to what harsh words the professor said. In the end, they handed in a work that was half-baked and not sure whether it would pass.
During the first class, the other students were somewhat surprised to see Wade come in, but they quickly greeted him as usual and began to listen to the lecture.
Most people didn't know what kind of story he had been through. Since Wade usually kept a distance from strangers, few people were tactless enough to come and ask about his "family affairs".
At noon, Wade briefly explained the situation to Harry, the Weasley twins and other few people who knew the situation. No one thought much about it, but they were just glad that he could return safely.
"I feel like the Witch Party is much better than the Death Eaters my parents talk about." On the way to the Great Hall for dinner, Fred said seriously, "At least they don't detain minors and force them to work illegally."
George agreed: "What's the difference between a villain without means and a thug?"
"What about the villain with substance?" Harry asked.
George pretended to smoke a cigar, then lowered his head slightly and said in a voice similar to a cigar smoker: "You can call me 'FATHER'."
A few boys remembered a Muggle movie they had seen recently and burst into laughter.
"Mr. Weasley."
Professor McGonagall's voice suddenly came from behind, and George almost jumped up in fright.
"Good afternoon, Professor McGonagall." Several people greeted.
Professor McGonagall nodded sternly, looked at the Weasley twins and said, "Movies may give some characters a false sense of glamour, but I want you to know that violence and crime are wrong, and true power comes from wisdom, courage and commitment to justice."
"Yes, Professor." The Weasley twins answered obediently, lowering their heads.
When Professor McGonagall walked towards the teachers' seats, the two of them pushed and shoved each other again, complaining that the other was not paying attention to the surrounding environment when talking.
"Hey, kids!" Hagrid, who had just finished his meal, came over and asked in a low voice, "Which afternoon are you free tomorrow or the day after tomorrow?"
He thought his voice was very soft, but in fact almost all the students around him heard it and couldn't help but look curious.
"I only have one Charms class this afternoon on Wednesday." Harry asked the others, "What about you?"
Vader nodded: "Same."
Although he had originally planned to attend the sixth grade Transfiguration class that afternoon, it would be okay to move that plan to Thursday.
Since several professors exempted him from thesis assignments, Wade had a lot more time this semester than before.
Michael and the others also nodded. Wade and Hermione were the busiest among them, while the others had much fewer classes.
"I have to write a paper." Hermione said in annoyance, "I also have a 325-page book to read!" "We don't have time any day." George said helplessly, "Although Fred and I think there is no need to be too nervous about the OWLs exams, the professors obviously don't think so."
Fred's eyes lit up, and he looked at Hagrid expectantly, and said tentatively, "But Hagrid, if you exempt both of us from our papers, then..."
"Don't dream, this is impossible." Hagrid waved his hand and said decisively: "Last time I asked you how to distinguish hedgehogs from stingers, you two actually said that you can use their hair to make alchemical products. The one that fails is the hedgehog - is this reasonable? Who would use such a troublesome method?"
The twins stuck out their tongues, but showed no signs of shame.
In fact, they knew the correct way to distinguish them, but they were experimenting with a new idea at the time and used the hair of a prickly ash in the production. As a result, an unscrupulous businessman sold them products mixed with fakes, so they answered casually.
The hair of the hedgehog has magical properties, but ordinary hedgehogs do not, which can be regarded as a difference between them. Therefore, Hagrid was stunned for a long time, not knowing whether he should count them correctly, and almost forgot how to carry on with the course.
At this point, the Care of Magical Creatures professor waved his hand unhappily and said, "You two should review your lessons! As for the rest of you...come to my cabin at four o'clock the day after tomorrow, don't forget."
Hagrid blinked his dark brown eyes, with an expression that said "I have a secret but I can't tell it for now", and left in a good mood.
They looked at each other, and Michael asked, "Harry, do you know what's going on?"
"I don't know. But I think..." Harry thought for a moment and said, "We'd better bring some food that day, right? Unless you want to eat Hagrid's special rock cakes for dinner."
We agreed on a time and place to meet, and then had classes non-stop in the afternoon.
Even though Wade was allowed to skip some classes, it didn't mean he didn't have to study. In fact, he arranged a schedule that was even fuller than his original schedule.
It had only been a short day back at school, but he felt like he had forgotten what a leisurely vacation was like.
Vader also met the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Ryan Trocca, again.
He was dressed much more formally than he had been in Diagon Alley before, as if he could attend someone's funeral at any time. His expression was as serious as Professor McGonagall's, and he looked very difficult to mess with.
In the classroom, the students were very quiet, and Professor Trocca's topic was exactly what Abigail was going to talk about, Boggart.
There was also a wooden box with mottled marks in the classroom, and there were banging sounds coming from it, as if there were a dozen lively rabbits stuffed inside.
"There's a Boggart in here."
Professor Troka said calmly, "I heard that you have already learned some of the relevant content before, so I will just keep it simple."
"Take note of what I said."
"Boggart likes dark, enclosed environments. It has no fixed shape, but it will become what people fear the most. When facing a Boggart, the most important thing is a sense of humor."
The sound of rustling writing could be heard in the classroom.
Professor Trocca paused for a moment, then continued, "You need to imagine an image that makes it funny, and then use the Funny Spell. If you can make yourself laugh instead of screaming, the Boggart will be overwhelmed."
"Of course, a fake laugh won't fool him - although most people can't laugh when they first see a Boggart."
"Well, take out your wands and learn the spell from me again - burlesque!"
"How funny!" the students followed along as they practiced.
"Very good." Professor Troka seemed to want to show a satisfied smile, but in the end just twitched the corners of his mouth.
He waved his wand casually, causing the desks and chairs to move to both sides of the classroom, leaving a large empty space in the middle, and then asked the students to move back.
"Stand back so as not to disturb the Boggart. It will be confused by the number of people and won't know what to do."
Professor Troka coughed lightly and said, "I need to find a student to demonstrate first..."
His eyes slowly wandered around the classroom. Some students were eager to try, while others quickly lowered their heads to avoid his gaze.
"Um... Miss Greengrass, please come to the front," said Professor Trocca.
Daphne Greengrass swallowed, held her wand, and walked forward carefully.
"Are you ready?" Professor Trocca asked.
Daphne's whole body screamed, "No!", but the professor's seriousness was intimidating, so she nodded nervously.
"Then let's get started!"
Professor Troca also stepped back a little, waved his wand from a distance, and the lid of the wooden box popped open instantly.
A pale, swollen hand grasped the edge of the box with a "bang".
After a brief silence, a woman in a bloodstained white dress slowly crawled out of the box. Her long black hair hung down like a mop, covering her face. Her limbs were bent strangely as she crawled towards Daphne step by step.
Daphne was stunned, and the whole classroom was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
Vader covered his forehead with his hands, unable to bear the sight.
Obviously, although the flow mirror has enriched the lives of wizards and broadened their horizons, it has also allowed this closed group to witness the extreme horror of human imagination.
"Funny funny, Miss Greengrass."
Seeing that she was slow to respond, Professor Troka reminded her.
Daphne shuddered all over and instead of casting a spell, she threw her wand at the "ghost girl" that was crawling towards her, screamed, and turned around and ran away!
The one who faced the "female ghost" suddenly became Pansy Parkinson.
The Boggart raised his head slightly and stared at Pansy, as if he hadn't figured out what he would become yet, when Pansy also let out a shrill scream, backing away while pushing Blaise Zabini next to him forward.
With a "bang", the lower body of the "female ghost" turned into a giant centipede, which suddenly looked even more terrifying. It even seemed to crawl a little faster.
It was stunned for a moment, then quickly crawled towards the crowd, and the entire classroom instantly turned into a sea of screams.
No matter what the students were most afraid of before, now they seem to have a common object of fear.
(End of this chapter)