Bab 195: 0194 Back Again
The most anticipated Quidditch match of the year was finally about to begin at Hogwarts. The entire school was buzzing with excitement and tension, as the students and teachers prepared to cheer for their respective houses. No matter if it was Sirius Black, the notorious fugitive who had escaped from the wizarding prison of Azkaban, or Bryan Watson, the former Dark Arts Defense teacher who had returned to Hogwarts and become the head of the Student Safety Office, they had to put aside their worries and fears for this thrilling moment.
Ever since the previous school year, when Slytherin had snatched the victory from Gryffindor in the final match, the entire Gryffindor team, including Harry Potter, had a suffocating feeling in their hearts.
Especially Oliver Wood, the captain and keeper of the Gryffindor team, who was about to graduate this year. He was determined to win at any cost, if there really was a devil in this world, then Wood would have no hesitation in selling his soul in exchange for winning the House Cup.
"Listen, Harry!"
The morning before the game, the weather was dreadful. The wind was howling, the rain was pouring down like buckets, and the dim corridors were full of puddles everywhere. The castle caretaker, Filch, was busy running around to clear the drains and mop the floors.
But the most annoying creature in the castle, Peeves the poltergeist, liked to make trouble at this time. He flew over the corridors with a sneer, throwing balloons filled with water everywhere, making Filch so angry and helpless that he popped them open and cursed, until finally, he threatened Peeves that if he continued to mess around and disturb the order of the class day, he would ask Professor Watson to come out and deal with him, which barely calmed Peeves down.
"It's already this time, Harry!"
Wood blocked Harry in the stormy corridor for the third time today, roaring louder than the raging wind and waves outside,
"You have to forget those cowardly and despicable Slytherins, focus on dealing with Hufflepuff, their new captain Diggory, you have to be careful of him, Harry, he turns very fast, don't ever–"
Harry, who had already become a drowned chicken, didn't hear what Wood said at the end. He was about to ask, but a figure that surprised him came out of the Dark Arts Defense classroom twenty feet away.
"Do you have any special opinions on Slytherin, Mr. Wood?"
Even though the wind was raging and the rain was roaring, the word's spoken by Professor Watson in a calm and smiling tone reached Oliver and Harry's ears, making them stunned.
"No, no, sir, oh, I mean Professor Watson!"
Wood stuttered, "I was just praising Slytherin's wisdom. They obviously anticipated that such bad weather was not suitable for the game, so they thought of a clever excuse, very worthy of praise!"
Bryan nodded in satisfaction, his eyes fixed on Harry, who was still dumbfounded.
"Well, Mr. Potter, the Dark Arts Defense class has started for two minutes, do you want to come and listen?"
Harry stumbled into the classroom, and until he sat down, looking at Professor Watson who was taking attendance, he still had a dazed expression.
"Very good!"
After confirming that no one was absent, Bryan rubbed his palms happily, breathed out two puffs of warm breaths, and said to the confused little wizards,
"Please don't misunderstand, everyone, Professor Lupin is feeling a little unwell, and temporarily asked me to teach for him."
The classroom fell into a strange silence, the young wizards looked at each other, and they didn't know how to evaluate what they encountered. There has never been a Dark Arts Defense teacher who could come back alive and healthy and teach them again after resigning.
"Prof-essor–"
Harry instinctively felt that Professor Watson's smile was a bit wrong, and his trembling voice made Malfoy, who was busy unwrapping the bandage on his arm, laugh so hard that he almost fell under the table,
"Professor Watson, what are you going to teach us?"
"Um, I learned from Miss Granger that, according to Professor Lupin's teaching progress, you should learn how to deal with Hinkypunks. Because I'm just a temporary teacher, I won't disrupt Professor Lupin's teaching plan."
Fuuu-
A collective sigh of relief filled the classroom, and for a moment, it seemed to drown out the wind and rain outside.
Below the podium, Neville Longbottom collapsed like a deflated balloon, and Ron, who had weak legs, also wiped the sweat that didn't exist on his forehead. He tilted his freckled nose and looked at Hermione Granger in the front row with astonishment,
"But, professor-" Hermione raised her hand high and asked timidly,
"But you came empty-handed, didn't you?"
"Ah"
Bryan said cheerfully, "Because today's classroom is not here, everyone, I arranged those poor little guys in the staff lounge. Well, instead of following the book, I think you can learn more about Hinkypunks in actual combat. Oh, what's wrong, Potter, look at your painful expression?"
Bryan widened his eyes and looked at Harry Potter who made a miserable face,
"Professor-"
Harry said pitifully,
"Are you sure you're going to let us deal with Hinkypunks, and not some dark creature with a lion's head and dragon's body? No offense, professor, I mean, tomorrow is the first Quidditch match of the school year. I can't miss it."
Harry was still muttering something like 'I'm the hope of the house, Wood will kill me', and so on. Bryan didn't listen carefully, but turned his gaze at Draco Malfoy, who was laughing so hard that he started hiccuping,
"It looks like you're recovering well, Mr. Malfoy?"
Bryan raised his eyebrows and smiled,
"I guess you won't mind showing off your extraordinary skills for everyone first?"
In the Dark Arts Defense class, Slytherin and Gryffindor showed completely opposite attitudes to Professor Watson's return to teach. Basically, the Slytherin students had a jubilant expression, they didn't like the poor-looking, soft-spoken, and seemingly starving Professor Lupin.
The Gryffindor young wizards, to be honest, were also very happy to see Professor Watson, and a few of them, like Hermione, were even very excited. The reason why most people behaved so cautiously was actually what Harry said earlier.
"Don't worry, Harry!"
On the way to the staff lounge, Ron and Seamus Finnigan discussed for a while, and said 'with a determined face',
"We've agreed that no matter what happens, you don't have to be brave, Harry, leave everything to us, at this critical moment, we have to ensure your safety!"
Ron's words were unanimously agreed by the Gryffindor wizards, whether it was Neville, who was ready to go to the hospital wing, or the girls in the dormitory who were heroic, they were all prepared to protect Harry's safety at all costs.
"Have you ever considered-"
Hermione suddenly said, "According to Professor Watson's habit, he likes to break up people from different houses, Harry, your teammate is most likely Malfoy or Theodore Nott."
"Can't you say something nice?" Ron rolled his eyes and said unhappily.
Hermione, who had rebuilt her psychological defense, was not a fragile glass vase, she stared at Ron with a strong gaze, until Ron avoided her eyes, she said stiffly,
"I just think this possibility is very high, Harry, you'd better be prepared."
Malfoy was whispering with his Slytherin classmates, and from time to time, he looked at Harry with a bad smile. Harry could easily figure out that Malfoy must be telling those people that if anyone was paired with Potter, they had to find ways to drag Potter's legs, or make Potter hurt.
All the chattering discussions among the young wizards could not be hidden from Bryan, who pretended not to hear, but just sighed in his heart, no matter the age, no matter the occasion, it seemed that, where there are people, there are differences.
The staff lounge had been visited by Professor Lupin at the beginning of the semester, and this time they were already familiar with it. It didn't take long for them to stand in front of the door of a large office.
"Well–"
Bryan stood in front of the door and turned around with a smile, looking at the Slytherin who was determined to make trouble and the Gryffindor who was united against the enemy,
"I worked overtime last night and changed the layout of this room a bit. Now, let me show you the results of my hard work all night!"
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