章 340: 0339 The Curse on DADA
With the sofa now fully occupied, Bryan had to return to his seat behind the oak desk that served as the centerpiece of his office.
"About this owl--" Sirius wasted no time in stating the purpose behind his late-night visit, his words punctuated by the soft hooting emanating from the feathered occupant of the cage. "Since you three are here, that makes things simple. It's for you, Ron--"
"For me?" Ron's eyes widened in a comical display of disbelief as his gaze ping-ponged between the small, ruffled owl and Professor Black's kind face.
"Yes, I pre-ordered it a few days ago. Today, the post office delivered it straight to my office. It seems quite excited by the new environment, while I happen to need a quiet setting right now," Sirius explained, his smile deepening as he took in the younger Weasley's flustered face.
"Consider it compensation for what happened to you, Ron. Crookshanks told me how much you valued that rat Scabbers, but because of me, you lost him."
Ron's cheeks puffed out, his freckled features twisting in an expression of astonishment. Although he refrained from giving voice to his thoughts, the unconcealed delight that danced within his eyes was seen by all present.
The Weasley family, burdened by financial constraints, possessed only a single communal owl for the whole family. None of Ron's siblings, nor his younger sister Ginny, had a pet of their own.
"Go on and accept it, Ron. Hedwig will be happy to have a new friend!" Harry chimed in with an encouraging grin.
"Well--" Ron hesitated, the tips of his ears burning a vivid crimson as he found himself the center of attention. Ultimately, however, he offered an embarrassed nod of acquiescence under the warm, supportive gazes of Harry and Hermione.
Now it fell to Harry to clear the true purpose that had drawn the courageous trio visit Bryan's Office in the waning hours of the night.
"Oh, actually..." He averted his gaze, suddenly finding it difficult to meet the inquisitive stares of Sirius and Professor Watson, his words emerging in a hesitant stammer. "We came here to ask you about something, Professor Watson--"
"Hmm--" Bryan leaned back in his chair, making a nasal sound to indicate he was listening.
"There's been a rumor about the Defense Against the Dark Arts position-- that the professors appointed to teach this subject face a curse. The incidents with Quirrell, Lockhart, and Professor Lupin seem to prove this point. With only one exception."
Harry's gaze wavered, settling upon Professor Watson with a mixture of nervousness and curiosity, while Hermione regarded such baseless rumors with palpable disdain, her chin tilted downwards as she studiously examined the toes of her shoes.
Dawning realization blossomed across Bryan's face, while Sirius immediately froze after Harry stated his purpose, staring intently at Harry's face that so resembled James's. He pursed his lips, a glimmer of light shining in his pale gray eyes.
The unnatural atmosphere made Harry feel suffocated. He awkwardly looked down in embarrassment but still persisted in asking the question, "We want to figure out how you managed to avoid this misfortune."
"Harry--" Sirius spoke softly. "You don't need to worry about that. I've considered it - I'm only temporarily helping Dumbledore for less than half a school year. Even if that rumor is true, I don't believe it would be fatal--"
In recent years, among the unsolved mysteries at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the rumor that the professor for the Defense Against the Dark Arts course suffers from a curse has been quite prevalent. Although Dumbledore always remained tight-lipped about it in public, people believed that there was indeed something unusual about this course.
One remarkable side of this alleged curse was that regardless of the identity or caliber of the professor assigned to teach the subject, their tenure would invariably conclude in a gloomy, ominous departure, yet they always managed to persevere in this position until the end of the academic year. Of course, the tragic fate that befell upon Remus could not be considered a benchmark, as external forces beyond the supposed curse were at play.
Outsiders and idle gossipers alike relentlessly speculated about the nature of this curse, believing that the curse on the professors of this course had a time limit, However, Bryan, who had personally experienced this curse, had his own distinct perspective.
In Bryan's estimation, the curse was akin to a chronic poison that silently infiltrated the being of any who accepted the appointment. It would not reveal its presence immediately, but rather, it would gradually and secretly alter the recipient's fortunes, much like a sinister version of luck potion. The poison would accumulate invisibly, and in the shadows unseen, unfavorable events would quietly transpire until a critical juncture was reached, at which the curse would trigger in full explosion.
Judging from the workings and potency of this curse, it was evident that Voldemort himself was indeed deserving of the title of "Master of the Dark Arts." At least during Bryan's years mingling through the European wizarding world, he had never encountered a curse whose effects so closely mimicked the illusory luck and misfortune.
That said, unless you possessed capabilities like Bryan's, avoiding the misfortune formed by the curse was extremely difficult. However, to a certain degree, containing the harm caused by the curse was not impossible– being mindful of the duration you served as the professor for this course was one way.
For someone like Sirius, whose intentions were merely to help Dumbledore for a brief span of two or three months, the potential consequences might not be entirely evadable, but at the very least, the extent of the damage could be contained within an acceptable range.
This logical justification was also the underlying reason why Bryan did not clearly oppose Sirius's decision to accept Dumbledore's offer of the professorship.
If Dumbledore could find three or four 'scapegoats' every year, this course would not have such a bad reputation.
In any case, with Professor Watson's clarifying explanations and Sirius's reassurances, Harry's worries about his godfather's well-being were substantially alleviated, no longer gripped by the fear that Sirius might suddenly drop dead one day.
Over the following two days at Hogwarts, there were only two hottest topics within Hogwarts. The first centered around the true teaching level of Sirius in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. As the third-year Gryffindors had not yet experienced his teaching during those initial two days, Harry could only inquire about his godfather's performance from others, fearing any unfavorable critiques about his godfather. However, according to Fred and George, Sirius's teaching methods were quite engaging and interesting, at the very least not inferior to the Professor Lupin's.
The second topic that consumed the Hogwarts rumor mill was the emergence of what appeared to be a volatile conflict erupting from within the ranks of Slytherin House itself. This altercation had transpired in the Slytherin common room on the previous Monday evening, shortly after the evening meal, and was said to have escalated to such an intense degree that it had to be intervened by the Head of Slytherin House before it subsided.
However, given the notorious uncommunicativeness and tight-lipped nature of the Slytherins when it came to preserving the 'purity' of their house's traditions, the other three houses found themselves starved of any detailed accounts into the nature of this conflict.
In the aftermath of the alarming clash, Draco Malfoy and his faithful cronies could be observed swaggering about the campus grounds with an air of arrogant superiority, while Theodore Nott and Blaise Zabini, fellow Slytherin students in Malfoy's year, consistently bore sullen expressions and visible bruises on their faces, telling everyone they were the losers in this mysterious intra-house conflict.
-Wednesday-
The weather on this particular morning was as splendid and vibrant as Harry's bubbly mood during this period. As fragmented shafts of golden sunlight poured through the intricately carved window grilles, bathing the dormitory in a warm, inviting glow, Harry sprung from his four-poster bed with an energetic vigor. He swiftly donned his school uniform and strode to Ron's bedside, vigorously patting the edge of the mattress in an effort to wake up his slumbering friend.
"Get up, Ron, we can't miss today's class!" Harry's voice resonated with an unmistakable enthusiasm.
"Mmm—" Ron mumbled groggily, sitting upright and rubbing the sleepy haze from his eyes. Seeing Harry rush into the washroom like the wind to freshen up, he blinked in confusion but immediately realized the reason for Harry's excitement.
One by one, Neville, Seamus, and Dean climbed out of their beds, bewildered by the commotion.
"What's going on?" Seamus asked his brow furrowed in puzzlement. "I've never seen Harry this excited about attending classes."
"Sirius's class," Ron shrugged nonchalantly. "He's really looking forward to it—"
Harry was not the sole individual eagerly anticipating Professor Black's opening class. At least, while having breakfast in the Great Hall, Hermione overheard her two roommates, Lavender and Parvati, giggling and sneakily pointing toward Sirius at the staff table.
Undeniably, Sirius Black was one of the more aesthetically appealing professors in terms of physical appearance. With his chiseled, handsome features and a subtle hint of melancholy often lingering in his eyes when he was silent– a consequence, perhaps, of his past persecution– he exuded an alluring aura of brooding intrigue that was quite lethal to underage witches who yearned for romance.
In terms of teaching level, Sirius might not surpass the strong personal style of Professor Watson, but at least in terms of appearance, his supporters among the young wizards were almost on par with Bryan's.
As they filed into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, Sirius, dressed in a sky-blue wizard's robe, having completed the necessary pre-class preparations, leaned casually against the podium, patiently awaiting the arrival of the students.
This was a combined class with Slytherin House, and within that house, Sirius's popularity was clearly not as high as it was in Gryffindor. After the Gryffindor students had all taken their seats, the Slytherin eventually walked in, their expressions radiating an icy disdain. And just a mere second before the bell signaling the beginning of the class period rang out, Draco Malfoy made his grand entrance, flanked by his ever-present lackeys Crabbe and Goyle in tow.
Harry immediately shot Malfoy an angry glare, aware that the reason Malfoy arrived so late was not because he was held up by something but rather an attempt to undermine Sirius's authority.
When it came to hating the Slytherins, Sirius was no less passionate than Harry and his circle of friends. However, for Bryan's sake, he did not want to stoop to the level of a 'Sniveling' pest.
"Let's begin our class now—"
After retrieving the attendance register and methodically calling out each name, Sirius smiled warmly and returned to his position at the podium.
"I've familiarized myself with the current status and progress of this class through Professor Lupin, and I must say, I am quite pleased with the progress you have all made thus far."
At this juncture, Malfoy arrogantly tilted his head, giving Professor Black with a sidelong glance laden with disdain, and let out an audible, mocking snort that reverberated throughout the classroom, ensuring that every student present was made aware of his contempt.
"If you dare cause any trouble, Malfoy," Harry whipped his head around, his face flushing crimson with rage as he glared at him fiercely, "I'll make sure the marks on Zabini and Nott's faces appear on yours too—"
"I bet, Potter—" Malfoy countered, his lips curling into a disdainful sneer, "you must be super touched, right? Having such an experienced jailbird for a godfather?"
Before Harry could stand up and draw his wand, Sirius, who had appeared by his side at some unknown point, had already placed a hand on his shoulder, staring coldly at Malfoy.
"Twenty points from Slytherin—do you need me to explain the reason for the deduction, Mr. Malfoy?" Sirius's voice was low and measured, yet carried an undeniable undercurrent of authority.
Directly challenging a professor's dominance was not a confrontation that even a brash third-year student like Draco could muster, no matter the depth of his disdain for Sirius. Wilting under Professor Black's ice-cold stare, Draco found himself devoid of the courage to retort.
"This is the scene I've been dreaming of!" Ron whispered conspiratorially, a chuckle escaping his lips under Hermione's disapproving gaze. "The fun is just beginning; I really wish Malfoy could act a bit more boldly!"
Sirius returned to his position at the podium, his gaze sweeping across the assembled class as a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth once more.
"According to the curriculum, we should be delving deeper into our understanding of werewolves, but thanks to Professor Watson, we have a rare opportunity to learn how to effectively face the threat posed by the attack of another creature—"
*******************************
For More Chapters; patreon.com/FicFrenzy
章 341: 0340 The Incident
The classroom was abuzz with anticipation as Professor Black strode purposefully towards an intriguing covered object, resembling a birdcage, stationed on a shelf adjacent to the front of the room. Many inquisitive students had noticed peculiar movements emanating from beneath the concealing cloth, striking against the cage, as soon as they entered the classroom, yet curiously, not a single audible sound could be heard.
Sirius nimbly lifted the shrouding fabric, unveiling the cage's contents to the collective gaze of the assembled class, his face adorned with a self-assured smile.
"Can anyone tell me the name of this creature? Of course, it's alright if you're unsure. Strictly speaking, this creature is not part of the Defense Against the Dark Arts curriculum."
Inside the cage was a large, vividly colored bird with a bizarre-looking beak. The bird seemed quite startled, huddled in a corner of the cage, staring in terror at the nearby Sirius and screeching desperately, though curiously, no one could hear its cries.
"Oh, a Fwooper," Hermione said, her neck craning forward showing an interested expression.
[[AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry for the mistake about the name of bird it has been changed to 'Fwooper bird' as it is in canon and Fantastic Beasts movies. It's NOT 'Augurey' its "Fwooper", I have edited previous chapters with this bird's now OG name Fwooper, Sorry for the mistake. ]]
"Precisely, five points to Gryffindor!" Sirius acknowledged with an approving nod, his arms folding across his chest in a contemplative manner.
"Tell us everything you know, Hermione, if you want to earn another five points for Gryffindor!"
Hermione's face immediately flushed red. She took a deep breath and stood up to speak.
"These creatures largely inhabit the African continent. Wizards deeply admire them for their vibrant feathers, and Fwooper's feathers have long been coveted for use in the crafting of exquisite, high-quality quills for extravagant feather pens. Similar to the cries of infant Mandrakes that induce unconsciousness, the Fwooper's twittering songs have similar effect, capable of driving those who hear them to the brink of insanity.
"Uric the Oddball, once tried to persuade the masses that the Fwooper's cry was, in fact, beneficial to one's well-being. To prove that, he subjected himself to its calls continuously for three months without any break. Upon the conclusion of this self-imposed experiment, he presented his findings before the Wizengamot, only to be met with resounding disbelief and incredulity. As when he arrived at the Assembly he wore nothing on his head except a small wig – which, upon closer inspection, turned out to be a deceased badger!"
Neville stared admiringly at Hermione's back, while Ron muttered,
"Since it's not in the curriculum, where does she learn all this bizarre knowledge?"
The Gryffindor students were once again stunned by Hermione's vast knowledge, while most Slytherin students looked contemptuous. Pansy Parkinson mocked Hermione's peculiar tone of voice, causing Draco who had recently reconciled with her to laugh hilariously.
"Do you find this amusing, hmm?!"
Hermione pursed her lips tightly, her face flushing with embarrassment. Sirius strode over, looking as though he might grab Malfoy and Parkinson and toss them out of the classroom.
"Flaunting your ignorance and shallowness to mask your jealousy, are you, Malfoy, Parkinson?" he challenged, his voice resonating with authority.
"Is he stealing your thunder?"
Dean Thomas chimed in, his gaze fixed admiringly upon Sirius as he teased Harry and Ron, who had already drawn their wands in a defensive posture.
At last, Draco realized that Sirius was likely not the kind of pushover that the former Professor Lupin had been. If he didn't restrain himself, he might well face a month's worth of detentions – a prospect that only added to his humiliation. A 'criminal' who had spent twelve years imprisoned in the confines of Azkaban, someone who had willingly descended into the ranks of the Gryffindor House, thereby disgracing the honor of their pure-blood family, was now berating him simply by virtue of a professorial title!
"Ten points from each of you!" Sirius declared mercilessly, his gaze sweeping over Malfoy and Parkinson. "If you cannot maintain decorum in my class, I will continue deducting points from Slytherin until Snivellus Snape can no longer discern a single ruby in the Slytherin hourglass, and then give you all detentions!"
How incredibly cool!
Every young Gryffindor wizard thought this, gazing at the ashen-faced Slytherins on the other side of the classroom, their mood soaring.
"That's the feeling!" Ron exclaimed, his fist clenching and swinging forcefully through the air. "I've been looking forward to a day like this since I entered Hogwarts!"
"For once, I'm hoping Malfoy shows some backbone!" Harry added spitefully.
Hermione glared at them sternly. In her opinion, a qualified professor needed to maintain a certain degree of fairness and not blatantly favor students from a particular House. Most professors did this well, with Professor McGonagall being an exemplary model. But Hermione pursed her lips, the corners of her mouth curving ever so slightly.
She had to admit, being favored felt rather nice.
During past Potions classes, whenever Snape singled out Harry as an example, Malfoy would always mock Harry's incompetence and weakness. But when the tables were turned on him, Malfoy realized it was not so easy to confront a strong-willed professor.
Sirius gave a disdainful snort, then turned his attention back towards Hermione's side of the classroom. "You did exceptionally well, Hermione," he commended, his face graced with a warm smile. "Now, could you tell us where you learned all this?"
"Mr. Newt Scamander's, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the revised second edition, contains a narrative detailing of his travels in Africa, which includes a mention of the Fwooper birds," Hermione promptly replied.
"Additionally, Professor Binns also mentioned some stories about Uric the Oddball and the evil Merrick when he told us about medieval magical history!"
"Oh, brilliant!" Sirius clapped his hands in admiration.
"Professor Binns's History of Magic class - I would never have guessed! I'd wager, Hermione, you're one of the few students in this classroom who can stay awake during Professor Binns's lessons!"
"Actually—" Ron muttered once more, "she's the only one!"
Sirius glanced amusedly at Ron and announced loudly, "Ten indisputable points to Gryffindor. Oh, Hermione, I really think you should teach this class! So, I assume you know how to deal with this pretty little creature?"
Sirius's Defense Against the Dark Arts class had truly become a veritable paradise for the young Gryffindor wizards. Even Neville, often-cited as a shining example of failure by professors across various subjects, mustered the courage to answer a handful of questions.
And in the end, Malfoy had to be carried out of Sirius's class. He had attempted to secretly cast a spell to remove Harry's protective earmuffs while Harry was tending to the Fwooper, but Sirius, enraged by this swiftly petrified Malfoy, punishing him to stand immobilized for the majority of the lesson.
"Just carry him out like that!" Sirius growled as the bell signaling the end of the period reverberated through the chamber. He fixed Crabbe and Goyle, who were trying to move the petrified Draco, with a stern gaze. "Take him to Snape and let us see what that greasy-hair has to say about causing trouble in my class!"
He then arched an inquisitive eyebrow towards Harry and the others before striding out of the classroom.
"Sirius is really too rash. This is merely his first week teaching this class. Snape definitely won't let this go unanswered," Hermione said worriedly, her brow furrowing with concern.
"Harry, we need to find a way to prevent any conflict from erupting between him and Snape."
"Are you insane, Hermione?" Ron exclaimed in disbelief. "Doesn't Harry desperately yearn to witness Snape receiving a well-deserved thrashing from Sirius?"
"Compared to Snape's attitude towards Gryffindor students in Potions class, Sirius has been quite mild!" Harry agreed unreservedly.
"This is different, Harry!" Hermione insisted, her tone tinged with urgency.
The Gryffindors still had Transfiguration with the Hufflepuffs scheduled for the morning, and they dared not miss Professor McGonagall's class just to witness Malfoy's misfortune.
Hermione hastened her pace, voicing her worries, "Don't you remember the turmoil the Hippogriff incident caused Hagrid? If Malfoy's father catches wind of how Sirius treated Malfoy, he most probably won't let this go."
"But Lucius Malfoy can't possibly pin anything on Sirius," Ron countered immediately. "The Ministry has declared Sirius innocent in the eyes of the entire wizarding world. Those officials won't make fools of themselves over some paltry Galleons!"
Hermione's concerns did manage to instill a bit of worries within Harry, especially when he failed to catch sight of Malfoy at the Slytherin table during the luncheon hour, and neither Sirius nor Snape appeared at the staff table. Professor Watson was also conspicuously absent from his usual seat.
Just then, a commotion emanated from the entrance hall, drawing the rapt attention of the students, who hastened towards the source of the disturbance. To their astonishment, they discovered that Filch had tumbled down the stairs. Many students, failing to grasp the gravity of the situation, erupted into boisterous laughter at the comical spectacle of Filch's undignified fall. However, Harry had a sudden premonition that something had happened.
Filch's face was as pale as on that dreadful night over a year ago when he had discovered Mrs. Norris had been petrified by the Basilisk.
"They're fighting!" Filch scrambled to his feet, his appearance disheveled, neglecting to tidy himself as he roared towards Dumbledore, who had already taken note of the commotion unfolding in the entrance of the Great Hall.
"Professor Black and Professor Snape!"
*******************************
For More Chapters; patreon.com/FicFrenzy
週次パワーステータス
200+ 推薦
ランキング 
28 推薦
チケット 
段落コメント