Chapter 14: Being A Teacher Means Having Fun Above All
At ten in the morning, it was the time when students and professors entered their groove, teachers and students immersed in the first class after returning to school, the corridors of Hogwarts Castle were somewhat quiet, and the passage near the library was even more noticeably so, silent enough that only footsteps could be heard.
Several students from Muggle Studies class found it novel; halfway through the class, they were called out to move textbooks, something they had never experienced before.
Melvin walked slowly beside them.
“Professor.”
Cedric from Helga Hufflepuff turned his head to look at him, hesitated slightly, but still spoke up: “Do the textbooks this term have some special magic? Do they require several people to be present at the same time to move them?”
The others slowed their steps, also very curious.
“No magic, books published by Muggles.”
“Can the Levitation Charm move them?”
“Probably.”
“Then why…”
Ruling out the idea that the professor didn’t know the Levitation Charm, he still couldn’t think of any other answer.
Cedric glanced at the three classmates beside him again; he had noticed as soon as he left the classroom that the professor had selected people according to a pattern, one from each house.
“Because I need someone to guide the way.”
Melvin blinked: “I’ve only been at Hogwarts a few hours earlier than the first-year students, I don’t know where the library is, and I’m not familiar with these staircases and doorways; if any unexpected situation occurs… for a long time afterward, your mealtime conversation will be about Professor Levent getting lost in the corridor during class time.”
Cedric couldn’t help but laugh: “That won’t happen.”
The others nearby chimed in, their tones somewhat cheerful, even Cassius from Slytherin couldn’t help but laugh.
Lee Jordan still had questions: “If it’s just guiding the way, you could have called Cedric alone; why call four people?”
“Didn’t I say? To move books.”
“You really need to move them?”
“Yes, really move them.”
“Isn’t there the Levitation Charm?”
“It’s a precaution emphasized by Dumbledore himself: no casting spells in school corridors.”
“That was proposed by Filch to make trouble for students, and professors don’t have to follow it.”
“Talk less, save your strength to move books.”
“Sigh…”
The package from Flourish and Blotts was signed for by Madam Pince; books published by Muggles are different from other magic books—they don’t move around, don’t emit shrill screams—and when placed with other magic books, Madam Pince worried this batch of encyclopedias would be torn to shreds, so she stored them in the storeroom next to the library.
The binding of this batch of books was somewhat different from the magic textbooks in their impressions; textbooks for other subjects were made of yellowed parchment with covers of oxford cloth or linen. But these books used coated paper with soy ink, fine and clear print, neat edges without rough cuts, covers with a layer of transparent plastic film, smooth to the touch, bright colors, completely different from those magic books.
So when Cedric and the others just entered the storeroom and saw the clean, brand-new books, their eyes lit up: “These are our textbooks?”
Melvin looked at them and also smiled: “Not exactly textbooks, reference reading material.”
“I’ll definitely take good care of it.” Lee Jordan couldn’t help but touch it, not daring to use too much force.
“I remember you’re half-blood; you should have seen books like this before.”
“I’ve always studied at Hogwarts, using magic textbooks.”
“Didn’t look at other books during vacation?”
“You said it was vacation; who looks at books then?” Lee Jordan said righteously.
“I don’t know why you’re so proud of that…” Melvin smiled again, “Stop touching, hurry up and move the books; you can look slowly back in the classroom.”
“Yes, professor!”
Encyclopedias like these large tomes still had some weight, but the third-year elective class wasn’t large, so divided among four people, it wasn’t much effort.
With high enthusiasm, the four quickly counted them out, each holding a stack, and wobbled back.
……
When they returned to the classroom, it was a noisy hubbub inside.
Hogwarts classrooms had good soundproofing, plus Muggle Studies had no fixed seating, so students sat together with those from the same house they knew; not long after the professor left, the classroom livened up, with people chatting about the earlier topics front, back, left, right—Ilvermorny, Muggle Studies, exams and homework…
A few students also paid attention to Melvin’s attire.
Cedric and the other three entered the classroom carrying four stacks of large tomes, placing them on the front row desks with a thud, and the little wizards quieted down at once.
Seeing them staring eagerly at the new books, Melvin leisurely came to the front, gestured for Cedric and the others to return to their seats, and asked the other students: “I had you get to know each other in the classroom; how did that go?”
“…”
The little wizards blinked.
What did that mean? Wasn’t that just casual small talk?
“No answer? Then I’ll call a few people to test the results.”
Melvin’s words instantly made the students nervous; his gaze swept around, he pondered briefly: “You don’t have student numbers or anything, so let’s number by seats: first on the left is number 1, then 2, 3 going back… Clear enough?”
The little wizards nodded, vaguely understanding his intent.
“Then number 2, Miss Johnson, you first.”
“…”
Angelina looked bewildered, still a bit dazed.
“What’s the name of the boy in the second row of Slytherin over there?”
Angelina glanced at the boy there, eyes rolling, completely unable to recall his self-introduction; she remembered he was a Slytherin Chaser, what was his name—not Warrington, not Flint…
“Five-second countdown; no answer means punishment.”
Angelina’s eyes widened, starting to panic, staring intently at the Slytherin boy, quickly recalling classes they’d had together before.
“Five, four, three…”
“Lagham Monty!”
Angelina breathed a sigh of relief; at the critical moment, she remembered—they’d had Potions together before, and that boy had been scolded by Professor Snape.
“You pass; next, let me think which number…”
The little wizards in the classroom widened their eyes, some nervous, some excited; this form of random questioning seemed fun.
“Number 6, Mr. Lagfurs, what’s the name of the girl in the third row from Rowena Ravenclaw?”
“…”
“…Countdown over; sorry, you need to accept punishment. Mr. Lagfurs, come to the front and perform a program for us.”
“I… I can’t perform.”
“If you insist, I can provide some minor help.”
“What help?”
“Like Tarantallegra, or Rictusempra.”
“No need.”
Lagfurs’s body trembled slightly, face crestfallen; these were two hexes not quite dark magic, one making someone dance nonstop, the other making them wail loudly.
Under the pitying gazes of the whole class, Lagfurs sang a wizard song, “A Cauldron Full of Hot, Strong Love” by witch Cetina Warbeck 《A Cauldron Full of Hot, Strong Love》, supposedly his mother’s favorite.
“Applause for Mr. Lagfurs; his performance was memorable.
“Next…”
The earlier excited little wizards all bowed their heads deeply, avoiding the professor’s gaze, holding their breath unconsciously, silently praying not to be called, almost hearing their own hearts pounding.
Some students hurriedly got to know others, quietly asking nearby friends for names they didn’t know, rustling whispers.
Only a few students looked thoughtful, seeming to grasp a pattern.
“Number 10, Mr. Pryce from Helga Hufflepuff…”
While Pryce answered, the Rowena Ravenclaws relaxed, but number 18, Samuels, started getting nervous.
“Next, number 14, Mr. Appleby from Helga Hufflepuff.”
This time most students in the classroom caught on; Hogwarts had no math class, but other subjects involved basic arithmetic.
2, 6, 10, 14…
An arithmetic sequence increasing by 4; such an obvious pattern, all students realized.
“Next…”
Just as number 18 Samuels’s heart was pounding wildly, he heard Professor Levent call another name: “Number 7, Miss Stinson from Godric Gryffindor.”
“！!”
Patricia Stinson, who had just relaxed, felt her breath stop, blood rushing up, heart louder than a drum.
Shouldn’t it be 18!?
Caught off guard, Patricia Stinson was sneak attacked, went up and sang 《You Stole My Heart Using Magic》, voice just slightly trembling.
During her shaky singing, students looked toward seat 18; Rowena Ravenclaw Samuels had clenched his fists, ready to stand and answer, but suddenly realized he’d dodged it, blinking in confusion, staring blankly at Stinson.
Stinson on stage felt utterly defeated.
Professor Levent was a bad guy…
“Next, number 33, Trasfer from Slytherin…”
Trasfer was unprepared, but luckily the professor picked a pure-blood he’d seen at a banquet before, narrowly escaping punishment.
Melvin sighed, looking somewhat disappointed.
“Next…”
Melvin drew out the ending, his gaze wandering the classroom.
The little wizards in their seats grew panicked.
Dreadful! The professor abandoned the pattern and started random checks!
At seat 18, Rowena Ravenclaw’s Samuels relaxed, thinking since the professor dropped the pattern, he was safe now. Just as he thought that, he heard the professor’s devilish whisper nearby.
“Number 18, Samuels, your turn.”
“！!”
Wasn’t I safe already!?
Samuels’s breath hitched, heart racing slightly; having sped up several times before, it was now a bit fatigued.
He felt his heart’s load was high today. Like being tied to an out-of-control flying broomstick, constantly pulling up and dropping sharply, finally crashing headfirst into the blackboard in the Muggle Studies classroom.
“What’s the name of the girl in the middle of the fourth row?”
“Fawcett, professor.”
“Very good.”
“Phew…”
Samuels sighed in relief, head drooping; for some reason, even though he answered correctly, he still felt punished—or more like teased, a prank worse than the Weasley brothers’.
It was a pity those two guys didn’t take Muggle Studies.
After all that commotion, the whole class felt like they’d been through an adventure together; now they really knew each other, could call out names.
Before they could complain about the professor, the clean, brand-new encyclopedias were distributed; the exquisite binding like artwork, bright colors eye-catching, and opening them, previously unseen illustrations immediately drew their gazes.
Vast, brilliant universe and starry sky;
Wonderful, surprising molecular bonds;
Detailed, realistic muscle dissections…
The little wizards experienced visual shock for the first time, not to mention the Muggle science above challenging their perceptions.
……
That noon, lunchtime.
After two months of summer vacation, even the most grueling History of Magic and Potions became vivid and interesting; even Professor Snape’s icy face seemed somewhat kindly in illusion.
The new school year just beginning, the little wizards full of novelty, gathered in the Great Hall during lunch, chattering about the morning classes.
Hermione sat at the Godric Gryffindor long table.
Not far beside her were Harry and Ron, mouths stuffed with roasted chicken legs, but that didn’t stop their voices:
“Professor McGonagall is a Transfiguration genius; we’re not—how could we turn matches into needles in the first class.”
“But… Granger succeeded, didn’t she?”
“She’s a bookworm.”
Harry glanced sideways at the girl, whispering: “Don’t say that…”
Hermione focused on cutting her steak, thinking earlier that if they asked, she’d tell them how to properly flick the wand to more easily turn matches into silver needles.
Now, forget it—unless they sincerely asked!
Just then, the other two Weasley brothers came over, holding a beautifully bound large tome full of colorful illustrations on every page, too many for the eyes to take in.
“No wonder Dad’s modified flashlight doesn’t light up.”
“Oh…”
“What are you looking at?”
Ron immediately noticed his own brothers and the large tome in their hands: “Why doesn’t Dad’s flashlight light up?”
George and Fred had been absorbed in the book, but as soon as Ron squeezed over and craned his neck, the twins snapped it shut, faces vigilant, hands covering it tightly, not even letting him see the cover art.
“Let me see!”
“Little Ronnie, peeking isn’t a good habit.”
“Let me see!”
“Say 「please」 to your brothers.”
“…”
Watching the twins tease Ron, Harry was somewhat speechless.
Hermione carefully confirmed the title several times, stunned briefly, then looked up and around.
The four house long tables in the Great Hall each had several encyclopedias; magic school students chattered about foundational scientific knowledge, seeming to find simple physics and chemistry more wondrous than magic.
Hermione couldn’t help but listen carefully.
So it was the textbooks distributed by Professor Levent; only third years had Muggle Studies that morning, so interested students could only borrow from them; in the next few days, upper years would have classes one after another…
That was all the useful info; the rest was discussion of Professor Levent—novel class format, prank-like questioning, and the songs of a few unlucky classmates.
“Professor Levent…”
Hermione’s curiosity grew stronger.
