With Penelope’s scream, the contents of their conversation could no longer be kept secret.
The entire Great Hall buzzed with students whispering, some pointing fingers at Tver.
Although prefects were maintaining order, it couldn’t stop the students from discussing him.
“I didn’t expect the new professor to come from Durmstrang!”
“He’s only eighteen—just three years older than me!”
“Isn’t it normal for a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor to know a bit of Dark Arts?”
“How can he teach us Defense if he doesn’t know Dark Arts?”
“Too bad Professor Welfare only teaches first to third years.
I wonder if it’s too late for me to hold myself back a year.”
Thick-skinned as Tver was, even he couldn’t stand the students discussing him like this.
He simply left the hall and went early to Classroom 18, where he was about to hold his class.
This morning’s first class was for the third-year Gryffindors and Ravenclaws together.
The classroom didn’t have any extra decorations yet—just a teacher’s desk and some desks and chairs placed at the front of the room.
A large open space was left in the back, waiting for Tver’s setup.
…
By the time George Weasley and Fred Weasley rushed into the classroom, it was already filled with their classmates taking the lesson together.
“Look at you, giving the Ton-Tongue Toffee to Oliver Wood and making him chase us for a full half hour!” Fred bumped George with his shoulder in dissatisfaction.
“Don’t worry, class hasn’t officially started yet,” George raised an eyebrow playfully.
“If you two don’t come in soon, I’ll have to mark you absent.”
Tver raised the parchment in his hand toward the two standing at the door.
It was the student roster for this class.
The names on it were mostly glowing with golden light, except for the two of them.
Only then did George and Fred realize, and they hurriedly walked into the classroom.
However, the instant they stepped inside, several golden letters popped up above each of their heads.
They were precisely their names.
A layer of golden light detached from these letters, emerging from their heads like little birds, before flying like homing birds toward the parchment in Tver’s hand.
Only then did their names on it light up with a golden glow.
The names above their heads did not disappear, though, making it convenient for Tver to remember them.
“Professor, I want to learn this!”
George looked at Tver with full expectation, and Fred nodded beside him.
This was a simple name magic—of course, with a bit of soul application involved.
Tver put away the parchment, showing a mysterious smile filled with a certain mischievous humor.
“Believe me, even if you’ve done enough forbidden things already, Headmaster Dumbledore wouldn’t be pleased to see you learning this.”
The students present felt a chill in their hearts.
Associating this with the rumors floating around the Great Hall today, this gentle Professor Welfare didn’t seem as naive as his appearance suggested.
On the contrary, remembering the previous two “annual disposable” Defense Against the Dark Arts professors, they felt Professor Welfare might very well be dragged off to Azkaban as a Dark wizard by the end of the year.
So as soon as George’s bottom hit the chair, he couldn’t wait to ask, “Professor Welfare, I heard you’re a Durmstrang graduate this year, is that right?”
Tver revoked the spell he had set at the door and answered without turning around, “Mr.
Weasley, remember to raise your hand next time you ask a question.”
Turning around, he faced the students who shared the same question.
“That’s right, I indeed come from that school.”
The classroom instantly broke into an uproar.
“Professor, do you really learn Dark Arts?”
“Will you teach us Dark Arts?”
“Is that man’s mark still at Durmstrang?”
Students vied to fire questions at Tver, some even standing up straight and shouting their inquiries.
“Quiet!” Tver’s voice wasn’t loud, but to the students’ ears, it sounded like it resounded in their very souls.
As soon as he spoke, the students were shaken out of their senses by the voice.
After recovering for a moment, they were shocked to discover that they couldn’t hear what they or their classmates were saying!
Are we deaf?!
Just as they were in panic, Tver’s voice sounded again.
“You aren’t deaf.
This is just a small punishment.
Remember to raise your hands before speaking from now on.” Seeing the students heave a collective sigh of relief, he sneered, “In addition, ten points off Gryffindor and Ravenclaw each.”
Fred shot his hand up, and only when Tver nodded did he realize his voice had returned.
“Professor, we don’t even have points yet.
How are you going to deduct them?”
The students covered their mouths and giggled.
“Indeed a problem.
One more point per day until your house has enough points to deduct.”
Tver’s words acted like a smile-vanishing charm; the students’ hearts were immediately filled with “respect” for the new professor.
“Regarding Durmstrang, I don’t wish to introduce too much to you in class.
You only need to know one thing: our research into the Dark Arts does not mean we are Dark wizards.”
Tver felt an explanation was necessary; he still wanted to become a teacher who was deeply “beloved” by the students.
“As for Gellert Grindelwald,” he paused, waiting until the students were drawn in by the name, “his mark is indeed still at the school, but his ideology is like Hogwarts’ pure-blood theory—it has plenty of supporters everywhere.”
“This does not mean all students support his ideas, especially since there are many students at school who lost family members to Gellert Grindelwald; they gave a harsh lesson to those students who thought it was cool to spread that mark.”
“So in my view, Durmstrang simply replaced Defense Against the Dark Arts with Dark Arts Research.
Other than that, the difference between the two schools isn’t very big.”
A male student named Roger Davies raised his hand.
“Professor Welfare, I heard Durmstrang doesn’t accept Muggle-born students.
Is that true?”
“You’re correct, Mr.
Davies.
Because in our view, Muggle-born students find it difficult to resist the temptation of Dark Arts.”
“Only when parents can also provide magical guidance can students clearly recognize the true nature of Dark Arts.”
Seeing another student raise a hand, Tver didn’t want to turn this class into a Durmstrang info session.
“Alright, if you have any questions about Durmstrang, you can ask me later.
We are now officially starting our first class, which is also my first class.”
“Speaking of which, I thought you’d be more excited about this.”
“So, who can tell me what Defense Against the Dark Arts is about learning?”
This question was far too simple; even George could easily answer it: “Learning how to use magic to protect oneself from dark creatures and Dark Arts, and learning some offensive and defensive magic.”
“Precisely.
So at the beginning of this course, I need to understand your mastery of magic.”
Tver clapped his hands, focusing all the students’ attention.
“The fastest way is combat—combat between me and you.” The corners of his mouth curled up, and his eyes crinkled with pleasure.
The students widened their eyes in shock, their pupils quaking like an earthquake, mouths agape.
“Don’t worry, I won’t kill you.”