#451 - Boggart

The next morning, Wade went to Professor McGonagall's office first and got back the Time-Turner he had been longing for.

"I've heard about your situation." Professor McGonagall gave an approving and encouraging smile, and said gently, "Welcome back, Wade."

"Thank you, Professor." Wade hung the golden Time-Turner back around his neck, tucked it into his clothes, and smiled: "Also, I want to thank you for exempting me from last week's essay."

"Regarding the knowledge of transmuting inanimate objects into living beings, I believe it's all in your head already, there's no need to write it down."

Professor McGonagall looked at Wade and asked, "Wade, I assume you've received your new timetable?"

"Yes." Wade said, "There's basically no change from last semester's course arrangement."

"Oh, because it was written by the magic quill together, it can't think about too complicated problems. For example—some students' course arrangements need to be adjusted appropriately in order to be more efficient."

Professor McGonagall took out her wand from her sleeve and gently tapped the parchment on the table, and rows of text appeared out of thin air.

"I know that most of the third-year courses are not of great significance to you. This is the content and time of my classes for other grades this semester, Wade, you can choose the appropriate time to attend the courses you need."

Wade took it over in surprise, looking at the detailed schedule of classes down to the minute on the paper, his eyes filled with disbelief.

Professor McGonagall didn't say anything more, and after looking at the time, she said, "Alright, the first class is about to start, you should go to class—remember, even if you have a Time-Turner in your hand, don't abuse time."

……

The first period in the morning was still the three overlapping elective courses, but for Wade, the content in the classroom was not very difficult.

If Professor Trelawney's divination class ignored her self-bragging content, then just flipping through the book would be enough.

Wade was quite talented in this way, even if he didn't read the knowledge points summarized by the predecessors in the book, his divination results were much more accurate than other students.

Muggle studies is even more unnecessary to mention, he has ample Muggle experience, even Professor Burbage who teaches this course should learn from him, Wade heard at least five places where she misspoke in one class.

Of course, compared to other wizards, Professor Burbage is already a rare Muggle studies expert who is proficient in Muggle knowledge and sympathizes with non-magical people.

Arithmancy is even more unnecessary to mention, Wade's math level is enough to crush everyone in Hogwarts, this course that makes most people extremely headache-inducing is just a relaxing numerical game for him.

I don't know if the professors had discussed it in advance, except for Defense Against the Dark Arts and Potions, the professors of other required courses made an exception and allowed Wade to skip those courses where he had mastered all the knowledge, and spend his time on more meaningful things.

When he ran into Professor Snape in the corridor, although he had a dark face, he still patiently explained the reason why he couldn't give him the privilege of skipping class:

"Potions is a very deep and rigorous subject that does not allow for any sloppiness."

"It requires the maker to be extremely precise, careful, and skilled, every detail is crucial—details are the key to the success of a potion."

"Even if you have made the same potion a thousand times, when you make it for the one thousand and first time, you still need to be fully focused, maintaining focus and awe as if it were 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 knives, "You are no exception, Wade."

Although most of the content taught by the professors can be found in books, and they occasionally make small mistakes, Professor Snape does not.

He requires students to be rigorous, and he himself is more rigorous than anyone else, writing down every step of brewing potions in detail on the blackboard, and occasionally sharing some small tricks he has summarized over the years, like small diamonds hidden in boring courses.

However, apart from Hermione, who can't wait to write down even the punctuation marks, most of Wade's classmates are busy starting to work after only seeing the beginning.

During the period, they muddle through a little here, muddle through a little there, and they already have to rack their brains to correct various small mistakes, and they don't bother to listen to what the professor said, and in the end, they hand in a half-hearted work that they don't know if it can pass.

When the other students saw Wade entering the classroom during the first class, they were a little surprised, but soon they greeted him as usual and began to listen to the lecture.

Most people don't know what kind of story he has experienced, and given Wade's aloof manner, no one is tactless enough to come and inquire about his "family affairs".

At noon, Wade briefly explained to Harry, the Weasley twins, and a few other insiders, and none of them thought much about it, but were just glad that he could come back safely.

"I feel like the Wizengamot is much better than the Death Eaters in my parents' mouths." Fred said seriously, "At least they won't detain underage people to work as black labor all the time."

George agreed: "What's the difference between a villain without capacity and a gangster?"

"Then what about a villain with capacity?" Harry asked.

George made a gesture of smoking a cigar, then lowered his head slightly, imitating the tone of a smoky voice and said, "You can call me 'FATHER'."

The boys remembered a Muggle movie they had recently watched and burst out laughing.

"Mr. Weasley."

Professor McGonagall's voice suddenly came from behind, scaring George almost jumped up.

"Good afternoon, Professor McGonagall." The boys said hello.

Professor McGonagall nodded with a straight face, looked at the Weasley twins and said, "Movies may give some characters illusory charm, but I hope you know that violence and crime are wrong behaviors, true power comes from wisdom, courage, and adherence to justice."

"Yes, Professor." The Weasley twins obediently lowered their heads and replied.

After Professor McGonagall walked towards the classroom seat, the two pushed each other again, complaining that the other didn't pay attention to the surrounding environment when speaking.

"Hi, kids!" Speaking, Hagrid, who had finished his meal, also made a special detour, lowering his voice and asking, "Which afternoon do you have time tomorrow and the day after tomorrow?"

He thought his voice was very small, but almost all the surrounding students heard it and couldn't help showing curious expressions.

"Wednesday, I only have one Charms class in the afternoon." Harry asked the others: "What about you?"

Wade nodded: "Same."

Although he originally planned to go to the sixth-year Transfiguration class that afternoon, he could move this plan to Thursday.

Since the professors exempted his essay assignments, Wade's time this semester has become much more spacious than before.

Michael and others also nodded, the busiest among them were Wade and Hermione, the others had much fewer classes.

"I have to write an essay." Hermione said annoyedly, "I still have a three hundred and twenty-five page book to read!"

"We don't have time any day." George said helplessly, "Although Fred and I don't think the OWLs exams need to be too nervous, the professors obviously don't think so."

Fred's eyes lit up, looking at Hagrid with hope, tentatively saying, "But Hagrid, if you exempt us both from the essay, then..."

"Don't dream, that's impossible." Hagrid waved his hand and said decisively, "Last time I asked you how to distinguish between hedgehogs andurchins, you two actually said to use their fur to make alchemical products, and the one that fails to make is the hedgehog—is that reasonable? Who would use such a troublesome way?"

The twins stuck out their tongues, but didn't have any ashamed expressions.

In fact, they knew the correct way to distinguish them, but they were experimenting with a new idea at the time, using urchin's fur in the production, but the unscrupulous merchants sold them fake products, so they answered casually.

Urchin's fur has magical properties, but ordinary hedgehogs don't, which can also be regarded as a difference between them. Therefore, Hagrid was stunned for a while, not knowing whether to count them as correct, and almost forgot how to continue the course.

At this time, the Care of Magical Creatures professor waved his hand unhappily and said, "You two should review your lessons properly! As for the rest of you... come to my hut at four o'clock the day after tomorrow, don't forget."

Hagrid blinked his dark brown eyes, looking like "I have a secret but can't tell you yet", and left in a good mood.

The boys 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 while and said, "We should bring some food that day? Unless you want to eat Hagrid's special rock cakes for dinner."

After agreeing on the time and place to meet, the afternoon was another non-stop class.

Even if Wade was allowed to skip some courses, it didn't mean he didn't have to study, in fact, he arranged a fuller schedule for himself than the original timetable.

Returning to school was only a short day, and he felt that he had forgotten what a leisurely holiday looked like.

Wade also met the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Ryan Troka, again.

His dress was much more formal than it was in Diagon Alley, as if he could go to someone's funeral at any time. His expression was the same serious as Professor McGonagall, and he looked very difficult to mess with.

In the classroom, the students were very quiet, and the content Professor Troka taught was exactly the Boggart that Abigail was going to talk about before.

There was also a mottled wooden box in the classroom, and there was a banging sound from inside, as if a dozen lively rabbits were stuffed inside.

"There's a Boggart in here."

Professor Troka said calmly, "I heard you've already learned some of the relevant content before, so I'll just say it simply."

"Write down the key points I said."

"Boggarts like dark, enclosed environments, it doesn't have a fixed shape, but it will turn into the things people are most afraid of. When facing a Boggart, the most important thing is a sense of humor."

There was a rustling sound of writing in the classroom.

Professor Troka paused for a moment, then continued: "You need to imagine a picture that makes it funny, and then use theRiddikulus charm. If you can make yourself laugh instead of screaming, the Boggart will be at a loss."

"Of course, a fake laugh cannot deceive it—although most people can't laugh when they see a Boggart for the first time."

"So, take out your wands and follow me to learn the spell again—Riddikulus!"

"Riddikulus!" The students practiced.

"Very good." Professor Troka seemed to want to show a satisfied smile, but in the end, his mouth just twitched.

He waved his wand casually, moving the tables and chairs to both sides of the classroom, leaving a large space in the middle, and then asked the students to step back.

"Step back a little, so as not to interfere with the Boggart, it will be confused by multiple people and not know what to turn into."

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 eye contact.

"Well... Miss Greengrass, please come forward."

Daphne Greengrass swallowed, holding her wand, and walked forward carefully.

"Are you ready?" Professor Troka asked.

Daphne's whole body was screaming, "No!" But the professor's seriousness was frightening, so she had to nod nervously.

"Then let's begin!"

Professor Troka also stepped back a little, waving his wand from afar, and the wooden box lid popped open instantly.

A pale, swollen hand grabbed the edge of the box with a "bang".

After a brief silence, a woman in a blood-stained white dress slowly climbed out of the box, her black hair hanging down like a mop, wetly covering her face, her limbs bent strangely, crawling towards Daphne step by step.

Daphne was stunned, and the entire classroom was silent.

Wade covered his forehead, unable to bear to look.

Obviously, the Floo Network has enriched the lives of wizards and broadened their horizons, but it has also allowed this closed group to see the extremes of horror in human imagination.

"Riddikulus, Miss Greengrass."

Seeing that she didn't respond for a long time, Professor Troka reminded her.

Daphne trembled, didn't use the spell, but threw the wand at the crawling "ghost", screamed and turned to run!

Pansy Parkinson suddenly faced the "ghost".

The Boggart tilted its head slightly and stared at Pansy, seeming to be still thinking about what to turn into, and Pansy also let out a scream, retreating while pushing Blaise Zabini next to her forward.

With a "bang", the lower half of the "ghost" turned into a giant centipede-like appearance, which suddenly looked even more terrifying, and even its crawling speed seemed to be a bit faster.

It paused, 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, but now, they seem to have a common object of fear.