At Hogwarts, the Defense Against the Dark Arts professorship was a position that frequently changed hands, and each time, the office's style would change along with the new occupant.
Wade followed Professor Trocar into his office. As soon as they entered, a dozen candles on candelabras silently lit up, their flames leaping high, but the room remained somewhat dim. Professor Trocar clearly had no intention of opening the heavy curtains.
He hadn't added much furniture for himself, only filling the bookshelves with Magic Books, various notes, student progress reports, and so on.
In a corner, there was a new wine cabinet, full to the brim with red wine. But Wade felt that the liquid in the glass bottles looked more like blood.
"Please, have a seat, Wade." Professor Trocar sat down, clasping his hands together. He said gently, "There are a few things I'd like to discuss with you."
"Of course, Professor. What would you like to talk about?" Wade asked as he sat down.
"Well, I've recently learned a few things—I hear that most professors believe your knowledge has... far surpassed that of students your age, which is why you've been specially permitted to audit classes from other years."
Professor Trocar said this as he took a folder from a bookshelf beside his desk. Opening it, he continued:
"I've also noticed that both of your assignments since returning to school have been exceptionally well done... especially the one about Werewolves... I can only say, it's a pleasant surprise, quite unexpected. Would you be interested in submitting it to a magazine? I know a few reliable editors."
"Thank you, Professor," Wade said, "but currently..." His expression seemed a bit troubled as he continued, "...this is just an assignment, Professor. I don't think it's at a level suitable for publication yet."
This level of fame was already redundant for Wade, but refining an assignment to publication standards would undoubtedly take a significant amount of time, and Wade didn't want to waste his time on such things.
Professor Trocar saw his polite refusal and smiled without insisting. "Alright then... if you change your mind, you can always find me."
"Of course, I will," Wade said.
"Additionally, judging from these two assignments and your regular class performance, I believe your proficiency in Defense Against the Dark Arts is quite reassuring. Can you tell me?" Professor Trocar asked, blinking, "How advanced are you in your self-study?"
"If it's about the textbook content, I've learned all the Spells from the first to seventh-year textbooks, but I feel there's still some deficiency in practical application," Wade said, deliberating for a moment.
"Oh?" Professor Trocar looked very surprised and asked, "Then do you know how to defend against the Confundus Charm?"
Wade answered without hesitation, "Occlumency, or you can use a counter-Confundus Charm, and also barrier-type protective charms."
Professor Trocar raised an eyebrow. "Occlumency isn't part of our regular curriculum, nor is it in our textbooks. Even sixth and seventh-year students haven't encountered it. It's a very advanced and obscure Magic skill..."
As he spoke, he looked at Wade, asking incredulously, "—Don't tell me you've learned it?"
Wade nodded.
"Well, Merlin..." Professor Trocar murmured in awe.
He didn't ask about Wade's proficiency, because Occlumency requires long-term practice to master. Given Wade's age, Trocar didn't believe Wade had been studying for long enough.
He then thought of another difficult topic for older students and asked, "Then do you know how to deal with Dementors?"
Wade concisely said, "Patronus Charm."
"Oh..." Professor Trocar smiled. "Indeed, the Patronus Charm is the most effective way to repel Dementors, and even destroy them, but because most people haven't mastered this Spell, the correct answer should be to get away from Dementors as quickly as possible and stay with a crowd, not to act alone..."
He suddenly thought of something, slowly stopped smiling, and his slightly melancholic eyes looked at Wade, saying slowly:
"—Wade, you can also cast the Patronus Charm?"
Wade nodded again.
Professor Trocar took a deep breath, told himself it was impossible, and then said, "Show me."
Wade drew his Wand and pointed it at the window: "*Expecto Patronum!*"
A silver eagle flew out from the tip of his Wand, swiftly circling the classroom twice. Professor Trocar was greatly astonished, stumbled back two steps in a hurry, and his chair crashed to the ground, accidentally shattering a vase in the corner.
He paid no mind to his beloved vase, his eyes wide with shock and a hint of fear as he looked at the bird that finally landed on Wade's shoulder, dumbfounded: "—A corporeal Patronus?"
Then he looked back at Wade: "The newspapers said... after the Dementors stopped the Hogwarts Express, the student who summoned an eagle-shaped Patronus was you? Not a professor?"
"It was me." Wade waved his Wand, and the Patronus dissolved into specks of silver light, sprinkling onto his shoulder and then disappearing.
Professor Trocar breathed a sigh of relief—a corporeal Patronus could harm all dark creatures, including Vampires, and extremely powerful Patronuses could even make them feel pain as if burned by sulfuric acid.
He somewhat frantically tried to cover up his unusual reaction, waving his Wand to repair the vase, making the water and the roses in it jump back into place, while forcing a smile and saying:
"You really surprised me, Wade... Is there any Spell you don't know?"
"Aside from those two the professor just asked about, the other Spells I know are quite basic," Wade said modestly.
Trocar noticed the sincerity in his tone and couldn't help but twitch his lips a few times, wanting to say something but swallowing it back.
Thinking about it... having such an excellent student, as a professor, he should feel gratified... even if this student was a bit dangerous for a professor...
Trocar mentally reassured himself for a moment before saying, "Alright, I completely believe your skill level has reached the standard for the Ultimate Wizarding Exam, it's just that you're still... still lacking some practical opportunities, right?"
"Yes, Professor."
"In that case, I think you'll need a personalized timetable..."
Professor Trocar checked his notes and lesson plans, gently tapping a few times on a piece of parchment with his Wand.
"Wade, this is your schedule from now on... it's mostly practical classes, and some are my own summarized methods for teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts. You can arrange your listening times according to your own plan."
...
Finally seeing the overly excellent student out the door, Trocar still felt a lingering fear as he touched the curtain where the Patronus had brushed past. Then he pulled out a new notebook to record the students' performance in class that day.
When he accepted this teaching position, Trocar genuinely wanted to do a good job. To that end, he even secretly went to consult excellent teachers in Muggle schools, asking them how to be a good professor.
At first, he worried that students wouldn't take him seriously as a new professor, so he always maintained a stern expression and occasionally demonstrated powerful Magic in class to reinforce his authority.
But as he taught more classes, the students gradually perceived the professor's gentle nature and became bolder in his classroom.
For Trocar, his passion and interest in the profession were rapidly eroding, replaced by an overwhelming exhaustion.
He was responsible for teaching all the Defense Against the Dark Arts classes in the entire school, which meant endless assignments to grade and classes to teach. Every morning, he woke up to an endless stream of unexpected incidents. The students' enthusiasm and vibrancy were indeed lively, but their incessant chattering was truly a headache.
He finally understood why the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor position changed so frequently.
Trocar felt that even as a Vampire, he was barely holding on. He had no idea how previous human professors managed to survive a whole year.
Luckily, he only had to stay for half a year…
Originally, he had only worried that the grand event in the latter half of the year would bring many people to Hogwarts, making it easy for his identity as a Vampire to be exposed.
Now, it seemed his initial decision was incredibly wise. He just needed to endure these next few months…
Trocar sighed wearily.
Just then, he heard a trickling sound like a stream in his ear. Trocar pressed his Communication Pea and, hearing the voice on the other end, asked in surprise, "Garr? What are you…?"
He glanced at the window, which was covered by curtains, and whispered, "…How did you get to Hogsmeade?"
After all this time, Trocar wasn't completely cut off from the world and had finally learned that his nephew and his friends were wanted by the Ministry of Magic.
Vampires on a wanted list was nothing new. Trocar had asked Garr and, knowing he wasn't arbitrarily preying on innocent passersby for blood, decided to shelter his pathetic nephew. However, he had no intention of bringing them to the school where he worked.
"I couldn't help it, Uncle Ryan," Garr said, grimacing as he crouched in the dark woods. "This is the only area in all of Britain without Dementors. We barely escaped!"
He looked at Lockhart beside him, who seemed as good as dead, and asked, "Uncle Ryan, can you send us some money and food? Polyjuice Potion would be even better. I want to find a proper place to stay and have a good hot bath…"
Trocar sighed helplessly and said, "Not now. Wait until tonight… I'll send it all to you tonight."
"Thank you, Uncle Ryan! I love you! I love you so, so much!" Garr said happily.
"Just try not to cause me any more trouble," Trocar warned. "And keep an eye on your friend. If I hear that someone in Hogsmeade suddenly lost their memory…"
"No, absolutely not!" Garr quickly promised. "We'll hide here quietly, as harmless as Puffskeins… I swear!"
Trocar snorted. "You'd better be."
In the evening, Lockhart and Garr crouched in the woods, enduring a difficult wait. It wasn't until it was completely dark that they finally saw two Owls carrying large packages, flying laboriously towards them.
Garr quickly went out to meet them. Just as he took the package from the Owl, someone slapped him on the back.
"You're late, brother," a strange man standing behind him said with a smile. "Come on, everyone's gathering over there."
Garr was bewildered. "You know me?"
"What? Of course not," the strange man said, smiling. "But I can tell you're a Vampire from a mile away…"
As he spoke, he looked at Lockhart, who was crouching nearby with hair long enough to touch his shoulders, and couldn't help but grin.
"Haha, a serious gathering, and you even brought your own food… Well done!"
Lockhart's eyes widened, and he frantically reached for his Wand, but Garr suddenly kicked him over.
"Yes…" Garr forced a smile and said, "As long as you like it."
As he spoke, several bats flew out of the night and transformed into human form as they landed, surrounding Lockhart perfectly, with two hands resting on his shoulders.
Feeling the icy breath on his back, Lockhart was completely frozen.
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