Disclaimer: I don't own anything. This is not meant to infringe upon copyrights.
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An excellent professor needs many abilities, one of the most important being understanding students' thoughts and knowing how to get them to pay attention in class.
Professor McGonagall was just that; she simply mentioned the final exam, and she successfully made all the students forget their previous enjoyable holiday and throw themselves into their studies.
As her colleague, Professor Flitwick was clearly also an expert in this area.
"Today we're going to learn the Softening Charm,"
Professor Flitwick said in a high-pitched voice, standing on a platform made of books. "Just like its name suggests, this charm can soften hard objects instantly. It's a very practical charm, and one of the most commonly used charms by many adult wizards.
For example, in Quidditch, which you all love, the Softening Charm is often used to protect players who fall off their brooms.
You can also use it to set traps during duels, because soft ground makes it easier for your opponent to expose weaknesses, and that's the best time to attack.
I may not have told you, but I used the Softening Charm in the Duel Tournament to make the witch surrender and win the tournament that year."
The most popular game in the wizarding world, Quidditch, combined with the heroic nature of duels, immediately piqued the curiosity of the young wizards.
"Professor, have you ever won a Dueling Tournament?" Katie Bell of Gryffindor asked, raising her hand.
She was a little skeptical. Professor Flitwick, who was shorter than her, could really beat other wizards?
"That was all in my youth,"
Professor Flitwick said playfully. "But I did win dueling tournaments, and more than once. Those interested can check out the book 'Dueling Champions of the Twentieth Century,' which has detailed accounts.
By the way, it's in the school library."
"Wow..."
Professor Flitwick's words immediately elicited gasps of surprise.
The young wizards had never imagined that the unassuming Professor Flitwick could be so skilled.
"Professor, I want to learn this," a Gryffindor said excitedly.
"Don't worry, I'll teach you," Professor Flitwick waved his hand casually. "Besides, practical spells like this are the most common questions on the final exam, so everyone must listen carefully and study hard; it might be on the exam this year."
"Yes, Professor Flitwick!", everyone replied in unison.
In class, the young wizards were all very attentive, practicing repeatedly under Professor Flitwick's guidance without finding it tedious at all.
They seemed to see themselves as the next dueling champions, and the stone in front of them as their opponents.
Only when class ended did they reluctantly put down the stone and leave the Charms classroom one by one.
Those who hadn't handed in their homework also left.
Because there were other classes later, their homework was scheduled for the evening, and it was under the professor's personal supervision—the kind where they weren't allowed to sleep until it was finished.
Kyle wasn't in a hurry to leave. He took the book he had borrowed from the library and asked Professor Flitwick some questions.
"I read this book years ago; it taught me a lot,"
Professor Flitwick said, touching the book's cover with a touch of nostalgia, before answering each of Kyle's questions in detail.
Ten minutes later, Kyle closed the book and said, "Thank you, Professor Flitwick. That's all for now. I haven't read the rest yet."
"No problem, a good book is meant to be read slowly," Professor Flitwick said with a smile. "If you encounter anything you don't understand, you can always come to me. My office is on the eighth floor."
"Oh, and thank you for the Christmas present. I haven't received a Yamanashi amulet with a dueling badge for thirty years…it's truly nostalgic."
"I'm glad you like it."
After saying goodbye to Professor Flitwick, Kyle left the Charms classroom.
Meanwhile, around the corner of the corridor outside the classroom, Kyle's two roommates were lurking furtively in a corner.
"Mikel, are you sure Kyle will pass by here?" Ryan peeked out and asked, "It's been so long, could he have already left?"
"Impossible," Mikel said confidently. "Our next class is Defense Against the Dark Arts, and this is the only way to the second floor, so Kyle will definitely come."
"But..." Ryan seemed to want to say something, but Mikel interrupted him.
"Don't worry, I'm sure of it."
"No..."
"Be patient...it's for the assignment."
"Professor Flitwick is gone!" Ryan quickly covered Mikel's mouth and said rapidly, "And he even closed the door!"
Mikel suddenly froze, then ran over and pushed open the door to the Charms classroom.
It was empty.
Mikel: "...."
"Damn it." He scratched his head and said, "That corridor is the only way to the second floor, how did Kyle get away!
Could it be..."
Mikel subconsciously glanced at the opposite wall and said, "Ryan, do you think Kyle can use a spell to pass through walls?"
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Today's last Defense Against the Dark Arts class was also very interesting.
Although Professor Oren didn't have much teaching experience, his class was always one of the most anticipated classes for the young wizards.
On the first day of school, he brought a group of Cornish elves to everyone and let the students use the spells they had learned to fight them.
There were no restrictions, any spells were fine.
The little badgers were overjoyed. In their eyes, this was simply another form of duel, so they rushed forward, wanting to experience what it was like to be a "dueling master."
Although most of their spells missed, with Professor Oren there, the elves couldn't do anything to the students, and they howled angrily in mid-air.
The impotent rage of these little guys filled the whole class with a joyful atmosphere.
What made the young wizards even happier was that Professor Oren hadn't checked their homework yet.
At the end of class, the little badgers practically raved about Professor Oren.
Keep in mind, more than half of them hadn't done their homework.
This meant Hufflepuff had essentially gained at least thirty points for nothing, which naturally made them delighted.
However, in Kyle's opinion, whether Professor Oren deducted points or not was no longer that important.
After Charms class, Hufflepuff's House Credits were firmly in second-to-last place.
They were nearly a hundred points behind second-place Ravenclaw, but a hundred points ahead of fourth-place Gryffindor.
This position was truly awkward; moving forward was difficult, but moving backward was equally challenging.
[End of the chapter]