A Professor of Magic at Hogwarts

Chapter 189: Twins and Snape's Gossip

After the fifth-year Ancient Runes class in the afternoon, Felix Harp asked the twins to stay back.

"Professor, are there really seven types of scrying mirrors?" Fred asked curiously.

In the recent lesson, Felix's arrangement for their year was similar to that of the seventh year. He had explained the entire year's curriculum and briefly reviewed the content from the third and fourth years. Towards the end of the class, he mentioned that apart from magical puppets, they would also be introduced to a new type of magical runic creation this year – scrying mirrors.

Felix nodded and said, "Indeed, they do exist. You'll see them in the next class."

He had delayed because there was one type of scrying mirror still in the process of adjustment.

In "Secrets of Ancient Alchemy," there were descriptions of how to create seven types of scrying mirrors, all following the alchemical route. During this period, Felix had been replacing some of the runic circuits in them, maintaining their functionality while even enhancing it.

He tirelessly experimented. If possible, he intended to spend most of this year working on this task – transforming alchemical creations into runic ones.

With the presence of the alchemical master, Nicolas Flamel, he had confidence in his endeavors.

...

George asked, "Why would there be seven types of scrying mirrors?"

Fred replied without hesitation, "Perhaps they disguised the appearances of the mirrors? Like, it might look like a doorknob most of the time, but if you touch it, it starts shouting loudly."

Building on his idea, George continued, "A bit like our fake wands, or it could be the other way around. It looks like a scrying mirror, but if you try to do something with it, it shoots fireworks from the tail and dashes around the room..."

Fred chuckled, "Excellent thinking, George, you've got a captivating imagination."

George bowed playfully, "As do you, Mr. Weasley."

"Ahem!" Felix coughed twice, stopping their mutual admiration, "Seeing how cheerful you are, it pains me to withhold the upcoming news from you."

Both twins turned their heads to him simultaneously.

"Oh, come on, Felix, we're all in this together," Fred said nonchalantly.

Felix chuckled, having said that not too long ago, "Not showing respect to the professor, are we?"

Fred raised his hands in a pleading gesture.

However, neither side took offense. Felix had long noticed that these two had personalities perfect for friendship, as long as you maintained a certain degree of authority around them; otherwise, their habitual pranks could be headache-inducing.

Being their assistant wasn't quite appropriate. Initially, Felix had considered finding someone to help him share the workload, but he could hardly imagine the twins seriously grading assignments. He even suspected that they might curse poorly written papers.

For instance, putting a Pustule Jinx on inadequate assignments, letting lazy wizards feel the malice of a runic assistant...

On second thought, it was quite amusing, but it was really something to be just contemplated.

Felix's expression turned serious, "Alright, let's get back on track. This year is your OWLs year. How confident are you about passing several exams?"

"Ancient Runes should be fine, as long as they change the exam content to repairing magical puppets," Fred said, gasping for breath.

Felix maintained a stern expression, "This is not a joke. I don't deny your research and guidance in your free time, but your grades shouldn't suffer too much either."

The twins sighed, and Fred, surprisingly honest, said, "I reckon I might pass four or five OWLs exams, or even fewer. How about you, George?"

"We're on a similar level, but I think you might be a tad too optimistic. I'd say three certifications are a more reasonable estimate," George replied with relative fairness.

Fred's face immediately lit up.

Felix shook his head, not allowing them to stray off-topic, and said directly, "To prevent you from becoming excessively absorbed, I've specifically asked your brother, Percy Weasley, to take time and keep an eye on you—"

"What!"

"Oh, come on, Professor!"

Felix's lips curled into a faint smile. "Is there a problem? I talked to him, and he won't interfere with your research—at least not in the short term. From what I know, his grades are excellent, and he can offer you some advice."

Fred drew back his neck, glancing sideways with an air of pride, and in an imitation of Percy's tone, he said, "Fred! Put away your prank sweets. If I catch you giving them to anyone again, I'll confine you to detention, and mark my words, I will do it!"

Felix remarked, "...Honestly, are your sweets safe to eat?"

"Of course they are, Professor. We tested them. I was the first guinea pig," Fred replied.

"I was the second," George added.

After ten minutes of the twins coaxing and cajoling Felix, with the next class about to start, they hurriedly left. As they departed, they couldn't resist shouting:

"Professor, we won't give up!"

"That's right! Unless you take back this decision!"

Felix watched their retreating figures with a slightly troubled expression. At a certain moment, a thought crossed his mind, "Did Professor Snape perceive me in the same way back then?"

"But I'm nowhere near that elusive," he realized, returning to his office and spending some time to complete the final improvements on the seventh scrying mirror.

Looking at the various-sized mirrors on his workbench, his mood inexplicably lifted.

"With over a thousand Ancient Runes under my belt now, when will that number become ten thousand, twenty thousand?"

"At that time, what level of magical understanding will I have reached?"

Felix envisaged himself in battle, ancient runes swirling around him, seamlessly coalescing into powerful ancient magic at his will. Others' spells would at best be beams of light, while he had abandoned wands altogether, unleashing a relentless barrage of attacks with just his raised hand.

No escape, no avoidance.

"Overthinking. There aren't many who can make me go all out now. I should focus on what I'll discuss with Nicolas Flamel in our next interaction. His understanding of alchemy far surpasses my imagination."

"With his perspective, I can scrutinize alchemical creations and runic creations from a higher level."

"This will help me comprehend the essence of runes better."

As evening arrived and Felix left his office to head to the Great Hall for dinner, he unexpectedly caught wind of two pieces of gossip.

The first was an accident during Hagrid's first class; a student got injured. After careful inquiry, Felix breathed a sigh of relief. The situation wasn't grave—given Madame Pomfrey's skills, the student's wound with a touch of foreign magic would heal in about three days.

He brushed it off; the previous professor of this class caused much worse chaos, and Hagrid at most would receive a warning.

The second piece left him scratching his head. In Dark Arts Defense class, the new professor had instructed third-year students to resist a Boggart—the creature that took the form of one's greatest fear.

Boggarts weren't inherently powerful, but their effect on wizards with fatal weaknesses or deep fears was astounding, particularly when caught off guard.

During the class, one student's greatest fear turned out to be Severus Snape. With encouragement from Professor Lupin, the student overcame their fear and cast the Boggart-Banishing Spell, "Riddikulus." And the outcome turned out to be truly absurd—Professor Snape, who symbolized their inner fear, transformed into a dress with a triangular hat and a massive red handbag swaying in hand.

Felix sat at the Hufflepuff table, two seats away, as a young witch with two braids of golden hair vividly described the scene:

"...Professor Snape stormed towards us, even though his target was Lumberton. But I also felt a chill down my spine, thinking, 'Uh-oh, he's definitely going to fail.' Guess what happened?"

Hannah Abbott blushed as she recounted, "Lumberton shouted the spell, and it was like a whip lashed at Professor Snape. His clothes transformed into a flowery green granny dress, with a triangular hat on his head, and he was swinging a massive red purse..."

"Honestly, I never realized that Lumberton, that boy with the L surname, could be so cool!"

Felix listened in astonishment. Based on his understanding, Professor Snape must have been livid.

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