The Silent Witch of Hogwarts

Chapter 51: Lesson 1

"You guys really messed up yesterday."

In the corridors of Hogwarts, three young wizards walked side by side. One of them, a girl with tousled hair, frowned and said, "You should be glad you weren't expelled."

"Expulsion?" The red-haired boy shook his head. "Harry and I almost couldn't come to school because of some inexplicable accident."

"So Harry, what exactly happened with that inexplicable accident?" His words made the girl raise an eyebrow, and she turned to look at Harry, who was walking in the middle, seemingly deep in thought.

"I'm not quite sure either," Harry said, snapping out of his reverie. "Hermione, do you know of any spells that could do that?"

"I don't know," Hermione said, shaking her head. "I'm not an encyclopedia..."

"I've heard quite a few people call you Miss Know-It-All," the red-haired boy interjected. "And don't you know all magic?"

"That might be Ron's self-created spell," Hermione said, pursing her lips. "Besides, no one can know all magic."

"Magic isn't just about spells... strictly speaking, it also includes..."

Watching Hermione solemnly explain magic, Ron shrugged and looked at Harry: "Is the next class Defense Against the Dark Arts?"

"It seems so..." Harry thought for a moment and said, "I heard it was Mr. Lockhart."

"Ugh... it's that annoying guy from the bookstore." Ron's pout made Hermione frown immediately.

"First of all, Mr. Lockhart isn't a jerk; he's an outstanding wizard! And he even earned the Order of Merlin, Third Class." Hermione said, then sighed, "But unfortunately, he's not our professor."

"Why?" Harry was taken aback.

Ron laughed. "Could it be that he went to Azkaban because his smile was too idiotic?"

"Ron!" Hermione stomped her foot and glared at him. "Mr. Lockhart is in charge of teaching the higher grades."

"What about us?" Harry was more concerned about this, and he felt a sense of relief when he learned that it wasn't Mr. Lockhart who was giving him lessons.

"Our instructor is..." Hermione paused before continuing, "Professor Hamilton."

"She's a new professor too." She said, then suddenly looked puzzled. Harry and Ron exchanged a glance at her.

"What do you mean by this?" Ron asked.

"Ah... that Professor Hamilton..." Hermione said after a few seconds of thought, "She seems a bit strange."

"How weird?" Ron shrugged. "Is it weirder than Quirrell?"

"Um... something's a little strange about her," Hermione said carefully, choosing her words. "She's wearing a mask."

"That's great, we don't have to worry about her grinning like Lockhart," Ron said happily.

"A mask?" Harry paused for a moment before realizing who the professor was.

He lowered his voice and said, "I have met Professor Hamilton."

"In Knockdown Alley."

"Yesterday?" Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"Hmm." Harry said, slowly sitting down as he took out his textbook and continued, "I was trapped in a shop."

"Professor Hamilton must have saved me."

"What does 'should' mean?" Ron asked curiously.

"Because I'm not sure if that door is mine...that's not important." Harry shook his head, changing the subject: "The important thing is, she's amazing."

"Impressive?" Hermione asked, squinting. "But I could actually break the spell too..."

"No, no, no," Harry shook his head and explained, "She did more than just break the spell."

"She also defeated a dark wizard who was trying to kill her with a killing curse."

"The Killing Curse?!" Ron and Hermione exclaimed simultaneously, drawing the attention of the other students.

"Cough cough cough." Harry quickly coughed to lower his voice, "Hagrid told me not to go around telling everyone."

"But that's really the case."

"Are you sure, Harry?" Hermione asked in astonishment. "I've never heard of any spell that can block the Killing Curse."

"Did the dark wizard miss her?"

"I don't know... I think I passed out at the time." Harry scratched his head sheepishly. "But when I came to, the dark wizard had already been defeated."

"It was defeat, not being..." Hermione said, glancing at Ron, who slowly continued, "Not being killed?"

"I don't think so... I don't think so." Harry was a little unsure himself. How could he have been in the mood to check anything at the time?

"Tsk..." Hermione clicked her tongue and said, "Then you'd better listen to the lesson... lest you upset her."

"Why us?" Ron asked. "And you?"

"Because I've been paying attention in class." Hermione rolled her eyes and sat down behind Harry.

But as soon as she sat down, she was surprised to take something out of the drawer.

"What is this?" In her hand was a circular metal ring with a blue stone inlaid on it.

"It looks like the bracelet my mom used to buy, which George and Fred put a power-enlarging spell on and it can't be turned back."

"This is definitely not a bracelet," Hermione shook her head. "It should be a headband?"

"Who left this here?"

"Probably not," Harry shook his head and replied. "It seems like everyone has one." He took a headband out of his own drawer as well.

Then he subconsciously put it on his head.

"Smack."

Hermione slapped his hand to stop him: "Harry, don't bring things indiscriminately... there's definitely magic on this."

"What if there's any danger..."

"You mean this is a headband that'll crush someone's head?" Ron joked. "How could anyone do something like that..."

"That's hard to say," Hermione said, glancing at the other students.

Everyone looked curiously at the headbands on their hands, but apart from Harry, no one dared to wear them.

"Could Professor Hamilton have put this here?" Harry thought for a moment and guessed. "Is it some kind of teaching aid?"

"Possibly." Hermione carefully examined the headband, but she didn't seem to see anything special.

Ron then put it on his wrist, and it seemed he really thought it looked like his mother's bracelet.

Regardless of the young wizards' guesses, everyone instinctively quieted down as the door to the Defense Against the Dark Arts office on the second floor of the classroom was pushed open.

She was a petite figure, almost the size of a student. A black robe with a hood covered her entire body, and the only part of her face that was visible was covered by a silver mask.

It really was her… Harry nodded slightly.

Ron, however, seemed to look at Harry with a hint of surprise.

"She was actually wearing a mask..."

But just as he was about to say something, Professor Hamilton looked at him.

"..."

Ron pursed his lips and closed them.

The professor did not descend the steps, but instead quietly leaned against the railing and raised his wand.

"Buzz!"

With a soft sound, the headbands on everyone's tables slowly floated up.

This is indeed a teaching aid... just as Harry was thinking this.

"Bang!"

The headband suddenly snapped onto his head.