ALL NOVEL Chapter 99: The Feast Continues
Back in the Great Hall, the students didn't let the incident halt their dinner. On the contrary, because all the students were gathered there, the news of Harry and Ron's exploits spread to every ear within half an hour.
"All I can tell you is they weren't expelled. For the specifics, you'll have to ask them after the feast," Tver hurriedly responded to an inquiring Hermione. He was in a rush; if he delayed any longer, there would be no desserts left.
The slightly disgruntled young witch carried the professor's words back to the long table, inadvertently confirming the rumors about Harry and Ron's mischief. Thus, the atmosphere in the hall grew even livelier, with nearly every student enjoying their meal while discussing the duo's daring act.
However, for Tver, the allure of pudding far outweighed the appeal of gossip. "Headmaster, would you like to try the pumpkin-flavored pudding?" he asked.
"No, I've already—" Dumbledore began but was interrupted.
"May I try some?" Lockhart suddenly appeared beside Tver, nearly bumping Professor Flitwick off his seat.
"No," Tver retracted the offered pudding and refused bluntly.
Lockhart's radiant smile faltered momentarily, but recalling the oppressive aura Tver had in the headmaster's office, he dared not express his displeasure—even though the man had not been awarded any medals.
"That's fine," Lockhart said nonchalantly, patting Flitwick on the shoulder as if he was used to the rebuff. "Since you seem to enjoy these children's desserts so much."
Dumbledore, who was licking his spoon, looked on with a puzzled expression.
"Just speak plainly," Tver said, his interest in desserts fading. "I'm not like you; I don't have time to idle away chatting with just anyone."
Taking the hint to get to the point, Lockhart brushed off Tver's sarcasm. "Ahem, you see, I think merely dividing Defense Against the Dark Arts into theory and practice doesn't quite fit with reality, so I was thinking about making some small improvements."
Tver was well aware of this principle, but such a division had been made precisely because of Lockhart's incompetence. If Lockhart had been more capable, Tver would have delegated more repetitive tasks to him.
"And what brilliant ideas do you have?" Tver finally said something that sounded like a compliment, buoying Lockhart with the courage he drew from the students' admiration.
Lockhart gestured animatedly, as if plotting some mischief.
Back in the Great Hall, amidst the continued clatter of dinner and spirited conversations, Dumbledore stood up once again to commence the official address for the new academic year.
Much like previous years, he reminded everyone of the rules concerning the Forbidden Forest and the corridors. Then, amid the eager anticipation of the students, especially the girls, he introduced Lockhart.
"We are pleased to welcome a new professor this academic year, Professor Lockhart, who will be handling the theoretical aspects of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classes," Dumbledore announced, prompting a mix of murmurs and polite applause throughout the hall.
"And Professor Fawley," Dumbledore continued, nodding towards Tver, "will be responsible for the practical component. The specifics of the coursework will be explained by the professors during your classes."
As per the schedule, Tver would alternate teaching duties with Lockhart. This meant that each week, after teaching one half of the students, the next week he would only need to teach the other half. Effectively, he would only need to teach six classes a week, maintaining the same workload as the previous year when Professor Quirrell was around.
Following Dumbledore's introduction, Lockhart stood up amid a reasonably warm round of applause, smiling broadly.
The students seemed to buzz with a blend of excitement and skepticism. The new teaching arrangement promised an interesting mix of theoretical and practical learning experiences.
Lockhart, reveling in the attention, radiated confidence, likely contemplating the impact his novel approach to teaching would have on the students.
Meanwhile, Tver, sitting quietly, harbored his own expectations about the forthcoming classes, especially those involving the mischievous pixies. His cryptic smile earlier suggested he was somewhat looking forward to seeing how Lockhart's promise of an 'unforgettable class' would unfold. The coming days at Hogwarts were set to be as educational as they were entertaining.
Lockhart's confident declaration in the Great Hall had provoked a mixed reaction.
"Thank you for the introduction, Headmaster. I am thrilled to have been invited here to offer some professional guidance," he began. "However, our esteemed Headmaster might have made a slight error. My role will also involve practical elements to provide a perfect demonstration for our young Professor Fawley."
The Weasley twins, seated among the students, simultaneously mimed a gagging gesture, while a portion of the male students booed audibly. Had the girls not expressed their displeasure, a full-scale uproar might have ensued.
"Professor Lockhart, he might... might just want to show off his capabilities," Hermione hesitated before finding a way to phrase her thoughts. This seemed to be the prevailing sentiment among many of the female students.
Lockhart hadn't anticipated the popularity of Tver among the students, and his slight jab had unexpectedly stirred discontent. So, he quickly concluded his speech and sat down, obediently watching Dumbledore lead the singing of the school song as if the earlier incident had never happened.
The feast ended with the school song, and Tver smiled as he said goodbye to his colleagues and returned to his office, which was arranged much like it had been the previous academic year. He tidied up a bit and then sat down, his attention turning to his wrist where a suppressed curse was stirring ominously.
"Marvolo, that bastard, didn't even bother to tell me that the curse on the Defense Against the Dark Arts position grows stronger each year," Tver muttered to himself. Indeed, with the start of the new academic year, the curse seemed to have intensified. No wonder the past professors had only managed to last a year; the curse's power increased in the second year of tenure.
Despite this, the vitality within Tver was still robust, easily capable of keeping the curse at bay. Yet, he knew he had to unravel the secret of the medallion soon. If left unchecked for too long, perhaps a decade or more, the curse's potency could become terrifyingly formidable.