First Lesson

The next morning, soft sunlight streamed through the window and fell across Wes's office.

He was staring intently at the timetable in his hands, an utterly satisfied expression on his face.

Sure enough, just as he had expected, Rune Class was unquestionably an extremely unpopular subject.

Fewer than thirty students had chosen it, and there were only three lessons a week.

Wes excitedly slapped his thighs over and over, cheering, "Fantastic."

Even so, Wes had no intention of treating this hard-won job carelessly.

Though he had not painstakingly prepared a thick stack of lesson plans like the other professors, he still decided to prepare properly for his first class. After all, this would be his first lesson at Hogwarts. He did not want to receive a flood of complaints from the very beginning and ultimately be driven out of Hogwarts.

"The first class is at three this afternoon. I have to give it everything I've got and prepare thoroughly."

In the blink of an eye, afternoon arrived.

When Wes strode briskly into the classroom, he was delighted to find that the students were already seated neatly at their desks.

What surprised Wes was that Hermione, a first-year who had only just entered the magical world, had actually chosen Rune Class as well.

He calmly picked up a piece of chalk and wrote his name on the blackboard in bold, forceful strokes—"Wes Erwin."

"First, I would like to sincerely thank all of you for choosing Rune Class."

"Second, please introduce yourselves one by one. There aren't many of us, after all, and I'm confident I can remember each of your names."

As soon as he finished speaking, light laughter rose from below the platform.

The students began introducing themselves in an orderly fashion, one after another.

When it was Hermione's turn, everyone's eyes focused on her.

After all, all the other students present were fifth-years or above. They already had a certain foundation in magic and knew more or less something about runes.

It was truly beyond everyone's expectations that Hermione, a new student from a Muggle family, had chosen such an unpopular and difficult course.

Like a proud, confident peacock, she kept her bright eyes fixed on Wes throughout her introduction.

After the introductions ended, Wes began the formal lesson.

"Runes are ancient and unfathomably mysterious things." His voice echoed through the classroom as every student quickly opened their books, concentrating as they diligently took notes.

As he taught, Wes skillfully interspersed the lesson with stories of adventures he had personally experienced. The thrilling tales drew bursts of astonished cries from the students now and then.

"Overall, runes have an extremely wide range of applications. Whether setting traps, strengthening defenses, sending warnings, or in advanced alchemy, none can do without the ingenious use of runes."

"If you have any questions during your studies, you may ask at any time."

The moment he finished, everyone eagerly raised their hands at once.

"Oh, this is far beyond my expectations."

Wes glanced at the clock hanging on the wall and said, "Fortunately, we have plenty of time. One question per person, then."

Wes casually pointed at the boy in the first row on the left. "Mr. Wesley, we'll start with you."

Wesley immediately stood up upon hearing this.

"Sit down, Mr. Wesley. Let's all relax a little." Wes leaned casually against the lectern and smiled.

Wesley shrugged and obediently sat back down.

"Professor, did all those adventures you described really happen?"

"Of course." Wes nodded without hesitation.

Another wave of exclamations rose through the classroom.

Wesley wanted to press further, but Wes decisively stopped him.

"One question per person, Mr. Wesley."

Wesley reluctantly shut his mouth.

The girl behind him impatiently asked, "Professor, did you discover any precious treasure during your adventures?"

Everyone pricked up their ears, eagerly awaiting the answer.

Wes stood and turned gracefully in a circle. "A professor's meager salary couldn't possibly buy the luxurious robes I'm wearing."

Wes's thoughts instantly drifted back to those difficult days exploring the labyrinth.

"I must solemnly remind you that it was extremely dangerous." He looked worriedly at the group of curious young Wizards before him and deliberately frightened them. "One careless mistake, and you could lose your precious life."

Those words were indeed rather intimidating, and for a moment, the children fell silent.

Still, a few bold students continued asking questions related to adventures.

Until the clear bell signaling the end of class rang.

"All right, ladies and gentlemen, class is over."

Wes smiled, signaling the end of the lesson.

Hermione, however, raised her hand high.

"Miss Granger?"

"Professor, you haven't assigned any homework."

All the students glared viciously at Hermione as though they wanted to kill her.

Wes shrugged helplessly. "I don't want to lose the few students I have. What are you all waiting for?"

Upon hearing this, the students hurriedly packed up their books in a fluster and rushed out of the classroom.

Everyone was overjoyed and cheering because there was no homework, except Hermione, whose face was full of frustration.

A month passed in a hurry.

Wes had also adapted to the rhythm of life as a professor. He only needed to teach three classes a week, assign homework once a week, and carefully grade the students' essays.

To be fair, while some of the ideas the students raised in their essays seemed rather naïve, they truly gave Wes quite a bit of inspiration.

Over the past month, the library had also become a place Wes frequented.

The students were astonished to discover that this young professor was even more diligent than they were. They discussed it endlessly, and it unexpectedly sparked a strong atmosphere of study.

That weekend, Wes did not go to the library for once. Instead, he chose to visit Hagrid's hut.

The moment Hagrid saw Wes, he enthusiastically gave him a huge bear hug. "Wes! Oh, I ought to call you Professor Erwin now."

"Come on, Hagrid. Calling me Wes still sounds much more familiar and pleasant."

The two appeared to be quite close.

Hagrid happily invited Wes to taste the Rock Cake he had made himself. Wes looked at the Rock Cake, so hard it seemed capable of smashing stones, and could only decline tactfully.

It was already late autumn, and the burning wood in the hut's fireplace crackled crisply from time to time.

Hagrid's beloved dog Fang, a sensitive and timid dog, was lying contentedly on the rug, thoroughly enjoying Wes's gentle strokes.

Wes carefully examined the hut. Its decor was rough and rugged, even somewhat shabby.

Yet soft fur from rare magical creatures and shed hard horns could be seen everywhere. They were all precious materials rarely found.

Wes even spotted, to his delight, the fur of a legendary Unicorn.

Only Hagrid, the diligent keeper of the Forbidden Forest, could collect so many priceless treasures.

Hagrid was undoubtedly a master in the field of magical creatures.

Yet for some unknown reason, he could only serve in such ordinary positions as Keeper of Keys and Keeper of the Forbidden Forest. His salary was pitifully meager; he even had to think it over again and again before ordering a beer at a pub.

Wes gently stroked the precious hides on the floor, secretly thinking that if Hagrid were a little more flexible, he could have long since made a fortune selling these rare materials.

But Hagrid was simple and honest-hearted, utterly loyal to Hogwarts and Headmaster Dumbledore. He would never do something that violated his principles.

"Hagrid, have you ever thought about improving your life a little?"

"Improve my life? Why? I think I'm doing very well right now. I'm happy every day."

Hagrid's face was full of confusion.

Wes forcibly swallowed the words that had reached his lips.

"Nothing. Just take it as me talking nonsense."

The two held steaming cups of tea as they animatedly shared their own colorful experiences.

Whenever Wes vividly described the strange creatures he had encountered during his adventures, Hagrid's eyes would gleam with excitement. He listened eagerly, as though he were there himself.

Darkness fell quickly. Wes politely declined Hagrid's warm invitation to dinner; his delicate, sensitive stomach simply could not bear the unique cuisine prepared by a Half-giant.

Thank you all for your support.