Provocation

When Lin Du stepped into the second-year classroom, an unexpected scene greeted him—

Not only were the Gryffindors eager to try, but even the Slytherin table was filled with a fighting spirit.

Clearly, the news had spread throughout the entire school.

"Just you wait, Potter," Malfoy said, chin held high. "Slytherin will catch the most pixies today."

"Dream on, Malfoy," Harry retorted, not backing down. "Gryffindor won't lose to you."

Ron rubbed his hands together at the side. "That's right, we'll show Slytherin who's better!"

Hermione rolled her eyes nearby, disdainful of the childish competition between the boys from the two houses.

She looked up, about to express her displeasure, and happened to meet Professor Lin Du's gaze as he scanned the room from the podium.

At that moment, Hermione couldn't help but pause slightly.

The afternoon sun streamed through the tall windows, outlining the sharp, defined profile of the young professor's face.

Lin Du was wearing a dark green robe today, which made his Eastern features appear even fairer. His black hair was casually tied back, with a few stray strands falling onto his forehead, adding a touch of effortless elegance.

"He's truly..." Hermione subconsciously pursed her lips, unable to find a suitable adjective.

This professor indeed possessed a striking and unforgettable handsome appearance.

Lin Du took in the students' reactions, a barely perceptible smile gracing his lips.

He walked slowly towards the podium, the hem of his robe swaying gently behind him.

"It seems everyone is prepared," his voice was cool, yet carried a hint of playfulness. "Then, let us begin today's... practical exercise."

With a tap of his wand, the familiar parchment flew to each student's desk once more.

This time, students from both houses eagerly grabbed their quills, the air thick with a strong sense of competition.

The moment the parchment began to twist and deform, a chorus of incantations erupted in the classroom.

However, precognition did not bring the expected advantage—

Although most students were mentally prepared, when the parchment truly twisted and transformed into shrieking, pouncing, ashen-faced pixies, the gap between reality and imagination plunged them into chaos.

Knowing something in your mind was one thing; facing it personally was another.

"Glacius!" Ron shouted nervously, but the spell missed and hit the classroom wall, the dissipating cold making Harry beside him shiver.

Harry was struggling with a pixie for his wand, his face flushed red.

Neville had already hidden under his desk, trembling with his head in his hands.

Meanwhile, the Slytherins displayed a completely different approach.

"Form a defensive formation!" Malfoy commanded loudly.

The Slytherins quickly closed ranks, attempting to build a defense with Obstruction Charms.

However, their spell strength was inconsistent, and the formation was quickly broken through by the agile pixies.

One girl cast a Petrificus Totalus but hit her desk, while another boy tried a Levitation Charm and had his wand snatched away instead.

Malfoy managed to freeze two pixies, but was soon swarmed by more and had to retreat under a desk in a flustered state.

If you can't find the book title, you can try searching for the author, maybe the name has changed!

Lin Du's gaze swept across the classroom, finally landing on the boy wearing glasses.

Watching Harry's clumsy casting, a hint of disappointment flashed in his eyes.

Can't they come up with more practical countermeasures besides just competing? he sighed inwardly.

Amidst the chaos, Hermione took a deep breath and raised her wand. "Glacius!"

Precise Freezing Charms shot out one after another, quickly subduing the most mischievous pixies.

Her calmness stood in stark contrast to the panic of the others.

Lin Du waved his wand, and all the pixies instantly turned back into still parchment.

"Miss Hermione Granger, best performance. Gryffindor gets five points. Furthermore, you are appointed as the second-year Defense Against the Dark Arts prefect."

He announced calmly, then ignored the mixed looks of jealousy and dissatisfaction cast from the Slytherin table, and began the formal lesson—explaining the Obstruction Charm.

As the week of teaching drew to a close, Lin Du stood in the empty classroom, rubbing his temples, a rare gesture.

The state of Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts was even worse than he had anticipated.

The junior students generally had weak foundations and almost no practical awareness; the fifth-year students were overwhelmed by their O.W.Ls exams, resorting to rote memorization to patch up their knowledge gaps; the only ones who gave him some hope were the fourth-years—they had a certain foundation and no immediate academic pressure, making them moldable talents.

As for the advanced class for the sixth-years...

Lin Du tidied his robes and walked towards a dedicated classroom at the other end of the castle.

This room gathered eight students from the four houses who had received 'Outstanding' or 'Exceeds Expectations' in their O.W.Ls exams. Almost all of them were pure-bloods. They were the top talent in this subject at Hogwarts, and also a collection of arrogance and skepticism.

As he pushed the door open, eight pairs of eyes fell on him simultaneously, with undisguised scrutiny.

The air in the classroom seemed heavier than outside.

"I am Lin Du," his opening was still concise. "Your Defense Against the Dark Arts professor this year."

After a brief silence, a Slytherin boy spoke up, his tone laced with skepticism: "We've heard of you, Professor. We just didn't expect you to be so... young."

The doubt in his voice was almost palpable.

Another Ravenclaw boy, Anthony Goldstein, pushed up his glasses and was more direct:

"Professor Lin, please forgive our bluntness. We've already wasted a whole year with Professor Quirrell. We want to know, how exactly do you plan to ensure this year won't be a repeat of the last?"

"Or rather," a Hufflepuff boy added in a low voice, "do you truly have the ability to teach us?"

Lin Du calmly endured the barrage of skeptical gazes, his expression unreadable.

"Based on your current foundation," he began slowly, his voice clear and steady, "if your only goal is to achieve a decent grade on the N.E.W.T.s, perhaps self-study would suffice."

This statement caused a few students to subtly lift their chins, as if deeming it obvious.

"However," Lin Du shifted his tone, his gaze sweeping across each face, "if your understanding of Defense Against the Dark Arts is still at the level of merely passing the exams, then I can leave right now, and you can continue to self-study."

"Prove it," the Slytherin student responded almost immediately, his slate-blue eyes filled with defiance. "Prove you're qualified to stand here, Professor."

"Prove?" Lin Du raised an eyebrow slightly, finding the word amusing.

"That's right!" another Slytherin girl chimed in. "We've all heard that you've researched... dangerous things outside of school. But what we really want to know is, how capable are you when it comes to 'defense'?"

The atmosphere in the classroom instantly tensed, all students staring intently at Lin Du, awaiting his response.