Teaching: How to Deal with Trolls

Sagreles walked toward the Ravenclaw Astronomy Tower with his books. These were his final two classes of November, and with the Quidditch Cup approaching, he planned to leave Hogwarts during the break to attend to some personal matters.

The classroom was familiar, filled with students from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. To be honest, he preferred teaching students from these two houses.

The personalities of Gryffindor and Slytherin were too intense; they loved to trade barbs and sarcasm. Although his classroom was protected by charms, he couldn't entirely avoid it. Still, he had to admit that the current state of discipline in his Charms Theory and Practice class was a rare miracle for those two houses.

Stepping into the room and glancing at the students, Sagreles immediately noticed two Hufflepuffs were missing.

"Why are Jeliwa and Runisell not here?"

The Hufflepuff prefect replied immediately, "Professor, they were knocked down and had their bones crushed during the Halloween feast. They are still in the hospital wing..."

Sagreles nodded, tapped his desk to signal for quiet, and opened his textbook.

"Today, we will discuss the evolution of the Stunner and the distribution of magical nodes..."

"Professor..."

Jenny raised her hand, interrupting him. He frowned and gestured for her to continue.

"Could you teach us how to deal with a Troll? I heard that when the Troll broke into Hogwarts on Halloween, it was you who took care of it..."

Sagreles refused without a second thought. "It isn't that I'm unwilling to teach you, but handling dangerous creatures is the curriculum of your Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. I believe you've asked the wrong person."

"But Professor, I think you must have heard—Professor Quirrell... I mean, the Defense Against the Dark Arts classes in previous years haven't been much better. We haven't been able to learn many useful things in that class..."

Looking at the dozens of nodding faces in the room, Sagreles pondered for a moment. Finally, he closed his Introduction to Magic, his expression softening. "Since you have requested it repeatedly, I will teach you some basic knowledge regarding Trolls..."

A few cheers erupted in the classroom.

Sagreles raised a hand to stop them and began his lecture. "First, Trolls are classified by the Ministry of Magic as XXXX—dangerous, but creatures that can be subdued. Wizards categorize them into three subspecies based on their habitat and physical characteristics: Mountain Trolls, Forest Trolls, and Swamp Trolls."

Watching the attentive students, Sagreles couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Hogwarts' Defense Against the Dark Arts curriculum was essentially a sham; the students' complaints were not unfounded. Thinking this, he went into greater detail.

"The first type, the Mountain Troll—

They are the largest, with light gray, rough skin covered in wart-like bumps. Their bodies emit a foul stench, and their teeth and nails are filthy and yellow.

They usually live in remote mountains or caves, wielding heavy wooden clubs or rocks as weapons. Their intelligence is extremely low, their aggression is high, and they often act on instinct."

He paused here, emphasizing, "This is also the most dangerous type of Troll."

He continued, "The second type, the Forest Troll—

Their skin is pale green, allowing them to blend into forest environments. They are slightly smaller than Mountain Trolls but possess more developed muscles.

They often use tree trunks or spiked clubs and live in dense forests, such as the primeval woodlands of Northern Europe and Eastern Europe.

Forest Trolls are slightly smarter than Mountain Trolls; they are adept at ambushing prey and will attack intruders through camouflage or by setting traps."

Seeing the fear on the students' faces, Sagreles added calmly, "Don't worry too much, because compared to Mountain Trolls, Forest Trolls are very sensitive to fire-based magic. Flames can effectively drive them away."

He continued his introduction. "The third type, the Swamp Troll, also known as the River Troll—

Their skin is grayish-purple with a scaly texture. They are adapted to aquatic environments, with large, webbed feet that make it easy for them to walk on riverbeds.

They have horn-like protrusions on their heads and sharp teeth. They inhabit swamps, rivers, and lakes, and are particularly common in Northern Europe.

This type of Troll is adept at diving and can lurk underwater for long periods to ambush prey. Their methods of attack include biting or smashing with rocks.

It is important to note that Swamp Trolls become weak if they leave the water for too long; dry environments will limit their movement."

At this point, Sagreles reminded them, "Trolls are different from Giants. Giants are intelligent beings closer to humans, while Trolls are purely wild magical creatures.

If any of you cannot distinguish between the two, Professor Kettleburn might give your heads a hard knock with his alchemical prosthetic..."

The students couldn't help but laugh. Professor Kettleburn was their Care of Magical Creatures teacher; he was covered in scars from frequent contact with dangerous creatures and was now left with only one leg and half an arm.

Sagreles continued, "All three types of Trolls have thick skin and high magical resistance. Therefore, dealing with them requires combining knowledge of their weaknesses and habits to choose targeted spells and strategies."

He scanned the students and offered his advice sincerely. "Of course, if you encounter a Troll in the wild, my advice is to run away immediately.

It isn't that I don't believe in your abilities, but Trolls are creatures that possess nothing of value from head to toe. Hunting them is simply a waste of time."

Seeing the students nod in agreement, Sagreles continued with satisfaction. "So, when you want to avoid a low-intelligence Troll, the Impediment Jinx, Disillusionment Charm, and Transfiguration Spell are all good choices.

The Impediment Jinx can hinder a Troll's movement, Transfiguration can turn debris into brightly colored animals to distract them, and the Disillusionment Charm allows you to hide your form and retreat safely."

A student raised their hand to ask, "But Professor, what if we cannot avoid them?"

"Then you must prepare for battle." Sagreles used his wand to write the words "General Principles" in the air, saying seriously, "First, keep your distance: Trolls have immense strength but are clumsy; long-range attacks are safer.

Second, exploit their weaknesses: Formulate tactics based on the habitat and physiological characteristics of the specific Troll.

Third, teamwork: Cooperation among multiple people can distract the Troll and increase your success rate."

He then asked the students a rare question. "So, can anyone tell me which spells are best to use when fighting a Troll?"

Everyone raised their right hands in unison.

Sagreles didn't immediately choose someone to answer; instead, he reminded them, "I said before that there are no extra points in my class, so this time is no different..."

The students kept their hands raised.

Sagreles nodded. "Charles, you answer..."

"The Stunner."

"Robert, what about you?"

"The Conjunctivitis Curse, Professor."

"Jenny..."

"The Disarming Charm might work."

"Clarisse..."

"I think the Fire-Making Spell and the Wand-Lighting Charm, Professor."

"Angwa, what is your answer?"

"I would use the Binding Charm to tie up their limbs."

Sagreles didn't continue picking people to answer; he gestured for them to put their hands down.

"I said before that Trolls have high magical resistance. So, Charles, your Stunner will be useless unless you can hit them in the head. And even if you do hit them in the head, I'm afraid it will only make them slightly dizzy for a few seconds."

He waved his hand, and a raven flew in from the window, landing obediently on the lectern. It emitted a beam of light from its eyes, projecting an image of a Troll onto the blackboard.

Sagreles pointed at the image. "Don't forget, compared to their massive bodies, a Troll's head is pitifully small. So, if you want to hit their head from a distance, your accuracy cannot be too low."

He continued his critique. "The Conjunctivitis Curse is indeed a good choice, but again, it requires hitting the head. The Disarming Charm is a complete mistake. Not to mention whether you can successfully disarm them, even if you did, a club weighing over a hundred pounds flying toward you—ha, you might not even need the Troll to do anything..."

The students laughed again. Sagreles didn't intervene; he felt that a little more joy in the classroom wasn't a bad thing.

"Incendio and Lumos can indeed have a significant effect on Forest Trolls. Once you ignite the club in their hand or the surrounding environment, you can effectively drive them away. The Binding Charm requires strong magic to ensure the opponent completely loses the ability to act, as Trolls possess astonishing strength..."

After critiquing their answers, Sagreles provided the standard answer suitable for students. "Considering your magical reserves and the number of spells you have mastered, I personally believe that a wide-range attack spell like Oppugno makes it easier to hit a Troll's head. Meanwhile, Avis can effectively interfere with a Troll's vision. Combining the two produces excellent results."

"As for dealing with Swamp Trolls, it is best to use the Freezing Charm; freezing the water surface can better limit their movement. The Drying Charm can also alter the environment to weaken their stamina, provided you can cast it continuously."

Finally, Sagreles warned them sternly, "Beyond this, there are two points to note. First, do not think about engaging in hand-to-hand combat with a Troll unless you are a Troll yourself. Second, try not to deal with one alone; unless absolutely necessary, you must seek support."

Seeing that the students had understood, he used his wand to write the spells he had mentioned on the blackboard. "Next, we will study the distribution of magical nodes for all the spells mentioned in this lesson. Before the next practical class, everyone must master them..."

A sound of turning pages filled the classroom...

When the bell rang, Sagreles had already planned to give this group of underage young wizards a vivid practical Charms lesson.

Calculating the time, it should be a few days before Christmas. He would gather all the students from both years and all four houses to let them face a real Troll...

"Professor... Professor Greengrass!"

Just as Sagreles was about to leave the classroom, a few students called out to him.

"Professor, I have a younger brother in his fifth year who hasn't taken his O.W.L.s yet. Can he come to audit your class?"

Sagreles looked puzzled. Since when were Hogwarts students so passionate about learning?

However, he ultimately shook his head. "This is not something I can decide, Field. Hogwarts has no such precedent."

The young wizards looked disappointed, but Sagreles changed his tone. "However, perhaps you can petition Headmaster Dumbledore. After all, wanting to learn more knowledge is never a bad thing."

He turned and left after speaking. The students reacted immediately upon hearing his words, cheering and calling out to their companions.

They were going to unite as many people as possible and organize a petition at Hogwarts...