DePty hadn't expected the school to be so thoughtful.
He had assumed that, as a transfer student, he would be handed a timetable and a pile of textbooks and left to figure things out for himself. Instead, there was a book made just for him, and even a professor checking on his progress.
He thanked Professor Weasley and put the book away.
Professor Fig came down the corridor, greeted Professor Weasley, then turned to DePty.
"Good morning, Professor Fig."
Professor Fig nodded without saying much. He simply patted DePty on the shoulder. "Off to class."
A little excited, DePty officially began his magical education...
The Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom.
The first thing that caught DePty's eye was the enormous dragon skeleton hanging from the ceiling. It was complete, at least thirty feet long from head to tail, with dark gray bones and a wingspan that nearly covered the entire ceiling.
From the way Professor Hecat spoke, he could tell that this frail-looking old woman was remarkably powerful.
She had once taken down the largest poaching ring in eastern Wales single-handedly. The ring consisted of several Dark Wizards who hunted rare Magical Creatures and sold their hides, horns, and bones on the black market.
Professor Hecat had subdued all twenty-odd of them alone, with a single Wand. Not one had escaped.
DePty learned something important from Professor Hecat: in the Wizarding World, knowledge was power. The old woman was proof enough.
He took those words to heart.
At the end of Defence Against the Dark Arts, a friendly student named Sebastian Sallow invited him to join the Secret Duelling Club and even suggested they visit the Restricted Section together at night.
DePty had reservations. The Practical Guide to Wizarding included the school rules, and that would clearly break them.