Penelope Clearwater

Penelope Clearwater

Dark Arts Defence was a core course at Hogwarts.

In this course, students learned how to resist all kinds of Dark Arts—dark curses, jinxes, hexes, and other spells—how to fight Dark creatures, and how to duel.

Back when the dreaded terrorist Voldemort had been young, he had also attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

After graduating, he had applied for the position of Dark Arts Defence Professor. However, his true intention had been to continue exploring Hogwarts's secrets and recruit followers from among the students.

Dumbledore had seen through his scheme and rejected his application.

It was said that Voldemort had held a grudge over this and secretly cursed the Dark Arts Defence teaching post.

As a result, every professor who took up the position afterward had been unable to remain in office for more than a year due to various unfortunate circumstances.

That was the origin of the curse on the position of Dark Arts Defence Professor.

After hearing Charlie's account, Kyle glanced worriedly in Snape's direction.

Snape was the substitute teacher...

Snape wasn't going to bite the dust before the end of term too, was he?

Whether Snape, who was substituting for Dark Arts Defence, would bite the dust was a question that would take quite some time to answer.

However, George and Fred felt they would not live long enough to find out.

Human joys and sorrows were not shared. Kyle, on the other hand, thought Professor Snape was quite a decent person.

From the few things Professor Tom had said last night, Kyle had gathered that both he and Snape were people with stories.

Kyle was intensely curious about it, but he definitely could not ask the people involved directly.

Dumbledore might know. Perhaps Kyle could find a chance to ask him.

The weekend arrived.

The blue-grey castle was shrouded in mist. The rising sun was still hidden behind the distant mountains, casting only a faint glow.

George and Fred stood at the castle entrance, constantly rubbing their eyes and yawning one after another.

Kyle gave each of them a kick. "What are you doing?! Perk up!"

George, who had taken a kick for no apparent reason, listlessly pointed at the dark sky in the distance. "You've got some nerve saying that. Look what time it is!"

Fred tried hard to open his eyes, but his eyelids felt as though they weighed a thousand pounds. No matter how hard he tried, he could not open them.

"This is the time to burn with the fire of youth! How can you be defeated by a little drowsiness!" Kyle planted his left hand on his hip and held out his right arm with a thumbs-up, his gleaming teeth sparkling brilliantly.

However, George and Fred were completely unmoved by Kyle's enthusiasm.

The two leaned against each other, nearly falling asleep standing up.

Seeing that verbal encouragement had accomplished absolutely nothing, a murderous glint flashed through Kyle's eyes as his hands began forming seals.

"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet!"

Two terrified screams rang out beyond the castle.

A fierce-looking water dragon clamped two continuously screaming young wizards in its jaws and flew rapidly toward the distant Black Lake.

A short while later, a bonfire burned beside the Black Lake.

Having stripped down to only their undershirts, the brothers huddled beside the fire, shivering so hard their teeth chattered.

After falling into the icy lake, the cold seemed to have lingered in their bodies. The blankets draped over them were utterly useless against that psychological chill.

Wizarding robes, jumpers, shirts, and other clothes that needed drying hung from the wooden racks around them, still dripping water.

Kyle lifted the kettle sitting over the fire and poured each of them a cup of hot water.

"Feeling much more awake now?"

If they had been able to beat him, the brothers would have drawn their wands and fought Kyle to the death right then.

Seeing them glare at him resentfully, Kyle put both hands on his hips and said righteously, "I clearly told you yesterday to get up early for training this morning. Yet you two still went sneaking around at night. How is that my fault?"

Fred and George entered shutdown mode. They did not want to listen to Kyle talk; they treated it like a turtle chanting scriptures.

Seeing that neither of them intended to pay him any attention, Kyle decided he needed to show them something practical and make them eat their words.

He looked toward the Black Lake.

When the Weasley brothers saw Kyle standing steadily on the surface of the Black Lake, their eyes nearly popped out of their heads.

They instantly forgot that Kyle had just thrown them into the lake. Wrapped in blankets, they grinned and hurried to the shore.

George asked ingratiatingly, "Kyle! How did you do that?"

Kyle spread his hands. "This is the magic control technique I'm going to teach you."

"We're starting training now?" Fred chuckled eagerly.

Kyle clicked his tongue in exasperation. Sure enough, he had to show them something tangible before they would truly be convinced.

After returning to shore, Kyle carefully explained how to make Chakra—no, magic—gather beneath their feet to create suction and support.

George and Fred's brains: I think I've got it.

The two casually prepared to step onto the water, but Kyle grabbed them. "What are you doing?"

"Walking on water." They answered in unison.

Kyle: ???

You two didn't get enough winter swimming just now, did you?

So everything I just told you about starting with tree climbing went in one ear and out the other?

After using Earth Style Ninjutsu to create a steep slope of around seventy or eighty degrees, Kyle demonstrated it for them himself.

Then Kyle looked at them. "You need to start with the basics. Your first training exercise is to walk upright on this steep slope and move freely on it."

The Weasley Twins nodded, their eyes burning as they looked at the slope beside them. They could not wait to begin their first training exercise.

Kyle stopped bothering with them. Training in tree climbing and water walking could not be completed in just a few weeks. It was more important for him to begin today's Taijutsu training.

By the time Kyle had finished running ten kilometres around the castle, the bright sunlight had dispersed the mist among the mountains.

Looking relaxed, Kyle ran a hand through his golden hair, tidying the slightly messy hairstyle caused by running. After adjusting his breathing a little, he quickly returned to his normal rhythm.

When he strolled back to the Black Lake, Kyle had assumed the brothers were still training diligently. Instead, he found the two slackers chatting and laughing with a beautiful witch with curly brown hair.

George spotted Kyle approaching and took the initiative to introduce her. "Kyle, this is Penelope Clearwater, a senior student."

Fred bumped Kyle with his shoulder and waggled his eyebrows with a mischievous grin. "I think she's here to see you."

Huh? Here to see me?

Kyle looked at Penelope. The sky-blue scarf wrapped around her neck identified her as a Ravenclaw.

Kyle was rather puzzled. The only two Ravenclaws he knew were Cho Chang and Marietta. As for this one... had they met before?

The witch generously held out her hand to Kyle. "Hello, Kyle. My name is Penelope Clearwater."

Kyle came back to his senses and shook her hand. Her hand felt as smooth and soft as mutton-fat jade.

Kyle's ears reddened slightly. In his previous life, he had been single from birth. Even if he accidentally touched a girl's fingers while handing her something, he would recoil as though shocked. As for holding hands with a girl like this...

Oh, no, he had shaken hands with Cho Chang before.

But age had to be taken into account. Eleven-year-old Cho Chang seemed like a neighbour's child to Kyle, while Penelope was only two years older than Cho Chang. Still, considering that Westerners tended to mature physically earlier...

Put simply, Penelope had already passed the protected age range of "minimum three years, maximum death penalty."

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The female lead is not Penelope!

The female lead is not Penelope!

The female lead is not Penelope!

Important things must be said three times!