Don't Compare Us to Ravenclaw!

Five minutes before the bell, Douglas still hadn't mentioned memorization, and all the students breathed a sigh of relief.

They had long since heard rumors about Douglas putting students from other years through the wringer and had been on edge the whole time.

Having just finished their O.W.L.s, none of them wanted to dive straight back into practice questions and memorization.

Watching the students relax, Douglas spoke casually as well:

"After this lesson, you should have a basic understanding of Inferi. Your homework is simple: write a ten-inch essay discussing your own understanding of Inferi. Don't copy the textbook."

Hearing that both the lesson and the homework were so easy, the students couldn't hide their smiles. They had finally made it through.

As soon as the bell rang, Douglas left them with another remark:

"The next lesson will be a practical. Whoever gets the best results will be the sixth-year class representative."

The students all froze.

A practical?

Did he mean a spell duel?

Surely he wasn't actually going to bring in an Inferius?

They immediately dismissed that thought. Hogwarts couldn't possibly allow such a thing to appear.

Looking at the rating on his system panel, Douglas smiled in satisfaction and headed for his office.

Back in his office, Douglas carefully checked the design plans for the Defense Against Dark Magic practical training grounds.

There was also the application, a full foot long, which he checked to make sure nothing had been left out.

He glanced at the time. It was ten past five. He planned to wait until half past five before seeing Professor McGonagall, giving the elderly professor a chance to catch her breath after class.

Suddenly, someone knocked on his office door.

Douglas wondered who would come looking for him at this hour.

"Come in!"

A girl with a ponytail pushed the door open and stepped inside cautiously.

It was Meg Erin, the third-year Ravenclaw class representative Douglas had just appointed.

"Miss Erin, what can I do for you? Don't be nervous. Come in and sit down."

As Douglas spoke, he walked toward the tea table beside the fireplace.

The moment Meg Erin entered, the office's decor took her by surprise.

Its style was completely out of place in Hogwarts Castle. It was the only office she had ever seen that didn't strive for grandeur, but was instead exceptionally bright and clean.

At Douglas's gesture, she sat in a wooden armchair.

The chair's style was also entirely different from Hogwarts's angular chairs. Its rounded wooden armrests made her run her hands over them a couple of times.

Then she watched Douglas take a boiling kettle from the fireplace and begin a series of steps she couldn't understand at all, but which seemed impressive.

Thinking of who Douglas was, her heart gave a jolt, and she grew a little nervous.

She even wondered whether the professor was preparing some sort of Dark Magic ritual.

Only when Douglas set a small, delicate cup before her did she snap back to her senses.

"Professor, is this tea? Don't you just pour water over it? Why is it so complicated? Can this ritual change the tea's effects?"

Douglas smiled, showing no intention of mocking her lack of knowledge, and explained:

"This is a way of drinking tea from the distant East, called Tea Art.

Good Tea Art can bring peace of mind.

Although it can't increase magical power, it can help wizards think more calmly. It's particularly suitable for those who often come into contact with Dark Magic, as it can ease the negative effects.

Oh, sorry. That's still a long way off for you.

Anyway, what did you want to see me about?"

Meg Erin had learned that Tea Art could also offer protection against Dark Magic. This was knowledge she had never encountered in a book.

Hearing Douglas's question, she hurriedly stood up and said:

"Professor, I've memorized the key points about Grindylows."

Douglas wasn't surprised.

He had appointed Erin precisely because her records showed that, besides having good practical and management skills, the girl also had an outstanding memory. She was something of a little star student.

Douglas took a sip of tea and gestured for her to begin.

Erin drew a deep breath and began reciting:

"Grindylows have green bodies, green teeth, and horns on their heads. Their fingers are very long and grip things strongly, but break easily..."

While Erin was reciting in Douglas's office, Hermione had roped in a disgruntled Ron and Harry in the Gryffindor common room and was blocking the students in their year, supervising their memorization.

Ron and Harry hid their faces behind their books and whispered behind Hermione's back:

"Harry, why don't we sneak back to the dormitory?"

"For heaven's sake, Ron, have you forgotten? Girls can go into the boys' dormitory whenever they like! Do you really want to wait until she drags you out of bed?"

Meanwhile, Hermione was earnestly trying to persuade Neville Longbottom:

"Neville, memorization is the easiest part. If you just learn it by rote, you'll get through it eventually."

Neville looked utterly defeated. "Hermione, have you forgotten I need a Remembrall? You might as well kill me as make me memorize things!"

Just then, Hermione's roommate Lavender Brown also tossed down her book and complained:

"Hermione, Professor Holmes never asked us to memorize it all this quickly!

Do you think everyone's a genius like you?

Besides, we still have four assignments to do. We can't spend all our time memorizing things!"

The other students chimed in, putting down their books.

"Exactly! All our assignments add up to more than forty inches of parchment!"

"I hadn't even worked that out until you said it. Dean, you're really good at maths!"

"Hermione, stop acting like you've been given some grand authority. Even the Prefects have never bossed us around like this!"

Their words left Hermione flushed red. Holding back her hurt, she trembled with anger.

Seeing things going wrong, Harry quickly tugged at her sleeve from behind.

Hermione shook off Harry's hand, took a deep breath, and said:

"I know this is difficult for you, but Professor Holmes treats every house equally. Students in the other houses have to memorize it too! I'm doing this for Gryffindor's honor..."

Seamus Finnigan snorted and cut her off:

"Hmph! So you do remember we're Gryffindors, not Ravenclaws?

If Gryffindors were better at memorization than Ravenclaws, why didn't the Sorting Hat put us all in Ravenclaw in the first place?"

After saying that, he shot Hermione a very strange look.