Douglas pushed open the heavy door to the lecture hall.
A dazzling cascade of light poured out, instantly engulfing the young witches and wizards following him.
They instinctively narrowed their eyes, like a group of moles that had just emerged from their burrows, utterly unable to adjust to this bright new world.
There were no flickering candles in the classroom, no ghosts floating in the air.
Only neat rows of long light fixtures on the ceiling, giving off a cold white light that illuminated every corner in minute detail.
"Oh, Merlin's beard..."
A younger Hufflepuff student murmured to himself, looking up curiously at the LED lights.
He paid no attention at all to the steps beneath his feet.
His foot missed a step.
His body pitched sharply forward, throwing him off balance.
"Ah-!"
A short scream tore through the air.
He flailed his arms in terror, grabbing wildly at a nearby student's robes, his voice on the verge of tears.
"The steps here are just like the ones at Hogwarts! They suddenly disappear!"
Before he had finished speaking, a shrill, distorted burst of electrical noise erupted from the front of the classroom.
"Bzz-pop, pop-"
Douglas stood on the platform, tapping the microphone on its stand in front of him without expression.
He spoke into the microphone, his voice amplified dozens of times and reaching everyone's ears clearly.
"Hello, hello... testing..."
He cleared his throat, his gaze locking precisely onto the student who had nearly fallen.
"If you would look down at where you're walking instead of studying the ceiling, you would discover that it's just a perfectly ordinary step."
There was a hint of unquestionable composure in his voice, making the student's face turn scarlet in an instant.
"All right, gentlemen, ladies, find yourselves a seat."
"Those who know how,