Douglas wore his signature relaxed smile, tinged with self-mockery.
"First."
His voice was not loud, yet it carried clearly to every corner of the Great Hall as though amplified by Sonorus.
"I must thank you all for this... blind faith in my personal abilities."
"It has given me unrealistically optimistic expectations for next week's Defense Against Dark Magic quiz."
As his words fell, a wave of forcibly suppressed chuckles immediately rippled through the students.
The tension stretched to breaking point in the Great Hall instantly eased a little.
Quite a few students had already begun silently wailing inside.
They knew this professor all too well.
He was petty, held grudges, and liked to settle scores on the spot.
They began wondering whether they had laughed too loudly just now.
"Second."
Douglas changed tack, his smile fading as his expression became perfectly serious.
"Although I would very much like to demonstrate that, as your professor, I do possess some... negligible practical abilities beyond all that dry classroom knowledge."
Like an experienced storyteller, his pause whetted everyone's appetite at just the right moment.
The students unconsciously held their breath and leaned forward, afraid of missing a single word that followed.
Krum's brow furrowed tightly too. He even felt that this was more nerve-racking than waiting for the Golden Snitch to appear.
"...Unfortunately, however."
Douglas spread his hands and shrugged, his tone full of sincerity.
"My employment contract contains a very, very harsh supplementary clause written in Goblin script."
"The clause states-professors are strictly forbidden from participating in any form of student competition to disguise their procrastination over marking homework."
He paused, then added:
"Apparently, this is to preserve the last vestiges of professorial dignity."
After a brief silence.
"Pfft-"
Someone was the first to lose control and laugh aloud.
Then a tidal